Kennametal, the trusted innovator in metalcutting technology, recently introduced its ultra-performance Beyond™ Platform which has heralded a new era in ISO turning. The new Beyond ™ platform is now bringing unprecedented increases in productivity to many customers, both old and new, who report increases in productivity of up to 100 percent.

Supporting Beyond's improved levels of performance are a number of technology features. Beyond grades feature a new post-coat surface treatment that improves edge toughness, reliability, and depth-of-cut notch resistance, and micro-polishes the surface to reduce friction and workpiece sticking (BUE). A fine-grained alumina layer accommodates increases in cutting speed, improving productivity.

All the new Beyond inserts are CVD (chemical vapor deposition) coated, but where conventional CVD coatings are under tensile stress, Beyond inserts undergo a proprietary post-coat treatment on all surfaces to reduce this stress, improving coating adhesion and reducing micro-chipping. "More uniform and reliable wear of the cutting edge results in improved and more consistent tool life," says Kent Mizgalski, Manager, Global Lathe Systems Engineering at Kennametal. "Smoother surfaces also lower frictional forces, another factor that expands applications and permits higher cutting speeds. Together with the right geometry, we've seen big improvements in chip control and tool life in both internal and field tests."

Beyond™ is Kennametal's newest line of tooling, a complete portfolio of new grades and geometries for cutting cast-iron, steel, stainless steel, and high-temperature alloys. Beyond tools are engineered to increase metal-removal rates and extend tool life, significantly in many cases.