Hard-turning automotive components with PCBN

摘要

Pressures on supply chains to cut waste, drive down manufacturing costs and increase the performance of every component used mean that the automotive industry is always on the look-out for advanced materials and machining technologies. Case-hardened steel is the material of choice for the high-volume manufacture of gears and drive-shafts for automotive gearboxes, as well as other components found in drive-train assemblies. This material features a hard wear-resistant outer skin and a tough core, and until relatively recently, grinding was the preferred process for machining it. However, PCBN tools are now accepted as 'fit for purpose' and a ready-made alternative - being hard, thermally conductive and chemically inert when machining ferrous materials. Indeed, PCBN tools are increasingly 'the tool of choice' for automotive-component manufacturers.