Kovar

[Mark C]

I just accepted a job with a small company here that does a lot of work with Kovar and Carpenter-49. I have never worked with these materials, but I did find some info on the web about general speeds and feeds to get a start.

Anybody have any tips, like potential problems to watch out for, depth of cut and stepover rules of thumb?

Thanks in advance

Mark C

[Chips Ahoy]

I know there is a web site out there for carpenter steels but I have never looked for it. I have a cd from them and will get the info to you so you can get a copy of it. It's at work so give me a day. Rick

[Mark C]

Thank you Rick

[Chips Ahoy]

Here's the info: www.cartech.com

or 1-800-654-6543 will connect you to the closest service center near you.

[Keith Graydon]

Ah Kovar,

I've machined a lot of small 2~~ 4 inch square parts with this material. It is fairly tough stuff.I've have good sucess with the following method as a baseline.

.250 dia 4 flute Coated carbide end mills. Use high quality one like NIAGARA .

2000 rpm @ 8 ipm feed. .100~.150 depth of cut. wich works out to 130 fpm @ .001 chip load

Drill pilot holes at end mill plunge locations.

Use rough and finish cutters. When the rougher is dull put the used finisher in its place and replace the finisher with a new one.

I flood the cut Blazocut soluble oil for coolant.

HTH

-Keith

[Mark C]

Thanks for the information, guys

[Keith Graydon]

One more thing to add here. This is very important.

oreder you KOVAR in the annealed

state.

-Keith