In addition to the environmental benefits of recycling, Seco’s Carbide Recycling Program helps to address the growing global demand for tungsten, which comprises 75 per cent of cemented carbide tools.

The diamond PCBN inserts deliver high-precision performance and excellent surface finish in materials including hardened and heat-treated steels up to 72 HRC, HSS, high-alloyed steels hardened to 45 HRC and nickel-base superalloys, gray cast iron, ductile, and graphite. Available in both one and two cutting edge configurations, Carmex diamond inserts deliver both higher performance and longer tool life.

The company received 350 returns during the year and processed a total of 144,877 pounds (65,715 kg) of used carbide tools. Since the recycling program began in 2011, Seco Tools globally has received over a half million pounds (226,796 kg) of carbide returned as grade powder.

Groove or other tool geometry that breaks chips into small fragments as they come off the workpiece. Designed to prevent chips from becoming so long that they are difficult to control, catch in turning parts and cause safety problems.

Seco says recycling reduces related energy consumption by 35 per cent and cuts CO2 emissions by 40 per cent.

Machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece by a powered abrasive wheel, stone, belt, paste, sheet, compound, slurry, etc. Takes various forms: surface grinding (creates flat and/or squared surfaces); cylindrical grinding (for external cylindrical and tapered shapes, fillets, undercuts, etc.); centerless grinding; chamfering; thread and form grinding; tool and cutter grinding; offhand grinding; lapping and polishing (grinding with extremely fine grits to create ultrasmooth surfaces); honing; and disc grinding.

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The National Association of Business Resources named Seco one of "Michigan’s Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies" this past year. Seco was also recognized with the 2014 National Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies Award.

Carmex Precision Tools Ltd. has introduced new diamond turning inserts designed to enable customers to achieve higher productivity and greater efficiency in machining hard materials faster and more effectively than grinding or ceramics. The PCD inserts excel in the machining of nonferrous materials, including high-silicon aluminum, copper and brass alloys, magnesium, carbon fiber reinforced plastics, and composites.

Companies participating in the recycling program represent a cross section of industries and regions. Major customers include John Deere, GE, Manes Machine, MessierDowty, Haas Automation, Caterpillar, Ellwood National Crankshift, American Axle, Snap-On, NOV, and NTK Precision Axle.

Materials composed of different elements, with one element normally embedded in another, held together by a compatible binder.

Intermetallic compound consisting of equal parts, by atomic weight, of tungsten and carbon. Sometimes tungsten carbide is used in reference to the cemented tungsten carbide material with cobalt added and/or with titanium carbide or tantalum carbide added. Thus, the tungsten carbide may be used to refer to pure tungsten carbide as well as co-bonded tungsten carbide, which may or may not contain added titanium carbide and/or tantalum carbide.

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In this Hurco customer spotlight, Lynn Glover shares his experience with his Hurco 5-axis CNC. Glover Precision is a woman-owned, AS9100-certified machining facility located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Cutting tool materials based on aluminum oxide and silicon nitride. Ceramic tools can withstand higher cutting speeds than cemented carbide tools when machining hardened steels, cast irons and high-temperature alloys.

Workpiece is held in a chuck, mounted on a face plate or secured between centers and rotated while a cutting tool, normally a single-point tool, is fed into it along its periphery or across its end or face. Takes the form of straight turning (cutting along the periphery of the workpiece); taper turning (creating a taper); step turning (turning different-size diameters on the same work); chamfering (beveling an edge or shoulder); facing (cutting on an end); turning threads (usually external but can be internal); roughing (high-volume metal removal); and finishing (final light cuts). Performed on lathes, turning centers, chucking machines, automatic screw machines and similar machines.

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Seco provides participating manufacturers with small, medium or large storage containers to place in their facilities. Small 1-pint containers hold approximately 11 pounds (5 kg) of carbide, medium 1-gallon containers hold approximately 50 pounds (23 kg), and the large 30-gallon drums accommodate approximately 2,000 pounds (910 kg). Any carbide products can be placed in the containers, including carbide inserts, solid drills, solid end mills, wear parts and PCD/PCBN-tipped inserts. Seco periodically collects the containers and pays manufacturers at the market rate for the carbide that is returned.

CVD is designed for machining aluminum and magnesium alloys, high-silicon aluminum, precious metal alloys, plastics with abrasive fillers, tungsten carbide, and ceramic green compacts. An advanced chipbreaker reduces heat generation and energy consumption.

"We are deeply committed to sustainability and being a leader in environmental initiatives," explained Robert Keenan, president of Seco Tools, LLC. "It’s an important part of our corporate culture that is integrated throughout everything we do. Plus, our customers appreciate the opportunity this program provides to them to contribute to a cleaner, safer environment."

Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Fabricating & Welding.

High-temperature (1,000° C or higher), atmosphere-controlled process in which a chemical reaction is induced for the purpose of depositing a coating 2µm to 12µm thick on a tool’s surface. See coated tools; PVD, physical vapor deposition.

In 2014, Seco Tools collected 15 percent more used carbide than the previous year for its North American Carbide Recycling Program.

Available in two major types: tungsten high-speed steels (designated by letter T having tungsten as the principal alloying element) and molybdenum high-speed steels (designated by letter M having molybdenum as the principal alloying element). The type T high-speed steels containing cobalt have higher wear resistance and greater red (hot) hardness, withstanding cutting temperature up to 1,100º F (590º C). The type T steels are used to fabricate metalcutting tools (milling cutters, drills, reamers and taps), woodworking tools, various types of punches and dies, ball and roller bearings. The type M steels are used for cutting tools and various types of dies.

Substances having metallic properties and being composed of two or more chemical elements of which at least one is a metal.

Cutting tool material consisting of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride with a metallic or ceramic binder. PCBN is available either as a tip brazed to a carbide insert carrier or as a solid insert. Primarily used for cutting hardened ferrous alloys.

Substance used for grinding, honing, lapping, superfinishing and polishing. Examples include garnet, emery, corundum, silicon carbide, cubic boron nitride and diamond in various grit sizes.

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Jim White, national sales manager for Carmex USA, comments, “The many advantages of diamond tooling have resulted in its increasing popularity throughout industry. Our PCD, CVD-T and PCBN inserts deliver high material-removal rates, superior surface finish, and longer tool life in abrasive materials.”

Tough, difficult-to-machine alloys; includes Hastelloy, Inconel and Monel. Many are nickel-base metals.

Up to 95 per cent of the material in a typical carbide insert can be reclaimed, helping to ensure the long-term sustainability of the metal cutting industry.

Cutting tool material consisting of natural or synthetic diamond crystals bonded together under high pressure at elevated temperatures. PCD is available as a tip brazed to a carbide insert carrier. Used for machining nonferrous alloys and nonmetallic materials at high cutting speeds.