Tungsten Carbide Inserts

One of the most common forms of scrap tungsten carbide (WC) purchased by Carbide Recycling Co. is Indexable “throw-away” Inserts. All tungsten carbide material contains tungsten with an added amount of either cobalt or nickel as a binder. In addition, carbide inserts usually contain a small percentage of titanium and tantalum for durability. Tungsten carbide inserts are manufactured in different shapes and sizes and are either brazed onto or fastened to a tool holder. These tools are then used for many different milling, cutting, shaping and forming projects.  Indexable inserts have several cutting edges which can be rotated, from one position to another, to perform numerous different functions. Many carbide inserts contain a “chip breaker” which allows for a cleaner and safer way to remove the shavings from a work piece. There are several wear resistant coatings on inserts, the most commonly found are titanium nitrite (gold color in appearance) and aluminum oxide (black color in appearance).