What is CBN cutting inserts?

CBN cutting insert is a high performance tool for modern machining, and it is widely popular for its excellent hardness and abrasion resistance.  CBN (Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride) is made by combining micron-sized cubic boron nitride fragments with special ceramic binders at high pressures and temperatures. This structure gives it stability at high temperatures, allowing it to perform well in high-intensity and high-speed machining. 

CBN cutting inserts are nearly as hard as diamond, making this material ideal for precision machining of hardened steel, cast iron, and other high-hardness materials. In addition, CBN cutting materials have significant wear resistance in high-temperature environments, ensuring stable performance in high-speed cutting and continuous production environments. This means that in many applications, CBN cutting inserts can effectively replace traditional grinding processes to achieve more efficient and precise cutting processes.

With these properties, CBN cutting inserts are widely used in automotive manufacturing, aerospace, mold making, and other industries that require high-precision machining. Their use can not only improve processing efficiency, but also significantly improve the surface quality of the workpiece and reduce the need for subsequent processing. This efficiency and versatility make CBN cutting inserts a key tool in modern machining.

Main advantages of CBN cutting Inserts

CBN cutting inserts have the advantages of high cutting speed, excellent wear resistance, long working time, high feeds and etc. The following are the detailed description of the main advantages of the CBN cutting inserts. 

High hardness and Superior wear resistance

The hardness of the CBN is only below the Diamond and it is of high hardness with superior wear resistance. It makes the CBN cutting inserts performs well in the machining of the high hardness, high wear-resistant materials and prolongs the working lifetime of the inserts, which can reduce the comprehensive cost of the CBN cutting tools.   

Vastly improved the cutting speed and feeds

The CBN cutting inserts allows working at higher cutting speed and support higher feed at the same time, which means customers can remove more materials in the shorter time, so that the production efficiency can be improved vastly.      

Higher metal removal rates

Compared to conventional cutting tools, the CBN cutting inserts can realize higher metal removal rates due to due to their wear and heat resistance, which is especially important in scenarios where large-scale production and high efficiency are required.

Provide excellent surface finish  

CBN cutting inserts produce a smoother surface during processing due to their high hardness and precision cutting capabilities, reducing the need for subsequent grinding and polishing.                                      

Excellent thermal stability and high temperature hardness

CBN's heat resistance can reach 1400~1500℃, and its hardness at 800℃ is equivalent to the normal temperature hardness of ceramic materials. This means that CBN cutting inserts can maintain their hardness and shape in high-temperature environments and are suitable for high-speed turning.

Strong chemical stability

CBN has high oxidation resistance and does not oxidize at 1000°C, and does not chemically react with ferrous materials at 1200~1300°C, which helps to reduce the possibility of tool sticking and diffusion wear.

Good thermal conductivity and low friction coefficient

CBN inserts have good thermal conductivity and low friction coefficient, which is beneficial to improving the surface quality of the processed material and reducing heat accumulation during the cutting process.

Reduce processing costs

Although the initial investment of CBN inserts is relatively high, their durability and long life, as well as the ability to achieve faster cutting speeds and higher feed rates, can significantly reduce the cost of machining each part in the long run.

Wide applicability

CBN inserts are suitable for various processing operations, including turning, milling, drilling and grinding, and can meet diverse processing needs.

Environmentally friendly

Since CBN blades support dry processing, the need for coolant is reduced, which not only reduces costs but also helps reduce environmental pollution.

Application of CBN Cutting Inserts

Below is a description of the wide range of applications of CBN cutting inserts in different industries and application scenarios, especially their important role in automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and mold and die machining.

Application of CBN inserts in automobile manufacturing industry

The automotive manufacturing industry is one of the most widely used industries for CBN cutting inserts. In this industry, CBN inserts are used for high-speed cutting of various carbide materials, such as hardened steel, cast iron, and high-silicon aluminum alloys. For example, in the processing of engine parts, CBN cutting inserts can provide high-precision cutting, ensuring the precise size and surface finish of the parts. In addition, due to its excellent heat resistance, CBN inserts perform well in dry or near-dry cutting processes, helping to increase production efficiency and reduce production costs.

Application of CBN cutting inserts in aerospace

The aerospace industry has extremely high requirements on material performance, which often involves the cutting of hard-to-machine materials such as cemented carbide and nickel-based alloys. CBN cutting inserts are an ideal choice in this field due to their excellent wear resistance and high temperature resistance. Whether when manufacturing engine turbine blades, spacecraft structural parts or other critical components, CBN inserts ensure process stability and consistent processing quality.

CBN cutting inserts in the mold processing industry applications

Mold processing is a key link in the manufacturing industry, it requires cutting tools with high precision and durability. CBN cutting inserts in mold processing is particularly important, especially in high-speed milling of hard materials. The CBN inserts can not only withstand the high temperature and pressure caused by high-speed cutting, but also maintain the sharpness of the tool, thereby extending the service life of the mold and reducing the frequency of replacement due to wear.

Other application for CBN cutting inserts

In addition to the above-mentioned major industries, CBN cutting inserts are also widely used in energy equipment manufacturing, medical device processing, electronics industry and other fields. In energy equipment manufacturing, such as the production of oil drill bits, CBN inserts are able to withstand extreme working environments. In medical device processing, they are used to create high-precision surgical tools and implants. In the electronics industry, CBN blades are used to process carbide circuit boards and micro parts.

