Machining Aluminum Can Be Most Cost Effective With PCD Inserts

Machining Aluminum can be most cost effective with PCD inserts, however, insert cost is very high. Most Aluminum is milled and turned with carbide inserts honed for sharpness and polished to aid in chip flow. The best of both worlds is a development by LMT Fette in Germany using a coating process defined as Plasma CVD. The coating is applied to a honed insert and increases insert life while maintaining the edge integrity. As an added benefit Milling speeds can be as high as 6000sfm and turning speeds to 10,000 sfm. Speeds significantly improve throughput and insert life can be 10 times longer than uncoated inserts. Insert cost is comparable to uncoated polished inserts.