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New FAQ February 2019

For section "Engineering Materials"
QUESTION
What is Ebonite and how to machine this material?
ANSWER
Ebonite is a hard vulcanized rubber containing a high percentage of sulfur. For the purpose of identifying a suitable tool and appropriate cutting data, Ebonite is characterized by ISCAR material group 30 (ISO N application class). To machine Ebonite effectively, we advise following ISCAR’s recommendations for this group.
QUESTION
Are hard metal and heavy metal the same?
ANSWER
No.
In metalworking, "hard metal" is a commonly used name for cemented carbide, which is a sintered hard material based on wolfram (tungsten) carbide. Cemented carbide is often referred as simply tungsten carbide. It is the main cutting tool material used today.
Heavy metals are metals with high atomic weight or density. In the metalworking industry, the term “heavy metal” usually refers to heavy metal alloys, which are sintered composite materials containing 90% or more tungsten.
QUESTION
What is the difference between duplex and super duplex stainless steels?
ANSWER
Duplex stainless steel has a two-phase metallurgical structure: austenitic-ferritic, approximately in equal shares.
Super duplex stainless steel is a type of duplex stainless steel that contains an increased percentage of chromium and molybdenum for better corrosion resistance.
From a machinability point of view, these steels are hard-to-cut.