Toolmakers Target Tough Alloys

“[We see] HRSAs as all nickel- and cobalt-based alloys that exploit the yield-strength anomaly,” noted Alex Minich, applications engineer at toolmaker Greenleaf Corp., Saegertown, Pa. He is referring to when yield strength increases with temperature, contrary to most materials that get softer as they get hotter, or lower yield strength. It seems to be an anomaly—hence the name. The same resistance to heat (and increasing yield strength with temperature) that makes HRSAs desirable for such applications is what makes them a challenge to machine. Here’s the latest on how cutting tool manufacturers are making the job easier.