How to use a diamond PCD inserts

Crafted from diamond powder held together by a cobalt or nickel base, PCD (polycrystalline diamond) inserts are highly resistant to wear, making them a dependable cutting tool for non-ferrous metals, plastics, composites, and other materials. These specialised inserts are produced through a process of intense high temperature and pressure sintering and require skillful engineering to deliver unparalleled machining performance.

PCD inserts can be crafted into a selection of shapes and sizes to fulfill the requirements of a given project, with square, round, and triangular being the most frequent. A PCD insert is fitted into a holder before being spun at high speed, enabling it to slice through materials.

Ensuring optimal PCD insert quality when cutting requires both using coolant to prevent excess heat from damaging the insert or workpiece, and keeping the insert sharp in order to avoid unwanted chatter that would otherwise result in a lower-quality finish. Without these two key elements, the PCD tool is likely to wear out far sooner than expected.

To begin machining with a PCD insert, start by either securing the workpiece in a vise or fixture, or, if it is small enough, just hold it in your hand. Select the perfect insert shape that will yield the desired cut and fit it into the tool holder. Once that is done, calibrate the tool holder to ensure the insert is even perpendicularly to the workpiece.

To kickstart the process, adjust both the rate of cutting and the depth of cut. Aim for an interval between 100 to 200 feet each passing minute (30 to 60 meters per minute) for speed. As for the depth, ensure you don’t go more than 0.040 inches (1 millimeter).

The tool holder should be gracefully guided towards the workpiece in order to begin the cutting process. Delicately exert force on the tool holder to ensure the absence of any chattering. Once the cutting has completed its journey to the end, switch directions and gently return the tool holder back to its initial position.

To keep the PCD insert in proper condition, it could be necessary to take it out of the tool holder, and sharpen it on a diamond wheel. When finished, simply re-insert the repolished insert into the tool holder and keep cutting.

Once you have completed the task, take out the PCD insert from its slot inside the tool holder and tidy it appropriately with a brush. Glance through the insert to guarantee it has not been broken; if it has, make sure to replace it with a new one. Guard the unscathed insert in a secure place until its use is required once more.

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