Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) Tools
Why sintered polycrystalline diamond is widely used for wear-resistant cutting edges.
What this topic covers
Why sintered polycrystalline diamond is widely used for wear-resistant cutting edges.
Core engineering ideas
PCD combines diamond grains into a tough composite cutting layer, commonly supported by another substrate.
It is especially useful for abrasive nonferrous, composite and wood-derived materials.
Diamond can chemically interact with iron-group materials at elevated cutting temperatures, so other superhard materials may be preferred for many ferrous applications.
System tradeoffs
Diamond is not ideal for every material; chemical wear can make cubic boron nitride or conventional carbides better choices in some ferrous applications.
Quality and verification
Tool qualification uses wear, finish, dimensional stability, force and failure-mode evidence rather than hardness alone.
Lifecycle perspective
Refurbishment, retipping and recovery can preserve the value of tool bodies and diamond-bearing material.