Cermet 2® Successes

Cermet II Grades Cut Faster and Stay Sharper Longer Than C-4 Carbide

Benefits You Get

Ø      Grinds like regular carbide

Ø      Gives a better edge than carbide grades.

Ø      Stays sharper longer than carbide grades

Ø      Substantial increase in fracture toughness.

Ø      More corrosion-resistant

Ø      Better at high temperatures achieved when cutting and drilling.

Ø      Cuts faster

Ø      Cuts faster and longer while being tougher.  Longer runs and less downtime. 

Cermet II Tests – Cutting Speed

Tested:

1. Cermet II 20-tooth blade

2. VA 20-tooth blade with standard carbide saw tips.

3. BD 18-tooth blade.

4. IR 24-tooth blade

5. OL 36-tooth blade

Performance test #l

Conditions:        Free fall cutting through medium density particle board. 10 blades tested from each group. Time averaged for five cuts each.

No.       Sample             Ave time/10 blades (sec)

l.          Cermet II                      2.4

2.         VA                               2.7

3.         BD                               4.6

4.         IR                                3.3

5.         OL                               8.3

 Performance Test #2

Conditions:        Select three best blades from each group in Test #1. Cut 5,000 ft each through 8-ft length medium density particle board.

No        Sample             Ave. Time through cut (sec)

l.          Cermet II                      3.4

2.         VA                               7.3

3.         BD                               10.6

4.         IR                                8.8

5.         OL                               48.4

Time of Cut Data

This was done with a mechanically controlled constant push on the chop saw.    We ran different saw blades with different tooth counts in different materials.  The test was run until some of the saw dulled out.

Under 20 Teeth # Teeth      Ave. first test     Ave. last test    Increase in cutting time

Cermet II                      18                     2.41                  2.55                              106%

Cermet II                      20                     2.38                  3.39                              142%

P                                  18                     3.28                  10.23                            312%

M                                 16                     2.96                  49.07                            1658%

MS                               16                     2.67                  21.45                            803%

Cermet II Test – Blade Life

Example 1

Material:                       45 lb. single and double sided vinyl-laminated particle board

Control:             5 blades with standard C-4 carbide

Cermet II / old grade:    15,088 meters / 6706 meters       225% as much run life

Example 2

Material:                       101.6 mm x 152.4 mm (4" x 6") Green hardwoods, oak, hickory, maple and walnut

Equipment:                    KM-16 industrial saw

Control:                         11 blades with standard C-4 carbide

Cermet II / old grade:    462 hrs / 40 hrs                                     1,155% as much run life

Saw Type:                    406 mm (16") 100 teeth

Material:                       Countertops

Cermet II / old grade:    4 weeks/1 week            (4 times)           400% as much run life

Saw Type:                    406 mm (16") 80 teeth

Material:                       MDF Board

Cermet II / old grade:    10 days/2 days  (5 times)                       500% as much run life

Saw Type:                    305 mm (12") 100 teeth TCG Miter

Material:                       Oak, Compressed Fiber Board, Plastic

Cermet II / old grade:    154 hrs/28 hrs   (5.5 times)                    550% as much run life

Saw Type:                    305 mm (12") 60 teeth

Material:                       MDF, High Pressure Laminate (Formica)

Cermet II / old grade:    56 hrs/8 hrs       (7 times)                       700% as much run life

Definitions

Cermets are any metal based (and / or metal bonded) ceramic although definitions differ.   Ordinary tungsten carbide is a cermet.  Through translation errors cermet has come to mean Titanium based grains of ceramic such as TiC, TiN or TiCN.  They typically have a Nickel / Chrome binder.  Tungsten Carbide commonly refers to WC (W for Tungsten and C for Carbon) with a cobalt binder although steel cutting grades of Tungsten Carbide have had Titanium in them for several years and nickel has been used as a binder in carbide for many years as well. 

There are a couple hundred grades of cermets available and well over 5,000 grades of tungsten carbide including coated grades.    

In November 27, 2001 I was granted United States Patent 6,322,871 (Walz, et al.) for a method to braze cermets and ceramics for use in saws, tools and other structures.  This made it possible to braze cermets and ceramics the same way tungsten carbide is brazed using the same equipment and for about the same cost.

