As a form of High-Speed Steel, M35, justifying its name, comes with a mixture of molybdenum and cobalt. It is a niche in the cutting tool industry. It is a new-age substitute for the previously celebrated HSS M2 for a good number of reasons.
The Best Properties
The M35 steel variety comes with a series of components like different grades of:
- Molybdenum (Mo).
- Tungsten (W).
- Cobalt (Co).
- Vanadium (V).
Some of the other factors that make it the go-to variety for cutting tools are:
- To produce the finest grade tool steel, manufacturers make it hard enough to tolerate as much as up to 66 HRC after heat treatment.
- Another interesting thing about this steel variety is that it has a very evenly distributed yet small quantity of carbides.
- It also offers excellent wear resistance and has pretty high tensile strength. Having more resistance to wear means it helps to keep the cutting tools sharper. In fact, it makes the tool require less frequent re-sharpening.
- Thanks to its economical price, this grade of high-speed steel has become a favourite among its users.
- The medium-allowed variety of tool steel has about 5% cobalt. This makes it a better choice than the previously preferred varieties of cutting tool steel. This is because this composition helps the tool steel to retain more heat. This is why it is suitable for applications where demanding cutting situations prevail.
- This steel also strikes an excellent balance between toughness and sharpness. This means it is relatively less susceptible to breaking and chipping while the machining activities are on.
- Moreover, these tools offer improved red hardness. This means that the M35 variety of tool steel can maintain its hardness even at a very high temperature. This very property makes it ideal for handling the trickiest and most challenging cutting applications and materials.
The Best Applications
Premier high-speed steel suppliers like TJKSSL suggest that this variety of tool steel is ideal for an array of HS cutting tools. This includes cutting of:
- Drills: It is helpful in preparing drills to dig very deep holes in very tough materials.
- End mills: The M35 tool steel is helpful in preparing instruments for several milling operations. This includes pocketing, slotting, and contouring.
- Milling cutters: This steel variety is helpful in different milling activities. This comprehends shoulder milling, face milling, and slot milling.
- Preparing reaming tools: This ensures flawless finishing in the already drilled holes.
- Broaches: They come in handy while conducting internal matches in intricate shapes.
- Saws: They are helpful for high-speed cuts of different metals and other materials like composites and plastics.
- Taps: This helps in making fine-quality threads in different materials.
Some Important Pointers
You might find the following points of consideration helpful while considering the M35 variety of tool steel:
- Its extra cobalt content might make it ideal for cutting tools. However, its versatility in other manufacturing procedures could be limited.
- It can be tougher to grind and machine when compared to other varieties like M2.
- To make the M35 tool steel most effective, you have to ensure that the metal undergoes proper heat treatment.
If you are still confused about choosing this steel type over the others, then you can always check with your local tool steel suppliers for some practical guidance.