Why Carbide Tools Are Best

       

Tungsten carbide has become a popular material for military ammunition, bicycle tire studs for riding on ice, ballpoint pens and even for the creation of near-indestructible wedding rings! But perhaps its most valuable application that does the greatest amount of good is as a material from which high-quality industrial tools are made.

Whether it's used in carbide step drill manufacture or a number of other tool types, tungsten carbide is today's material of choice for industries that need high quality and dependable machining tools. Here is a brief overview of this amazing alloy and why carbide tools are considered by many to be the very best.

Tools made with carbide last longer in real-world applications and are therefore extremely cost-effective choices for industries facing budget cutbacks and razor-thin profit margins. Many industries are using carbide in other applications as well. Carbide cutting surfaces and work rest blades, for example, are able to withstand the constant abuse from large quantity production runs.

Tungsten carbide is formed by combining equal parts of tungsten and carbon, creating a powder that is then mixed with other materials, pressed and formed into incredibly strong tools including the hugely popular carbide step drill. Among its many advantages over other alloys as well as pure metals, carbide is three times stronger than steel and is significantly denser than either steel or even titanium! Because of this alloy's unique chemical structure and properties, tools made with it are also able to withstand much higher temperatures and create more precise finishes on products in far less time.