1. Control Interrupted Impact
Use a robust CBN insert structure for cam profile roughing where the changing lobe geometry creates repeated cutting impact and a higher risk of edge chipping.
Typical Workpiece
Camshaft: Hard Turning After Hardening
This solution is designed for camshafts made from chilled cast iron or carburized hardened steel at HRC58–64. UHD separates cam profile roughing, journal and side-face semi-finishing, profile finishing, ultra-finishing and relief-groove machining into dedicated tooling tasks rather than relying on one CBN insert for every operation.
- Material Chilled cast iron / carburized hardened steel
- Hardness HRC58–64
- Key Features Cam profile, journals, side faces, relief grooves
- Production Focus Profile accuracy, surface consistency, cycle stability
Why Camshaft Hard Turning Requires Operation-Specific CBN Inserts
Camshaft machining at HRC58–64 combines interrupted cutting, complex profile geometry and high finishing requirements. The changing cam profile creates periodic cutting impact, while tool wear during finishing can influence profile accuracy, surface consistency and dimensional stability. UHD applies a staged strategy: impact resistance for roughing, stable wear and dimensional control for semi-finishing, wear resistance for finishing, and dedicated geometry for high-risk relief-groove machining.
2. Stabilize Profile Accuracy
Separate semi-finishing and finishing so that the remaining allowance is more consistent before the final cam profile pass, reducing the influence of uneven tool wear.
3. Isolate High-Risk Grooving
Use dedicated CBN grooving geometry for journal relief grooves, where cutting forces concentrate at a small edge area and groove width or depth can drift.
CBN Insert Selection by Camshaft Machining Condition
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Integral Brazed CBN Insert Series — Cam Profile Roughing
Recommended as the primary roughing option for cam lobe profiles where interrupted cutting creates repeated edge impact. The focus is on edge security, impact resistance and stable material removal before semi-finishing and finishing.
Composite Brazed CBN Insert — Journal & Side-Face Semi-Finishing
Used for semi-finishing camshaft journals and cam side faces where dimensional stability and controlled remaining allowance are important. The uncoated composite brazed structure is positioned between roughing and final finishing to create a more stable input for the finishing stage.
Coated CBN Insert — Cam Profile Precision Finishing
Recommended for high-speed finishing of the cam profile under stable cutting conditions. The coated CBN structure is intended to support wear resistance, profile accuracy and more consistent surface quality as the finishing edge is exposed to continuous wear.
Solid CBN Insert Series — High-Precision Ultra-Finishing
Introduced when the camshaft requires a higher level of profile control, surface integrity or repeatability than the standard finishing process can provide. The solid CBN structure can be configured for demanding high-precision machining conditions.
CBN Grooving Insert Series — Journal Relief Groove Machining
Designed specifically for camshaft journal relief grooves, where cutting force concentrates at the tool tip. Dedicated grooving geometry helps control groove width, groove depth, edge condition and abnormal chipping during this localized high-load operation.
A Structured Path Toward More Controlled Camshaft Production
- Stable cutting efficiency: Separate roughing and finishing insert strategies help reduce unexpected edge chipping during interrupted cam-profile cutting and make the machining cycle more controllable.
- More controlled profile accuracy: Coated CBN is assigned to the finishing stage so that wear behavior can be managed more consistently when maintaining the cam profile.
- More consistent surface quality: Separating impact-resistant roughing from wear-focused finishing reduces the risk of carrying roughing instability into the final surface.
- Lower total tooling cost: Operation-specific insert selection can reduce abnormal breakage and ineffective tool consumption, while regrinding, refurbishment and parameter support can be incorporated into the long-term tooling strategy.
UHD application approach: Henan UHD Ultrahard Tools Co., Ltd. evaluates camshaft material and hardness, machine rigidity, workholding, allowance distribution, interruption intensity, machining sequence and target surface quality to adapt CBN insert structure and cutting conditions for individual production requirements.
