Coated CBN inserts combine a high-hardness cubic boron nitride (CBN) substrate with PVD multilayer wear-resistant coatings. This material structure is designed for precision metal cutting where stable wear behavior, dimensional consistency, and surface quality are important—particularly in high-speed finishing of hardened steel, cast iron, and powder metallurgy materials.
For manufacturing teams evaluating hard turning tools, the key question is not simply whether a CBN insert is hard enough, but whether its substrate, coating, grade, and edge condition match the workpiece material and cutting continuity. UHD supports this selection process with coated CBN insert grades for different machining stages and operating conditions.
A coated CBN insert uses a CBN cutting substrate as its performance foundation. UHD applies PVD physical vapor deposition technology to form multilayer coatings that may include TiAlN, TiN, and TiCN. The resulting structure is intended to coordinate the toughness of the substrate with enhanced surface wear resistance.
Provides the high hardness needed for machining hardened steels and other demanding ferrous materials with controlled cutting performance.
Helps reduce cutting friction and improves resistance to wear mechanisms such as crater wear and oxidation wear.
Supports a balanced approach to wear resistance, cutting stability, and surface finish in suitable production conditions.
Compared with an uncoated CBN solution, a coated CBN insert is positioned for applications that require additional surface protection during sustained machining. The coating helps lower friction at the cutting interface and supports stable operation at higher cutting speeds when process conditions are appropriate.
UHD coated CBN inserts are used in precision cutting applications involving hardened steels, cast irons, and powder metallurgy materials. They are suited to high-speed CNC lathes and automated production lines where repeatability is a practical requirement.
| Material Group | Typical Components | Machining Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Hardened steel | Bearing steel, mold steel, tool steel, gears | High-speed finishing and controlled interrupted finishing |
| Cast iron | Alloy cast iron, gray cast iron, ductile cast iron | Roughing, semi-finishing, and finishing according to grade |
| Powder metallurgy | Precision powder metallurgy parts | Precision machining where surface consistency is important |
Typical end-use sectors include automotive, wind power, engineering machinery, bearings, gears, and other industrial production applications.
Grade selection should be based on four connected factors: workpiece material, machining stage, cutting continuity, and impact level. A grade intended for high-speed continuous finishing should not automatically be used for a severe interrupted cut. The following UHD grades provide a practical selection reference.
| Grade | Primary Characteristic | Recommended Cutting Condition | Workpiece Material | Machining Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPN201 | Wear and impact resistance | High-speed continuous or interrupted cutting | Alloy, gray, and ductile cast iron | Roughing and semi-finishing |
| UPN202 | Wear and heat resistance | High-speed continuous cutting | Alloy, gray, and ductile cast iron | Semi-finishing and finishing |
| UPN603 | Impact resistance with wear resistance at lower speeds | Heavy interrupted turning or milling | Nickel-cobalt superalloys and cemented carbide | Semi-finishing and finishing |
| UPN601 | High wear resistance | High-speed continuous cutting | Hardened bearing, mold, and tool steels | Finishing |
| UPN602 | High wear resistance | High-speed continuous to light interrupted cutting | Hardened bearing, mold, and tool steels | Finishing |
| UPN605 | High wear resistance | High-speed continuous to light interrupted cutting | Hardened bearing, mold, and tool steels | Finishing |
| UPN608S | High wear resistance | High-speed continuous to moderately interrupted cutting | Hardened bearing, mold, and tool steels | Finishing |
| UPN606 | High wear resistance | High-speed continuous to severely interrupted cutting | Hardened bearing, mold, and tool steels | Finishing |
Coated CBN inserts should be selected as part of the complete machining process, not as a universal replacement for every cutting material or condition.
UHD coated CBN insert grades UPN201, UPN202, UPN603, UPN601, UPN602, UPN605, UPN608S, and UPN606 are available in the following listed ISO geometries.
| ISO Specification | L | IC | S | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TNGA160404 | 15.5 | 9.525 | 4.76 | 0.4 |
| WNGA080404 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 4.76 | 0.4 |
| CNGA120404 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 4.76 | 0.4 |
| DNGA150404 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 4.76 | 0.4 |
| VCGW110304 | 6.35 | 6.35 | 3.18 | 0.4 |
| SCGW09T304 | 9.525 | 9.525 | 3.97 | 0.4 |
Dimensions are listed in millimeters. Please consult UHD for specifications not shown in this table.
Henan UHD Ultrahard Tools Co., Ltd. is an integrated manufacturer and supplier of superhard cutting tools for B2B manufacturing applications. In addition to standard coated CBN inserts, UHD supports non-standard tool design, dedicated forming tools, and cutting-parameter optimization based on workpiece material and process conditions.
For a practical coated CBN insert recommendation, provide the workpiece material, hardness, machining operation, insert geometry, cutting continuity, machine condition, and current wear pattern. This information enables a more relevant grade and application assessment for your production process.
Tell us your workpiece, quantity, and tooling requirement. Our team will reply with a practical solution.
