Abstract: A cemented carbide suitable as a high performance hard metal material for wire drawing of high-tensile strength alloys is provided. The cemented carbide may include a relatively low binder content with additives Cr, Ta and/or Nb to provide high wear and corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, high hardness and a desired hardness to fracture toughness correlation.

Abstract: Provided is a cemented carbide suitable for use as a material in the manufacture of a punch for metal forming and in particular for the manufacture of metal beverage cans. The cemented carbide may include a hard phase that includes WC, a binder phase and a gamma phase. The gamma phase may include metal carbides in combination with metal nitrides or metal carbonitrides. A quotient of the average grain size of WC/the average grain size of the gamma phase may be in a range of from 0.5 to 1.5.