Terminology
Cemented Carbide
Refers to a sintered composite material composed of refractory metal carbides and metallic binders. Among the metal carbides currently in use, tungsten carbide (WC), titanium carbide (TiC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and niobium carbide (NbC) are the most common components. Cobalt metal (Co) is widely used as a binder in the production of cemented carbide; other metallic binders such as nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) can also be used for specific applications.
Density
Refers to the ratio of the mass of a material to its volume, including the volume of pores within the material. Also known as specific gravity. The density of tungsten carbide (WC) is 15.7 g/cm³, and the density of cobalt (Co) is 8.9 g/cm³. Therefore, as the cobalt (Co) content in tungsten-cobalt alloy (WC-Co) decreases, the overall density increases. The density of titanium carbide (TiC) is much lower than that of tungsten carbide, at only 4.9 g/cm³. Thus, adding TiC or other lower-density components will reduce the overall density. An increase in porosity within the material will lead to a decrease in density, given a constant chemical composition. Density is measured using the water displacement method (Archimedes’ principle).
Hardness
.Refers to the ability of a material to resist plastic deformation. Vickers hardness (HV) is widely used internationally. This hardness measurement method involves penetrating the surface of a sample with a diamond under a specific load and measuring the size of the indentation to obtain the hardness value. Rockwell hardness (HRA) is another commonly used hardness measurement method. It measures hardness by the depth of penetration of a standard diamond cone. Both Vickers and Rockwell hardness measurement methods can be used to measure the hardness of cemented carbide, and the values can be converted between the two.
Carbide grade
Chinese cemented‑carbide grades are mainly divided into four series: YG (WC‑Co alloy), YT (WC‑TiC‑Co alloy), YW (general‑purpose alloy with tantalum‑niobium carbide), YN (nickel‑bonded non‑magnetic alloy).
Cobalt content and grain size decide hardness, wear‑resistance and impact toughness. The tables below list chemical composition, physical‑property data, ISO standard grade, overseas equivalent grades and practical application fields.
Carbide Grade Designation System
Letter Meanings:
- YG – Tungsten-Cobalt class (WC-Co alloy)
- YT – Tungsten-Titanium class (WC-TiC-Co alloy)
- YW – Universal class (WC-TiC-TaC(NbC)-Co alloy)
- YN – Tungsten-Nickel class (Ni-bonded, corrosion-resistant & non-magnetic)
Number Meanings:
- YG series – the number indicates the average cobalt (Co) content in percentage (e.g., YG6 = 6% Co)
- YT series – the number indicates the average titanium carbide (TiC) content in percentage (e.g., YT15 = 15% TiC)
Suffix Meanings:
- X – Fine grain (e.g., YG3X)
- C – Coarse grain (e.g., YG8C)
1. YG Series (WC‑Co Alloy, ISO‑K: Cast Iron, Non‑ferrous Metal, Mining Wear‑resistant Parts)
| Domestic Grade | Main Chemical Composition | Binder & Content | Grain Size | Density(g/cm³) | Hardness‑HRA | TRS(MPa) | ISO Grade | Overseas Equivalent Grade | Application Fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YG3 | WC | 3% Co | Ultrafine | 15.2 | 91.2 | 1500 | K01 | Sandvik GC3205, Kennametal KC610 | Finish‑machining for cast iron and non‑ferrous metal, wire‑drawing dies, nozzles, high‑precision wear‑proof components |
| YG3X | WC | 3% Co | Ultrafine | 15.2 | 91.5 | 1300 | K01 | Sandvik GC3205 | Hard cast‑iron, hardened‑steel finishing, sharp cutting‑tool edges |
