Machining Strenx and Hardox: Drilling, Countersinking, Tapping, Turning and Milling
Machining Strenx and Hardox: Drilling, Countersinking, Tapping, Turning and Milling
Machining Strenx and Hardox: Drilling, Countersinking, Tapping, Turning and Milling
with high speed steel (HSS) or cemented carbide (CC) tools. This brochure includes our
suggestions for cutting data (feeds and speeds) and the selection of tools. Other factors
that should be taken into account in machining operations are also discussed. The proposals
have been drawn up following our own tests on tools of various makes and in consultation
with leading tool manufacturers.
Drilling
Either high speed steel or cemented carbide drills can be used for drilling. The machine available and its stability
determine the type of drill that should be employed. But whatever the machine type, it is vital to minimize vibrations.
HSS HSS-Co
HSS-E
recommendations contained therein to the requirements of individual applications.
HSS-Co
Individual holes can be drilled with Use an HSS-Co drill (8 % Co) with a small
an ordinary HSS drill. For rational helix angle and a robust core that can
production, either a micro-alloyed withstand high torques.
(HSS-E) drill or a cobalt-alloyed
(HSS-Co) drill is recommended.
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Solid cemented carbide drill
• Diameters from approx. 3 mm
• Close tolerances (high precision)
• Can be reground
• Sensitive to vibrations
More stable machine tools,
such as boring mills and
bedtype milling machines
For improved productivity, the benefits of
cemented carbide drills should be put to Brazed cemented carbide drill
usein modern and stable machines.
• Diameters from approx. 10 mm
The choice is available between three
main types of drills with cemented carbide • Close tolerances (high precision)
cutting edges. The choice of drill type is • Can be reground
dependent on the stability of the machine, • Less sensitive to vibrations
the clamping of the workpiece, the hole than solid carbide.
diameter and the required tolerance.
Always use the shortest possible drill.
• Rule of thumb for drilling with internal • Wider tolerance than the others
coolant passages: Coolant flow [l/min] (lower precision)
Drill diameter [mm]. • Good economy
Cutting data for drilling in Hardox 550 and 600 are available in TechSupport no 40 and 23.
For more info please contact your Technical Manager.
vc×1000 80 1000
Speed, n = = = 1698 approx. 1700 rpm.
π×D 3.14×15
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Drilling (contd.)
Adjust the drill setting.
s
Choose a tougher grade ~ see the
ion
figure on page 8.
l ut
so
Reduce the feed rate.
nd
na
If problems should arise ... Increase the feed rate.
tio
Ac
Improve the stability by more secure workpiece
HSS drill tip deformed clamping and reduced drill overhang.
CC drill tip deformed
Wear on the outside of the drill Check the guideline values of cutting data.
Holes oversize/undersize
Check that the right HSS or CC grade
Chip build-up in the drill flutes is used.
Vibrations
Small damage to the cut. edges (edge chipping) Increase the cutting speed.
Asymmetrical holes
Short useful life of HSS tool Reduce the cutting speed.
Counterboring
and countersinking
Spot-facing and countersinking are best done by means
of countersinking tools which have replaceable cemented
carbideinserts and a rotating pilot. Use coolant.
NOTE
1. Reduce the cutting data by
about 30 % in countersinking.
2. Always use a revolving pilot.
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HSS countersinking cutters with three cutting edges and equipped with a pilot can be used
in the Strenx steels tabulated below. An abundant flowof coolant is necessary.
Strenx Strenx
700 900/960
vc [m/min] ~8 ~7
D Feed rate,
[mm] f [mm/rev] Speed, n [rpm]
Tapping
If the correct type of tap is used, holes can be tapped in all In applications in which thread strength is not critical, a somewhat
Hardox and Strenx steels. We recommend fourflute taps which can larger than standard hole diameter can be drilled (about 3 %
withstand the high torques necessary for tapping holes in hard larger), in order to reduce the tap stresses during tapping. This will
materials. When Hardox and Strenx materials are tapped, thread increase the useful life of the tap, above all when tapping holes in
oil or thread paste is recommended as lubricant. Hardox and Strenx 1100.
