Walter USA LLC has unveiled the first indexable inserts with the new Tiger-tec Silver PVD aluminum oxide coating. These indexable grooving and cutoff inserts reportedly deliver superior tool life and increased productivity thanks to the advanced properties of the new coating. These properties include increased high-temperature wear resistance with no compromise in toughness.

The combination of toughness and wear resistance is a plus in any application, but particularly in grooving and cutoff operations because the tools experience several different conditions within the cut. For example, at the beginning of the cut the tools are exposed to a large amount of coolant, with little or none later. Similarly, there is high speed early in the cut with low speed later, and there is low stress on the tool early on, with high stress at the end of the cut.

Because of its optimized surface structure Tiger-tec Silver PVD lowers the friction on the cutting surface. Also, sharp and highly defined cutting edges can be achieved because the Tiger-tec Silver PVD coatings are thinner than conventional coatings. This fact, as well as the particularly smooth surface help to prevent build-up on the cutting edge and provide a high level of process reliability.

This advanced new coating will be made available in four grades: WSM13S, WSM23S, WSM33S and WSM43S. The cutting material WSM13S is suitable for use in stable machining conditions due to its distinctive hardness. The cutting material WSM43S is aimed at unstable clamping arrangements and machining conditions, low cutting speeds and interrupted cuts due to its excellent toughness properties. The middle variants WSM23S and WSM33S cover the relatively large intermediate range. This gives users an optimal grooving solution for each material and each application, with excellent tool life and process reliability.