| YG6 | WC | 6% Co | Medium | 14.9 | 91 | 1600 | K10 | Sandvik GC3225 | Semi‑finishing of cast iron, copper and aluminum alloy, general‑purpose wear‑resistant sleeves |
| YG6X | WC | 6% Co | Fine | 14.9 | 91.8 | 1580 | K10 | Sandvik GC3210, Kennametal KC630 | Chilled cast‑iron, heat‑resistant alloy, wood‑working blades, precision moulds |
| YG8 | WC | 8% Co | Medium | 14.7 | 90 | 2000 | K20 | Sandvik GC3235 | Rough‑cutting cast iron, mining drill bits, picks, wear‑resistant nozzles, grinding wheel blades |
| YG8C | WC | 8% Co | Coarse | 14.9 | 87.5 | 2150 | K20 | Sandvik GC3240 | High‑impact rock drill bits, rock‑breaking drilling heads |
| YG10 | WC | 10% Co | Sub‑micron | 14.3-14.7 | 89.5 | 2200 | K35 | MH10F | Stamping moulds, valve seats, drilling wear‑resistant accessories, structural wear‑resistant parts |
| YG11C | WC | 11% Co | Coarse | 14.4 | 87.5 | 2200 | K40 | CK402T | Matrix for PDC drill bits, heavy‑duty mining teeth |
| YG15 | WC | 15% Co | Medium | 14.0 | 86.5 | 2280 | G30 | CK402T | Cold‑heading moulds, high‑pressure roller mill wear‑resistant blocks, heavy‑duty stamping components |
| YG15C | WC | 15% Co | Coarse | 13.95 | 85.0 | 2350 | G30 | ‑ | Heavy‑impact working conditions, road milling teeth, ore‑crushing wear‑resistant blocks |
| YG20C | WC | 20% Co | Coarse | 13.6 | 83.5 | 2450 | G40 | ‑ | Cold‑stamping moulds, rivet cold‑heading dies, high‑impact heading moulds |
2.YT Series (WC‑TiC‑Co Alloy, ISO‑P: Carbon‑steel & Alloy‑steel Cutting)
| Domestic Grade | Main Chemical Composition | Binder & Content | Grain Size | Density(g/cm³) | Hardness‑HRA | TRS(MPa) | ISO Grade | Overseas Equivalent Grade | Application Fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT15 | WC‑TiC | 6% Co | Medium | 11.1 | 91.5 | 1440 | P15 | Sandvik S2, TX10 | Semi‑finish turning for structural alloy steel |
| YT14 | WC‑TiC | 8% Co | Medium | 11.2 | 91.0 | 1500 | P20 | ‑ | Semi‑finishing for ordinary steel materials |
| YT5 | WC‑TiC | 8% Co | Coarse | 12.9 | 90 | 1750 | P30 | Sandvik S4, TX30 | Rough‑machining of forged steel and steel castings, interrupted cutting |
3. YW Series (Universal Carbide, ISO‑M: Stainless‑Steel & Hard‑to‑machine Alloys)
| Domestic Grade | Main Chemical Composition | Binder & Content | Grain Size | Density(g/cm³) | Hardness‑HRA | TRS(MPa) | ISO Grade | Overseas Equivalent Grade | Application Fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YW1 | WC‑TiC‑TaC‑NbC | 8% Co | Fine | 12.7 | 91.5 | 1380 | M10 | Sandvik H13A | Finish‑machining stainless steel, high‑manganese steel, superalloy and titanium alloy |
| YW2 | WC‑TiC‑TaC‑NbC | 10% Co | Medium | 12.8 | 91 | 1680 | M20 | Sandvik H21A | Rough‑cutting stainless steel, milling heat‑resistant steel and hard‑to‑cut metals |
| YW3 | WC‑TiC‑TaC‑NbC | 12% Co | Coarse | 12.9 | 89.0 | 1550 | M30 | ‑ | Rough cutting for high‑strength alloy steel and heavy‑duty hard‑to‑machine workpieces |
4. YN Series (Nickel‑bonded Non‑magnetic Carbide, ISO‑N, Corrosion‑resistant)
| Domestic Grade | Main Chemical Composition | Binder & Content | Grain Size | Density(g/cm³) | Hardness‑HRA | TRS(MPa) | ISO Grade | Overseas Equivalent Grade | Application Fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YN6 | WC | 6% Ni | Fine | 14.8 | 92.0 | 2400 | N15 | SK10 | Anti‑corrosion wear‑resistant fittings, down‑hole oil‑gas parts, non‑magnetic instrument components |
| YN8 | WC | 8% Ni | Sub‑micron | 14.7 | 90.0 | 3000 | N20 | SK10 | Oil‑gas valve assemblies, acid‑alkali erosion‑proof spare parts, non‑magnetic moulds |
| YN10 | WC | 10% Ni | Medium | 14.4 | 89.0 | 3300 | N25 | SK15 | High‑toughness corrosion‑resistant wear‑resistant pieces, chemical‑equipment accessories |