New KBH10B and KBH20B PcBN grades deliver higher productivity and lower cost per part
Kennametal today announced its latest innovation in hard turning-KBH10B and KBH20B PcBN
grades, double-sided inserts for materials up to 65 HRC.
The new grades are specially designed to deliver higher productivity and longer tool life when
turning tool steels and other hardened materials.
“Kennametal’s new KBH10B and KBH20B grade inserts are an excellent choice for high-volume
production of hardened gears, shafts, bearings, housings, and other drivetrain components, where
tooling cost per part is an important metric”, said Robert Keilmann, Product Manager, Turning.
Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) mini-tipped inserts have long been recognized as a great
option for reducing part cost when turning hardened steel components. Kennametal’s new grades
of PcBN inserts improve upon that value proposition by delivering increased productivity with a
lower cost per part. Features include:
-Patented ceramic binder structure and TiN/TiAlN/TiN coating that provides extreme wear
resistance even at elevated cutting speeds.
-A gold PVD coating makes it easy to identify when an insert needs indexing, while the numbered
corners assure that a machine operator won’t inadvertently switch to a used edge.
-Two edge preparations in a “trumpet” style hone for heavier and interrupted cuts, and a light hone
for continuous turning. Both are free-cutting, further extending tool life and generating surface
finishes down to 0.2 Ra.
-The PcBN mini-tips are offered in four insert shapes—three rhomboidal and one triangular—which
means up to six cutting edges per insert.