We then started testing ceramics in sawing applications.   We got some excellent results.  Forintek ran tests of Cermet against carbide in western red cedar where the cermet stayed sharp about four times as long as carbide.  

Report on Cermet II at Marvin Windows

-----Original Message-----

From: Nathan Hull [mailto:B_NATHANH@marvin.com]

Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 1:16 PM

To: emilyerskine@carbideprocessors.com

Subject: Cermet II

Emily

Hi I’m Nathan Hull the grinderman at Marvin Wood Products. Chris Folkman handed this off to me to give you some info on the saw that we tried.

How many times we re sharpen a blade before we order new or have retipped we are not sure. Most blades get damaged by hitting something so we have the carbides retipped a lot.

How often do regular blades have to be resharpened? We normally have our carbide tipped blades sharpened every week.

The new Cement II blade normally last twice as long before it gets damaged.

The best so far is four weeks and one and a half million cuts before we changed it out which is four times longer.

Hope this helps and keep up the good work on those tips.

Nathan Hull

Grinderman

Marvin Wood Products

How It Works

Carbide wear is due to micro-fracturing, macro-fracturing, grain pull out, corrosion of the binder, adhesion between the carbide and the material being cut, and tribological functions which are similar to a naturally occurring electro- etching. 

Cermet II technology uses a variety of carbides such a titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, Tantalum carbide, Niobium carbide and others.  Steel is iron with a very small amount of carbide but it is very different than plain iron.  The addition of a very small amount of the right material can make a huge difference in carbide performance as well.  . 

Cermet II grades also use unique binder formulations.  Cobalt is a good binder material and is used in standard grades.  It was the first binder used and is still easiest to use.  However cobalt is pure metal and is subject to chemical attack.  Part of the secret of our Cermet II grades is to chemically alloy special binders with a proprietary metalloid which makes the cobalt binder non-reactive so it doesn’t corrode.  It also greatly strengthens the binder so grinds aren’t pulled out.    

Cermet II grades have special binder properties so that they behave more as a solid piece of material than as a cemented piece of material.  Think of a steel alloy as compared to concrete.    

Cermet II – Sawmill and General Purpose Grade

(Tougher than C1  - Better wear than C4)

Cermet II          Hardness (HRA)           T.R.S. (psi) 

                                    92.3                  537,000

Typical C2 values  Hardness (HRA) T.R.S. (psi)

C2                                92.1                  334,000

C2                                91.8                  334,000

C2                                91.5                  377,000

C2                                90.4                  435,000

Typical C          Hardness          T.R.S.

Values              (HRA)              (psi) 

C1                    89 - 92.4           350,000 - 360,000

C2                    91.2 - 92.9        250,000 - 400,000

C3                    91.4 - 93.6        270,000 - 350,000

C4                    89.6 - 93           260,000 - 450,000

Cermet II Results - MDF

A test was run with 10", 40 tooth saw blades cutting 3/4" medium density particle board.  Power use was recorded every 50 lineal feet cut. The Cermet II blades were tested against identical blades with ordinary tungsten carbide.  Cermet II tipped blade used much less power than ordinary carbide blades.  Cermet II tipped blades had better initial edge sharpness and better edge retention.

Edger Saws

Commercial sawmill blades in which a standard WC/Co tipped blade was tested against the identical blade with Cermet II tips.  The standard blade lasted 40 hours. The blade with Cermet II tips lasted 422 hours and was still cutting well when it was removed for evaluation.

Non-Ferrous Cutting

Carbide-tipped circular saw blades, one with ordinary carbide and one with Cermet II tips cutting copper tubing. The standard blade got 5,408 cuts, the Cermet II blade got 22,743 cuts, was resharpened and made 16,000 more cuts.

Fiberglass

The tips were put on hole saws. The regular untreated carbide tipped hole saws cut 16-18 fiberglass panels. The hole saw with Cermet II tips cut 24 fiberglass panels.

Report on Cermet II saw tips at Potter Lumber

Mr. Potter runs a hardwood mill (red Oak which is very acidic) all green logs, medium in size.  Twelve years ago the refurbished their equipment to convert to a climb cut bottom arbor edger.  He hasn’t been happy with production and wanted us to analyze his blades and make a recommendation to him on a longer lasting blade.