Successful cases of Halnn inserts

As a leading manufacturer of CBN cutting inserts, Halnn's products have been successfully used in multiple industries. For example, in the production line of automobile parts, Halnn inserts help customers achieve a significant improvement in production efficiency by reducing the number of tool changes and increasing cutting speed. In the aerospace field, Halnn inserts have successfully solved the processing problems of certain types of aircraft engine blades, ensuring high precision and consistency of parts. In mold manufacturing, the application of Halnn CBN cutting inserts reduces the mold production cycle, improves mold quality, and wins more market opportunities for customers.

Types of the CBN cutting inserts

There are many types of CBN inserts according to different processing needs, including solid CBN inserts, brazing CBN inserts, PCBN insert, and coating CBN insert.

CBN cutting inserts can be divided into the following types according to type and application:

1. Solid CBN insert: It is made of CBN micro powder and is integrally sintered. It has multiple cutting edges and can be used for cutting in continuous, weakly interrupted and strongly interrupted environments.

2. Brazing CBN tool: The top surface of CBN is sintered on the carbide base. It usually only provides multiple cutting edges on one side of the tool. It is suitable for finishing processes, especially when the cutting depth on one side is controlled within 0.3mm.

3. PCBN inserts : Usually a CBN layer of about 0.5mm is directly sintered on the cemented carbide matrix to form a composite whole, which has both the high hardness of CBN and the toughness of cemented carbide.

4. Coating CBN cutting tools: Through special coating technology, one or more layers of thin film materials with specific functions are coated on the surface of the CBN cutting inserts to improve its wear resistance, heat resistance and other properties.

In general, different types of CBN tools also differ in manufacturing processes and costs. For example, brazing CBN tools are more economical than PCBN inserts, while solid CBN inserts have high bending strength and wide applicability. Customers should consider the characteristic of the machining material, machining conditions and cost-effectiveness when selecting CBN cutting tools to achieve the best processing results.

Grade of Halnn CBN cutting inserts

 The following are some of the grades of Halnn CBN cutting inserts and their application. We can also customize for you according to your production needs.

FAQs of CBN cutting inserts

What is the difference between CBN and PCD inserts?

CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) inserts and PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond) inserts both belong to superhard cutting tool materials, and they differ in hardness, suitable materials, heat resistance and application areas. The following is a specific analysis:

1. Hardness: Although the hardness of CBN is slightly lower than that of PCD, the hardness of CBN is still much higher than that of most conventional cutting tool materials, and its hardness can reach 8000HV, which is suitable for machining high hardness metals.

2. Suitable materials: CBN inserts are mainly suitable for processing high hardness ferrous metals, such as hardened steel, alloy steel, tool steel, etc., especially the hardness of HRC45-80 ° between a variety of difficult to process high hardness steel parts. While PCD inserts are mainly used for processing non-ferrous metals and their alloys, non-metallic materials, such as copper, aluminum, magnesium and graphite and fiber materials.

3. Heat resistance: CBN has higher thermal stability and can withstand high temperatures of more than 1000 degrees, which enables it to maintain its hardness and shape during machining, thus making it more suitable for high-speed cutting.

4. Application areas: Due to their respective characteristics, CBN and PCD inserts have their own focus in industrial applications; CBN inserts are mostly used for hardened materials in the automotive engine and bearing industries; while PCD inserts are more commonly used for machining non-ferrous metals and non-metallic materials, especially those that require extremely high wear resistance and sharp edges.

Overall, the main differences between CBN and PCD inserts are in terms of hardness and applicable materials; CBN inserts perform better when machining hardened ferrous metals due to their excellent heat resistance and chemical stability; while PCD inserts have an advantage in machining non-ferrous and non-metallic new materials.

How to Repair and Maintain CBN cutting inserts?

CBN (cubic boron nitride) cutting insert is an efficient tool widely used in machining fields. Due to its excellent hardness and thermal stability, CBN cutting inserts perform well in high-speed cutting, hard material processing, etc. However, in order to ensure the performance and extend the service life of CBN cutting inserts, correct maintenance and care is crucial. The following are some professional suggestions on the care and maintenance of CBN cutting inserts.

1. Cleaning:

• CBN cutting inserts should be thoroughly cleaned after each use to remove stuck chips, coolant and other impurities.

• Use a soft brush or cloth to gently wipe the blade and avoid using caustic cleaners as they may damage the blade's coating.

• If necessary, use specialized cleaners, but make sure they are safe for CBN materials.

2. Lubrication:

• Regularly check the lubrication of CBN cutting inserts, especially under high-temperature or high-pressure processing conditions.

• Use appropriate lubricants, such as cutting fluid or special grease, to reduce friction and wear.

• Avoid using lubricants containing acidic or alkaline ingredients as they may attack the CBN material.

3. Storage:

• When not in use, CBN cutting inserts should be stored in a dry, clean and temperature-friendly environment.

• Avoid exposing blades to moisture or corrosive gases to prevent rust and other chemical damage.

• It is best to store your blades in a dedicated knife box or protective case to reduce the risk of accidental damage.

4. Regular inspection:

• Regularly inspect CBN cutting inserts to evaluate their wear and performance.

• If cracks, chips or other damage are found, replace the insert immediately to avoid further damage to the machine or workpiece.

• Keep records to track the usage and maintenance history of each blade for timely maintenance.

5. Correct use:

• When using CBN cutting inserts, make sure to follow the specifications and recommended parameters provided by the manufacturer.

• Avoid overfeeding or using improper cutting speeds, which can cause overheating and premature wear of the insert.

• During machining, ensure adequate cooling to reduce blade temperature and improve cutting efficiency.

By following the above recommendations, CBN cutting inserts can be effectively maintained and maintained, extending their service life and maintaining their optimal performance. Remember, regular maintenance not only improves tool efficiency but also reduces machine tool breakdowns and machining defects, saving time and money.