NEWS / 08.10.2021

How to choose: PCD vs Solid Carbide

Welcome to our new article about “choosing the perfect tool”: today we talk about PCD vs Solid Carbide. As usual, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of each tool depending on the material we are working on.

Let’s start with PCD, one of the hardest tools thanks to its structure and composition.

For this reason, the PCD tools are perfect for drilling and milling composite materials or, generally, hard materials.

What are the pros of PCD cutting tools?

  • Excellent surface finishing with no delamination;
  • They have a long cutting life and it can maintain the cutting quality through the working. This means lower costs for your production;
  • Extremely resistant, with a great speed.

But when it is better to avoid this kind of tools? PCD are extremely dangerous with ferrous materials or with light materials.

And what about solid carbide? They have been refined over the years to create a more stable tool. They are perfect for abrasive materials like polymers, glass-filled plastics and cast iron.  

What are the pros of solid carbide tools?

  • Extremely high heat-resistance;
  • It could maintain hardness even under compression;
  • They provide the best combination of penetration rate and precision, with good tolerances capabilities;
  • Ideal for either rigid or synchronous CNC machines.

The main issue of Solid Carbide is costs: they require to be re-sharpened more often than PCD and this means longer production time, more stops for the machine and, consequently, more production costs.

These are just some of the characteristics of the tools but, as our expert keep on saying when choosing the perfect tool for you, it’s always better first thinking of the results we want to obtain and the kind of machine we’re using.

If you need help, we are always beside you. Our experts are here to advise you or create a bespoken solution. Check our tools on cruing.com or email us on marketing@cruing.com.