The Cermet II WFC 7200(.500 x .200 x .125) gave him at least twice the life as the C-2 grade he was getting from U.S. blade. Before Ni cut went out of business he was having success with there tips also.

The Cermet II blades reduce the noise by over half as far as he can tell, the blades are no longer burning and he has gotten twice the life out of them.

A message from Mr. Potter

“I am placing another order for the Cermet II tips. We are cutting a lot of pine and fir with these tips. We are now starting to cut a lot of hard woods, such as oak, alder, mahogany. We also cut a lot of the radiata wood here. We ran a test of the Cermet II tips side by side with the Jonalloy tips and they performed just as well. I hope you have a great day.

Potter Lumber

Potter Lumber Co and Carbide Tip Life

Ted Potter Sr.  of  Potter Lumber Co. Inc.  in Allegheny, NY.  Mr. Potter called which was really nice since Potter Lumber co. is a fine, old well respected name.   Mr. Potter was not getting the run life he wanted or thought he should get.    

Re: Saw Blade Analysis

Executive summary:

1.  Both saw blades are very well made.  It looks like they could be shaper and that perhaps too much is taken off in the face grinding.   This is very hard to determine since I don’t know the edge radius of the tips originally.   

2.  The only real problem is the severe erosion of the carbide behind the cutting edge. 

Recommendation: use a tougher, more corrosion resistant grade. 

Erosion Of The Carbide

                This is a chipped edge                    Same edge from side showing erosion trench behind edge

The side erodes as well.  Here you can see           Sawdust stuck to bottom of tip due to chemical bonding.

erosion on the sides that leaves it in about

the same configuration as a hollow ground knife.    

Corrosion Resistance & Chemical Attack

 Beaker with 50% Nitric acid       Tungsten Carbide                                  Cermet II

Successful Cermet II Applications

We called customers who had ordered and re-ordered and this is what they told us they were doing.   The applications and the testimonials to success don’t mean nearly as much as the fact that they keep reordering. 

Ø      trimming to size at plywood plant, any custom blade he makes, Rip saws cutting , Pine and Fir, Panel saws cutting Melamine

Ø      running/making panel saws  for tooling industry for shelving furniture and Laminated particleboard. He was using  C-4 grade now and was looking for abrasion resistance. 

Ø      noticed improvements and keeps reordering for a customer of his who makes blades.

Ø      Just got the blades back and they are lasting longer in Oak and Aspen.

Ø      Tips went longer without sharpening.

Ø      Cutting rail road ties

Ø      Metal and  all secondary   applications

Ø      Formica coated board, double sided fiber board and particleboard for cabinetry

Ø      All cutting

Ø      Pecan  - working well blades came back sharper than usual with C3

Ø      Finger joint plant very fast cuts in very dry wood. Used to have cracked carbide, but nail cutting grade solved the problem.

Super “C” Nail cutting

(This is a letter from our customer and his customer.  Dave Cessna is smart and pays a lot of attention to what really works and what doesn’t.  We are very proud that he likes our tips.)

“Dear Emily, Shannon & all at Carbide Processors.

Thank you for the WC7200N tips.  They look very nice.  What they can do is even better.  I have proven the tips over many years.  We have a 26” x 20 Kant gang here at the mill. 

I once witnessed sawing badly frozen white oak for two days without a chipped tooth.  The logs were so nasty , the head saw operator had to stop every half hour to grind the blade.  We were running 28 blades in the gang at that time .  The teeth we had in the gang before broke down terribly.

I am sending the letter I told you about from one of my portable mill customers.  This is what he thinks of the tips. 

Thanks for your help.

Dave (Dave Cessna )

Dave's Sharpening Service

The Carbide Saw Specialist

Winchester, VA 22602”

“Dave,

We’re extremely happy with the teeth on our new six tooth blades.  We cut though several strands of barbed wire embedded in a log and, while the teeth suffered a few chips, they’re still cutting.

Thank you for your craftsmanship, detailed knowledge and friendly service.  We’ll be back.”