The Difference Between Cemented Carbide and High Speed Steel

Cemented carbide and high-speed steel are typical downstream products of refractory metal tungsten (W), both have good thermodynamic properties, and can be used to make cutting tools, cold-working molds and hot-working molds, etc. However, due to the different material compositions of the two, they also differ in terms of mechanical properties and uses.

1. Concept

Cemented carbide is an alloy material composed of refractory metal carbide such as tungsten carbide (WC) powder and bonding metal such as cobalt powder. The English name is Tungsten Carbide/Cemented Carbide. Its high-temperature carbide content is higher than that of high-speed steel.  High-speed steel is a high-carbon high-alloy steel composed of a large amount of tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and other elements, mainly composed of metal carbides (such as tungsten carbide, molybdenum carbide or vanadium carbide) and steel matrix, with a carbon content of 0.7 %-1.65%, the total amount of alloying elements is 10%-25%, and the English name is High Speed Steels (HSS).

2. Performance

Both have the characteristics of high hardness, high strength, good toughness, red hardness, wear resistance, heat resistance and process performance, and these characteristics will be different due to different grades. Generally speaking, the hardness, red hardness, wear resistance and heat resistance of cemented carbide are better than those of high speed steel.

3. Production technology

The production process of cemented carbide mainly includes powder metallurgy process, injection molding technology or 3D printing process.

The production methods of high-speed steel include traditional casting technology, electroslag remelting technology, powder metallurgy technology and injection molding technology.

4. Use

Although both can make knives, hot work molds and cold work molds, their performance is different. The cutting speed of ordinary carbide tools is 4-7 times higher than that of ordinary high-speed steel tools, and the service life is 5-80 times longer. In terms of moulds, the service life of cemented carbide dies is 20 to 150 times higher than that of high-speed steel dies. For example, the service life of hot heading extrusion dies made of 3Cr2W8V steel is 5,000 times. The use of hot heading extrusion dies made of YG20 cemented carbide The service life is 150,000 times.