Abstract: A SiAlON armor ceramic made from a starting powder mixture including silicon nitride powder. The armor ceramic includes a ceramic body that has between about 64 weight percent and about 90 weight percent alpha SiAlON phase that contains an alpha SiAlON-bound rare earth element. The ceramic body also has between about 5 weight percent and about 35 weight percent of a beta SiAlON phase of the formula Si6?zAlzOzN8?z wherein the value of “z” ranges between about 0.10 and about 0.35. The alpha SiAlON-bound rare earth element in the alpha SiAlON phase is present as a result of the starting powder mixture that contains between about 1 weight percent and about 7 weight percent of an oxide of the alpha SiAlON-bound rare earth element. The ceramic body has a fracture toughness (KIC) greater than about 6.00 MPa·m1/2 and a Vickers hardness (HVN) equal to greater than about 19.3 GPa.

Abstract: An assembly of a rotatable cutting tool and a tool holder is provided. The rotatable cutting tool includes a cutting tool body having a head portion at an axial forward end and a collar portion axially rearward of the head portion, and a shank portion axially rearward of the collar portion. Also included is a cap member positioned on the cutting tool body wherein the cap member has a base portion and a hard cutting tip affixed to the base portion. The tool holder includes a tool holder body containing a bore having a forward end and a rearward end. The rotatable cutting tool is rotatably retained in the bore of the tool holder body. In one aspect, the shank portion of the rotatable cutting tool is received in the bore of the tool holder body and means for lubricating the shank portion of the cutting tool body is provided. In another aspect, means for securing the cap member to the head portion is provided, for example magnetically securing the cap member to the head portion.

Abstract: A rotatable cutting tool for use in impinging earth strata such as, for example, asphaltic roadway material, coal deposits, mineral formations and the like. The rotatable cutting tool includes a cutting tool body having a through coolant channel and a two-piece head portion, e.g., the head portion of the cutting tool body having a base portion and a nose portion with a hard tip cutting insert affixed to the nose portion. The through coolant provides for cooling the hard tip cutting insert during operation of the cutting tool. In addition, the through coolant also provides for suppressing dust created by the rotatable cutting tool during operation.

Abstract: A hard alloy material comprising tungsten carbide in an amount of less than 50 weight percent of the material, titanium carbide in an amount of at least about 30 weight percent, and a binder material of cobalt and nickel. In other aspects of the invention, molybdenum and/or chromium are included to further lower the thermal conductivity of the material. The thermal conductivity of the material of the invention is about 12 Watt/m° K. or less.

Abstract: A thermal energy method (TEM) machine for deburring and deflashing work pieces, the TEM machine having an explosion load bearing frame. The frame comprises spaced apart coparallel first and second frame walls and a lateral structural member spacing apart the first and second frame walls. The top portion of the TEM combustion chamber is supported by the lateral structural member. The first and second frame walls are adapted to support a vertical displacement means. The first and second frame walls, the lateral structural member, and the vertical displacement means cooperate to contain vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber. Methods for deburring and/or deflashing using such TEM machines are also disclosed.