Sumi Tool Develops New High Alloy Steel Inserts

Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal Corp., a cemented carbide tool maker of Sumitomo Electric Industries Group, announced on 19 September the firm starts commercial sales of new grade inserts for hard-cutting alloys, “AC510U/AC520U,” in December 2007. New inserts realized more than twice longer tool life and more than 1.5 times higher cutting efficiency. The firm plans the sales of 300 million yen for the first year and 700 million yen after 3 years.High-alloy steels such as heat-resistant alloy and titanium alloy are much used in aerospace and oil industries. These alloys are difficult to be cut and manufactured. Sumitomo Electric Harcmetal developed a new physical vapor deposition coating “SUPER ZX COAT” in 2006. AC510U/AC520U are treated with SUPER ZX COAT. SUPER ZX COAT is a super-multilayer formed by alternately layering titanium aluminium nitride films and aluminium chromium nitride films, each having a nanometer-order thickness, until the number of layers reaches several thousand. SUPER ZX COAT has 40% higher hardness and 200 degrees Celsius higher heat-resistance than aluminium nitride coating.