KYOCERA Cutting Tool Inserts in New Coated Carbide Grades Improve Cast Iron Machining

New CA3 Series and K Series chipbreakers maximize performance from rough cutting to finishing

08 November 2016

Kyoto/Neuss – Kyocera Corporation (President: Goro Yamaguchi) announced today that it has developed a new line of indexable cutting tool inserts to improve cast iron machining. Made from new grades of CVD coated-carbide materials, Kyocera’s CA3 Series and chipbreaker K Series inserts offer significant improvements in machining cast iron components for automobiles, industrial machinery and many other heavy-duty applications. The new inserts address rising demand for metalworking tools that can deliver stable machining performance over a wide range of cutting conditions.

Carbide inserts with new coatings and chipbreaker geometries (clockwise top left: KQ, KG, KH)

The CA3 Series uses a newly developed CVD coating with a pink-gold finish over a carbide base metal. Kyocera has improved the adhesion strength of the coating layers to ensure longer tool life and consistent processing of cast iron. Further, newly designed blade-edge shapes on the new chipbreakers maximize performance even under high-load machining.

Three types of new materials and chipbreakers are available to address all aspects of cast iron machining, from rough cutting to finishing. Kyocera will continue to develop optimal insert grades to maximize users’ productivity in diverse cutting conditions.

Product Overview

Product                       New Material: CA3 Series
 CA310CA315CA320
Total Lineup (Insert Types)206 *206 *206 *
Recommended applicationGray cast iron
(first choice)
Ductile cast iron
(first choice)
Ductile / gray cast iron
(to optimize stable 
processing)
Production locationKyocera’s Kagoshima Sendai Plant (Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan)

* The total number of CA3 Series insert types includes products in the new chipbreaker K Series.

Product                           New Chipbreaker: K Series
 KHKGKQ
Total Lineup 
(Insert Types)
545736
Recommended 
application
Heavy interrupted
to interrupted
cutting
(first choice)
Interrupted to 
continuous cutting
Sharpness focused
Production 
location
Kyocera’s Kagoshima Sendai Plant (Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan) 


New Material: CA3 Series

Kyocera has used newly developed CVD coating technology for cast iron machining in its CA3 Series. In addition to increasing the adhesion strength of the coating layer by optimizing the crystalline structure of each layer, abrasion and fracture resistance have been increased by adopting hard-surface coatings and improved surface layer coating conditions. Kyocera has also adjusted the balance between layers for various applications to enhance tool life and ensure consistent cutting.

MaterialApplicationDescription
CA310Gray cast iron
(first choice)
Focuses on abrasion resistance in gray cast 
iron machining (ductile cast iron also 
possible) with increased aluminum oxide 
layer thickness.
CA315Ductile cast iron
(first choice)
Optimizes performance in ductile cast iron 
machining (gray cast iron also possible) 
through adjustments of coating layer 
thickness.
CA320Ductile / gray cast iron
(to optimize stable 
processing)
Improves stability in heavy interrupted cutting 
of ductile and gray cast iron with reduced 
overall CVD coating layer thickness. 


New Chipbreaker: K Series

The surface of a cutting tool insert incorporates grooves and uneven rough areas called “chipbreakers” that efficiently break and remove chips of metal from the workpiece. A chipbreaker’s purpose is to ensure chip evacuation, thereby preventing quality problems and process interruptions caused by chip buildup and/or damaged blade edges.

Kyocera’s K Series features three newly designed edge shapes to maximize performance when combined with the new materials in the CA3 Series. By creating specialized chipbreaker shapes for specific applications, higher stability and cutting consistency can be expected even under high-load cutting conditions.

ChipbreakerApplicationDescription
KHHeavy interrupted to interrupted 
cutting
(first choice)
High stability with flat land; for 
strong intermittent machining
and casting scale removal.
KGInterrupted to continuous cuttingImproved fracture resistance 
with positive land;
for continuous machining and 
components with long 
dimensions.
KQSharpness focusedAchieves both low resistance 
and edge strength.
For thin-walled materials and 
high-precision components. 

For more information about Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu

Press Material



Contact for journalists

Daniela Faust
Manager Corporate Communications
E-mail: daniela.faust@kyocera.de

Contact for product information