Coated & clad abrasive products
Coated products extend tool life by up to 50% through enhanced synthetic diamond retention.
Element Six has developed coated products to enhance the performance of synthetic diamond and CBN (cubic boron nitride) abrasives in tooling solutions. Coated products improve the cost/performance ratio in tools through the increased synthetic diamond retention due to the formation of a chemical/metallurgical bond between the synthetic diamond and the surrounding matrix. Coatings also offer increased synthetic diamond protection during sintering of the tool, preventing matrix elements from graphitising the synthetic diamond.
Element Six offers three chemically-bonded coatings that are compatible with a range of bond formulations:
• TC - for high copper or pre-alloyed bonds
• TF - for bonds with high iron, cobalt or nickel
• TB - for infiltration/liquid phase sintering.
Element Six also offers a chemically bonded ‘TZ’ coating that is designed to be brazeable in air for single layer tool applications.
Claddings are primarily provided on synthetic diamond and CBN abrasives to serve the resin bond tooling market. A copper or nickel cladding aids the dissipation of heat from active particles which prevents damage to the supporting resin matrix and the premature loss of the abrasive. Claddings also aid retention of the abrasive particles in the bond, providing for a rougher interface of greater area. Element Six offers three types of cladding:
• NX55 – an electroless nickel cladding designed to ensure maximum retention and wetting between the resin and clad synthetic diamond particles in demanding applications. Our NX cladding provides the most extensive range of product options
• P60 - an electrolytic mechanically tough cladding for use in polyimide resin bond applications
• C50 – a copper cladding which has been found to be particularly effective in the dry grinding of cemented carbides.
Element Six also offers the unique ‘TN’ solution, combining the benefits of a nickel cladding on a coated synthetic diamond abrasive which is designed for use in soft metal bonds such as bronze and copper alloys.
