Classified as an ISO K10 grade, HB3 is a fine-grained, high-strength and wear-resistant carbide grade. It has a 6% cobalt binder and a 93 HRA hardness, making it an ideal material choice for cutting tools that will be used in abrasive machining applications. It is especially well-suited for machining of non-ferrous materials such as aluminum alloys, graphite, fiber-reinforced materials and composites. It can be applied for use in drills and reamers, form tools, end mills, and other solid carbide cutters.
Additionally, the high hardness and high wear resistance of this grade also provides excellent performance for use in wear parts applications, such as drawing tools and industrial-grade nozzles.
Given the extremely homogenous microstructure and uniform grain distribution, HB-3 offers consistently superior coating adhesion. This makes it an excellent substrate for toolmakers who will be applying diamond coating to their tools, especially those used for composite routing and drilling.
| Co (%): | 6 |
| Composition: | Tungsten Carbide, WC: 94.0 ± 0.3% Cobalt, Co: 6.0 ± 0.3% |
| Grain Structure: | Submicron |
| Microstructure Grain Size: (ASTM B-390) | 0.8 μm |
| ISO Code: | K05-K10 |
| US Industry Designation: | C3 |
| WC (%): | 94 |
| Density (g/cm3): (ASTM B-311) | 14.90 ± 0.05 |
| Avg Grain Size (Micron): | 0.8 |
| Hardness Rockwell A (HRA): (ASTM B-294) | 93.0 ± 0.5 |
| Transverse Rupture Strength: (ASTM B-406) | 520,000 PSI |
| Apparent Porosity: (ASTM B-276) | <A02, B00, C00 |
| Sinter HIP TRS (psi): | 520,000 |
| Wear & Toughness Scale: |  |
Manufactured in preforms, altered and standard blanks designs.
Excellent wear properties, abrasion resistance, medium grade, general purpose grade for cutting tools, drills, endmills, and reamers for finishing and semi-finishing and wear parts with little impact, EDM blanks, seal rings and knives.
Extremely hard material, high abrasion resistance, micro grain size grade, for finishing machining cutting tools, drills, endmills, reamers, and wear parts, with very little or no shock, EDM blanks, wire guides and sand blast nozzles.
Extremely hard material, high abrasion resistance, ultra-fine grain size grade, for finish machining cutting tools, drills, endmills, reamers, and wear parts, with very little or no shock, EDM blanks, wire guides, sand blast nozzles.
Exceptional performance in punch applications, Heat-resistant steels, Stainless steels, Non-ferrous metal alloys
Exceptional toughness/wear properties, Ideal for deep hole drilling
Bimodal grain structure offering excellent wear properties, Ideal for deep hole drilling
High Impact forming applications, Header dies, draw dies, stamping die details, Thread rolling, Ammunition dies
Med-/High-impact forming applications, Header dies, draw dies, stamping die details, Fastener forming dies, Ammunition dies
Low impact/light shock resistance, Capability for wide variety of forming applications, Ammunition dies, Light stamping
Steels, SS, non-ferrous varieties forming applications, Light stamping carbide die and nib deep draw, Fine blanking stamping dies, Ammunition dies
Excellent thermal cycling properties, Optimal braze adhesion, Non-cutting grade, Good toughness characteristics
Excellent wear properties, micro grain size grade, general purpose cutting tool grade for semi-finishing and finishing, drilling, endmills, reamers, stamping dies, punches, knoves and all types of cutting tools, will withstand slight shock, EDM blanks.
High wear, low to medium impact, micro grain size grade, for cutting tools, dies, knives, punches, rough tools, will withstand slight shock, EDM blanks, crush rolls, form rolls, coining dies.