Typical Workpiece Profile
Aerospace planetary gears, driven gears and transmission gears are commonly hard machined after carburizing and quenching. Critical operations include face turning, bore hard boring, spigot and locating-face finishing, and root relief-groove machining.
- Typical materials18CrNiMo7-6, 20CrMnTi
- Hardness rangeHRC60–64 after carburizing and quenching
- Key featuresFaces, bores, spigots and gear-root grooves
- Machining challengeInterrupted impact with strict fit and form control
Why Process-Specific CBN Insert Selection Matters
Hard machining aerospace gears is not defined by material hardness alone. Gear geometry can introduce intermittent cutting, while bores and locating faces require stable dimensional and geometric accuracy. Using one insert for every operation can compromise either impact resistance or finishing control.
UHD Ultrahard Tools applies a process-goal approach: select the CBN insert structure, cutting edge and application strategy according to the feature being machined and the required cutting condition.
- 01RoughingPrioritize impact resistance and stable stock removal.
- 02Bore finishingPrioritize repeatable size, roundness and cylindricity control.
- 03Critical facesPrioritize edge consistency for spigots and locating surfaces.
- 04Groove formingPrioritize profile accuracy and burr control at the gear root.
Recommended CBN Insert Configuration
Hover over a recommended insert on desktop to view its application logic and corresponding product image. On mobile, the application details remain visible for easy review.
Integral Brazed CBN Insert SeriesInterrupted rough turning of faces and gear-root areas
Used as the primary roughing option where interrupted engagement creates a high risk of edge chipping. The integral brazed structure is selected to support impact resistance and stable allowance removal before finishing operations.
Coated CBN InsertHigh-precision hard boring of aerospace gear bores
Applied to bore finishing where fit accuracy, roundness, cylindricity and surface consistency are important. A controlled grade, edge preparation and parameter window support repeatable precision machining.
Solid CBN Insert SeriesSpigot and locating-face precision finishing
Dedicated to critical positioning features that require more consistent cutting-edge performance. A separate finishing strategy helps avoid variation caused by sharing roughing tools with high-accuracy surfaces.
CBN Grooving Insert SeriesGear-root annular relief-groove forming
Designed around groove width, depth and corner-radius requirements. The formed cutting profile and controlled process window help reduce groove-form deviation, burrs and edge defects.
Operational Value for Aerospace Gear Programs
More Stable Interrupted Cutting
Separating roughing from finishing allows the roughing insert to focus on impact resistance in discontinuous cutting conditions.
Repeatable Critical Features
Dedicated bore and locating-face strategies support more consistent control of precision features across batch production.
Controlled Tooling Cost
Process-specific selection can reduce trial cutting, unexpected tool changes and avoidable disruption caused by unsuitable insert use.