Carboloy

Abstract

The paper discusses a new cemented tungsten carbide which bears the registered trade name of “Carboloy” and in which the cementing substance is cobalt. The physical properties of this material are characterized by extreme hardness, and a strength approximately half that of high-speed steel. As a material for cutting tools, when properly applied, carboloy may be used for machining substances which cannot be cut by ordinary tools, or which easily dull the present type of tool. Examples of these are given. It is shown that high cutting speeds are obtainable with carboloy and that there are inherent defects in modern machine tools, such as lack of rigidity in tool posts, excessive wear of tail-stock spindles in lathes, because of the impossibility of proper lubrication, weakness in power-transmitting elements of the machines, and inadequacy of power available in standard types to drive them to the limit which carboloy tools will withstand.