Element Six, a world leader in synthetic diamond and other supermaterials and a member of The De Beers Group of Companies, has today announced the launch of CTB004 – a new grade to its PCD (polycrystalline diamond) range, customised to meet the precision cutting demands for the automotive industry.
Offering high speed machining advantages, CTB004 delivers optimised workpiece surface finish in both engine and chassis applications. The grade, which joins Element Six’s market-leading product CMX850, is ideal for cutting of aluminium alloys where high surface finish is required alongside lower wear resistance.
CTB004’s four-micron fine grain structure delivers the optimum balance between tool performance and resistance to abrasion and chips. Ideal for complex machining requirements, CTB004 offers commercial advantages for end-users due to the reduction in downtime and improved productivity.
“Cutting-edge materials that offer considerable advantages to our customers is our constant focus,” commented Richard Townsend, Element Six Product Manager – PCD.
“PCD materials provide the end-user with unsurpassed levels of productivity and workpiece quality that meet the demands of very specific applications. The push in the automotive industry to make vehicles lighter and more efficient while retaining durability has meant that aluminium use by the major OEMs has significantly increased.”
The CTB004 grade also joins Element Six’s next generation Aero-Dianamics™ CFRP workpiece tooling solutions, which allows tool designers to form entirely new PCD geometries with limitless profiles.
