Abstract: The present application is a new improvement in the fine-grained cubic Boron Nitride sintered compact which may be employed to manufacture a cutting tool. The compact contains at least 80 vol % cBN and is sintered under HPHT conditions. The invention has lower levels of unreacted cobalt in the final sintered material than conventions materials. The invention has proved beneficial in the machining of ferrous metal alloys such as sintered metal alloys.

Abstract: The present application is a new improvement in the fine-grained cubic Boron Nitride sintered compact which may be employed to manufacture a cutting tool. The compact contains at least 80 vol % cBN and is sintered under HPHT conditions. The invention has lower levels of unreacted cobalt in the final sintered material than conventions materials. The invention has proved beneficial in the machining of ferrous metal alloys such as sintered metal alloys.

Abstract: A method of producing at least one through-hole and countersink in at least one ultrahard insert including the steps of providing a body having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface; forming at least one pilot hole in said body using a laser, wherein said at least one pilot hole extends from said first major surface to the opposite second major surface of said body; cutting said pilot hole using a wire electrical discharge machine (WEDM) to produce a straight cylindrical portion and top conical portion; forming a countersink on at least one side of said body using an electrical discharge grinding machine (EDG); and severing said at least one ultrahard insert from said body forming a finished insert, wherein said finished insert includes a through-hole and a countersink.

Abstract: A polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) is fabricated using a process of overlaying layers of cubic boron nitride (cBN) powder, where the layers have cBN mixed with various concentrations of a ceramic. The process of fabricating the PcBN includes depositing, in a refractory capsule, a carbide, a cubic boron nitride (cBN), and a mixture of cBN and a ceramic, then applying a high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) to the content of the refractory capsule. During the depositing step of the process, the concentration of cBN in the mixture of the cBN and ceramic is lower than the concentration of cBN that is in the layer below it. Upon applying HPHT, the carbide first diffuses across the cBN layer, and then diffuses across the layer with the mixture of the cBN and ceramic. After HPHT ends and the content of the refractory capsule cools, the process yields a PcBN having layers with various concentrations of cBN, and at least one cBN layer with a ceramic material.

Abstract: A method of producing at least one through-hole and countersink in at least one ultrahard insert including the steps of providing a body having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface; forming at least one pilot hole in said body using a laser, wherein said at least one pilot hole extends from said first major surface to the opposite second major surface of said body; cutting said pilot hole using a wire electrical discharge machine (WEDM) to produce a straight cylindrical portion and top conical portion; forming a countersink on at least one side of said body using an electrical discharge grinding machine (EDG); and severing said at least one ultrahard insert from said body forming a finished insert, wherein said finished insert includes a through-hole and a countersink.