PCD & Carbide Grades
Use the tables below as a quick reference for selecting PCD and carbide cutting materials according to workpiece material and machining conditions.
For drawing-specific custom cutting tools, Aoshiji® Custom Tool confirms the final cutting material according to the workpiece, cutting operation, tolerance, surface finish, machine conditions and required tool life.
PCD GRADES
Use this table as a quick reference for selecting PCD cutting materials according to workpiece material, machining conditions, surface finish and tool-life requirements.
| PCD GRADE CLASS | TYPICAL GRAIN SIZE | APPLICATION | WORKPIECE MATERIAL | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Fine PCD | <1 μm | Precision finishing | Aluminum, copper and precision non-ferrous applications | Maximum edge sharpness and fine surface finish |
| Fine-Grain PCD | 1–5 μm | Finishing and semi-finishing | Aluminum alloys, copper alloys and non-ferrous materials | Sharp cutting edge with good wear resistance |
| Medium-Grain PCD | 5–10 μm | General production machining | Aluminum alloys, graphite and non-ferrous materials | Balanced surface finish and tool life |
| Coarse-Grain PCD | 10–25 μm | Abrasive and high-production machining | High-silicon aluminum and abrasive materials | Higher abrasion resistance and longer tool life |
| Mixed-Grain / Bimodal PCD | Supplier-specific | Severe abrasive machining | High-Si aluminum, MMC, CFRP and composites | High wear resistance for demanding applications |
Note: PCD grade names, grain sizes and microstructures vary by material supplier. Final grade selection should be confirmed according to the workpiece material, cutting condition, required surface finish and tool-life target.
CARBIDE GRADES
Use the carbide grade table as a general selection reference by workpiece material and machining condition.
| GRADE DIRECTION | ISO GROUP | APPLICATION | WORKPIECE MATERIAL | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K10–K15 | K | Finishing, stable cutting | Gray cast iron, ductile iron | Higher wear resistance and dimensional stability |
| K20–K25 | K | General machining, semi-finishing | Cast iron, QT400/QT500 ductile iron | Balanced wear resistance and toughness |
| K30–K40 | K | Roughing, interrupted cutting | Cast iron, ductile iron | Higher toughness and chipping resistance |
| P10–P20 | P | Finishing, semi-finishing | Carbon steel, alloy steel | Wear resistance for stable steel machining |
| P25–P35 | P | General machining, moderate roughing | Steel, steel castings | Balanced toughness and wear resistance |
| M20–M30 | M | General machining | Stainless steel | Tough cutting edge for adhesive and heat-generating materials |
| N10–N20 | N | Finishing and general machining | Aluminum, copper, brass, bronze | Sharp cutting edge for non-ferrous materials |
| S | S | Application-specific machining | Titanium and heat-resistant superalloys | Selected according to heat, toughness and wear requirements |
| H | H | Hardened-material machining | Hardened steels and hard cast materials | Carbide or CBN evaluated according to hardness and operation |
Note: ISO grade ranges shown above are general application directions and are not Aoshiji proprietary carbide grade codes. Actual carbide grade selection depends on the workpiece material, hardness, cutting stability, tool geometry and machining conditions.
Need Help Selecting a Grade?
Send us your workpiece material, component drawing or existing tool drawing together with the machining conditions. Aoshiji will evaluate the cutting material, tool geometry and tool construction for your custom cutting tool application.
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