NOTE
1. If uncoated taps are used, the cutting data should be lowered by 30 %.
2. If tapping is carried out in NCmachines, thread milling can be employed.
HSS-Co (HSS-E)
TiN or TiCN coated
Strenx Strenx Strenx Hardox Hardox Hardox Hardox
700 900/960 1100 HiTuf 400 450 500
vc[m/min] 10 8 3 6 5 3 2.5
Size Speed, n [rpm]
M10 320 255 95 190 160 95 80
M12 265 210 80 160 130 80 65
M16 200 160 60 120 100 60 50
M20 160 125 45 90 80 45 40
M24 130 105 40 80 65 40 30
M30 105 85 32 60 50 32 25
Cutting data for thread milling in Hardox 550 and 600 are available in TechSupport no 40 and 23.
For more info please contact your Technical Manager.
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Milling
SQUARE
FACE MILLING SHOULDER END MILLING
MILLING
Select amilling
Unstable Stable
Roughing Finishing cutter with 90°
machine machine
setting angle
*) Avoid
using an HSS
endmill when
machining a
gas-cut edge.
D
• If the machine power is low, use a coarse-pitch cutter.
• If possible, avoid a universal head, since this weakens
the tool mounting and power transmission.
• The width of cut in face milling should be about 75–80 %
of the cutter diameter (see figure to the right).
• When milling surfaces which are narrower than the dia-
Recommended cutting width
meter of the milling head, the milling cutter should be
in face milling
located eccentrically, so that as many teeth as possible
will be in engagement.
• When milling a gas-cut edge, the depth of cut should be 450
at least 2 mm, in order to avoid the hard surface layer of
the cut edge (see graph). 400 Hardox 400
350
300
Hardness profile Strenx 700
HV10
150
100
0 2 4 6
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FACE MILLING END MILLING
Coated CC Cermet Coated CC CC HSS-Co
Grade P40/CS P25/C6 P20/C6-C7 K20/C2 K10/C3- K10/C3- P10/C7- TiCN-
uncoated coated indexable insert coated
Conditions unstable average stable stable stable stable stable unstable
Feed rate (fz) 0.1-0.2-0.3 0.1-0.2-0.3 0.1-0.2 0.1-0.2 0.02-0.10 0.02-0.20 0.05-0.15 0.03-0.09
Plate grade Cutting speed, vc [m/min]
Strenx 700 195-150-95 220-180-150 240-200 - 100 180 195-150 40
Strenx 900/960 95-75-50 200-160-130 220-170 - 90 130 140-120 18
Strenx 1100 - 150-120-110 150-120 - 90 100 110-90 -
Hardox HiTuf - 170-150-140 170-150 - 90 100 110-90 -
Hardox 400 - 150-120-110 150-120 - 90 100 110-90 -
Hardox 450 - 150-120-110 150-120 - 90 100 110-90 -
Hardox 500 - 120-110 120-100 120-100 50 80 90-70 -
Formulas:
(see page 8)
ds
an
Land wear
Notchwear
Change the cutter position
Cratering wear
Plastic deformation
Avoid using a coolant
Cutting edge build-up
Comb cracks
Change over from HSS-Co to
Small damage to the cutting edges (edge chipping) solid CC cutter
Insert failure
Check the cutter set-up
Vibrations
Poor surface finish
Short useful life of HSS-Co cutters
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Turning
The cutting data recommendations below are applicable to tough ce-
mented carbide grades. These are necessary for operations in which
impact may occur, such as when turning plate with gas-cut edges.
C8 C7 C6 C5
Low vibrations
under stable INCREASED WEAR RESISTANCE INCREASED TOUGHNESS Risk of
conditions vibrations
This brochure has been written in cooperation with Sandvik Coromant AB,
DormerTools AB and Emuge Franken AB. Granlund Tools AB has contributed
pictures and cutting data for the section dealing with countersinking.
For further information, please get in touch with our Technical Customer
Service Department.
The Machining brochure is included in a series of publications that
offer advice and instructions for working on Hardox and Strenx plate.
The other two brochures in the series are Welding and Bending. Place
your order for them with our Market Communication Department.
010-en-Machining Strenx and Hardox-V3-2015-Confetti.
SSAB Oxelösund
SE-613 80 Oxelösund
Sweden
www.ssab.com