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Increasing Your Productivitywith Ceramic Tooling

Breakthrough Carbide GradesWill Boost Productivity

Custom Tooling SavesTime and Money

Beyond Cutting Tools

Meeting Your Needs

Special Advertising SectionSuccessful high-velocity milling with ceramics

requires adequate heat generation.

At Greenleaf Corporation, we want to offer adramatic improvement in performance each

time we bring a new product to market. When weoffer you a new cutting tool technology or technicalceramic, you can expect that product to have a sub-stantial impact on your production capability.

Productivity is a key word for all of us these days. In the fol-lowing pages, we will explain how our ceramic tooling, newcarbide tooling, and specially designed tools can help youbecome more productive. And we will also discuss the use ofour proprietary ceramics technology in industrial applicationsother than cutting tools.

We understand your need for high performance because wecompete in a market that demands innovation and superiorproducts. At Greenleaf, we don’t view today’s environment ofunrelenting hypercompetition as something to fear. Instead,competition inspires us to develop new skills and products, anddeliver them to the market. Determination, customer service,and technical innovation are requirements for any companythat intends to succeed in the cutting tool field. These charac-teristics have been a part of our company’s DNA since weopened for business 60 years ago.

Determination, customer service, and technicalinnovation are part of our company’s DNA.

We want to partner with you in a relationship that can help yourcompany succeed. Our toolbox includes process design assistance,advanced carbide tools, and our unequaled expertise in ceramiccutting tools and ceramic components.

(800) 458-1850 Greenleaf 2005 www.greenleafcorporation.com G2

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Powermill™ sinusoidal inserts deliver serious millingproductivity with less horsepower consumption.

use the heat generated ahead of the tool to plas-ticize the metal, making it much easier toremove. So for ceramic inserts to perform attheir best, you need to increase the cuttingspeeds. In some operations, the order of magni-tude is 10X faster.

Whisker-reinforced ceramic insertsare a great choice for cutting

heat-resistant alloys.

It wasn’t long ago that many machines couldn’tachieve the high speeds necessary for successfulceramic machining. Now, however, manufactur-ers are producing low-horsepower machines thatdeliver spindle rpms and linear-axis movementrates that are extremely high when compared tothose of machines available as recently as fiveyears ago. Ceramic technology is being used inapplications that exploit the high-speed potentialof these machines.

“But even older machines are able to takeadvantage of today’s ceramic inserts,” says salesand service engineer Dick Chobot. “Thanks to theimprovements we’ve made to our ceramic gradesand our use of high-tech coatings, we now havemuch greater flexibility with the application of ourceramic inserts.”

For example, there are shops whose marketdoesn’t warrant the expensive investmentrequired to obtain new CNCs. They continue usingthe equipment they have on hand because it worksfine for their needs. But these shops can still makegreat advancements in productivity in certainapplications by switching to ceramic inserts. Thelatest generation of ceramic inserts from Greenleaf

works very well on older equipment. Althoughyou may not see as great a productivity increase asyou would using a new high-speed machine, youwill still benefit from greater productivity withceramic inserts.

How much of a productivity increase canceramic inserts provide in your shop? It reallydepends upon the application. “The first thing wedo to answer that question is to take a good look atwhat is being manufactured,” says NorthAmerican Sales Manager David Rydbom. “Thetype and capability of the machines being used,workholding fixtures, chip containment, coolantflow and programming all are important factorswhen reaping the benefits of a high-performanceceramic tool from Greenleaf.”

Here are just a few examples of the dramaticmetal removal improvements you can expectfrom Greenleaf tools:

• Greenleaf silicon nitride ceramics such asG.S.N.™ and HSN are widely used on gray castiron as well as nodular, ductile and malleablecast irons. For instance, in a gray iron milling


When you work with us, you’ll find that weare much more than a supplier of specializedtooling. Greenleaf can become a source for solu-tions to your manufacturing problems that willenhance the productivity, and hence the prof-itability, of your shop floor.

Increasing Your Productivitywith Ceramic Tooling

Today’s ceramic inserts offer spectacularincreases in performance and productivity whencompared to first-generation ceramic and carbideinserts. The improvements they will make in yourmachining capabilities are equally dramatic.Whether you’re using an old roll lathe or a state-of-the-art high-speed milling center, the latest gener-ation of ceramic inserts can significantly reduceyour cutting time, thereby reducing your costs andmaking your shop more productive.

Ceramics are no longer limited to continuous-turning operations, and are being applied to many

applications once thought to be solely the domainof carbide. Modern ceramic inserts are tougher,more wear-resistant and more shock-resistant thanthe ceramics of years past. Ceramics like WG-300®

continue to prove themselves outstanding cuttingtools when used to mill or turn a variety of mate-rials, from tool steels to cast iron.

But why are ceramic inserts so successful? Andcan they make a difference in your shop?

It depends upon the application. For instance,ceramic inserts are generally more successful atmachining hard materials than carbide inserts dueto their capability to resist extreme temperatures.

The faster you can turn or mill metal at a givendepth of cut, the greater your metal removal rate.However, the faster your cutting speeds, the moreheat is created. Heat can weaken a carbide insertand eventually cause it to fail, so you must limitthe cutting speed to keep the heat within the oper-ating range of carbide.

Ceramics, on the other hand, are not affectednearly as much by heat. In fact, ceramic inserts

G3 www.greenleafcorporation.com Greenleaf 2005 (800) 458-1850

A Greenleaf whisker-reinforced, ceramic insert turninghardened steel.

This high-performance, small-diameter milling systemallows hard milling with ceramic inserts downto 3/8-inch diameter.

Hard Milling 55 Rc steel with Greenleaf's WG-300®

whisker-reinforced ceramic inserts.

requiring an expensive and time-consumingrough-grinding operation. Greenleaf’s GEM 7Ceramic has been used to machine these rollsfor years. In fact, ceramic tooling is the mostefficient means of resurfacing them becauseceramic tooling eliminates the need for therough-grinding operation and does the job fourtimes faster. Carbide tooling cannot do the jobas productively or cost effectively.

• Whisker-reinforced ceramic inserts such asWG-300®, WG-600™, and WG-900™ are agreat choice for cutting nickel and cobalt-based heat-resistant alloys like Inconel®,Hastelloy®, and Stellite. As an example ofwhat the proper application of ceramic insertson these materials can do, Greenleaf recentlyreplaced a series of carbide groovers used inan abrasive Inconel application with a cus-tom-engineered toolholder using a singlewhisker-reinforced ceramic insert. The use ofthe ceramic insert reduced the total cycle time

on this operation from 40 minutes with thecarbide inserts to less than 30 seconds using asingle ceramic insert. That’s an 8000%increase in productivity! With productivitygains such as this, you can see why ceramictools are becoming more and more popular inan ever-more-competitive marketplace.

Greenleaf is continuing to research and developnew, more productive grades of ceramic inserts.Furthermore, Greenleaf has been a pioneer in theuse of coatings for ceramics. Our patented ceramicproducts WG-600™ and WG-900™ are the onlycommercially available second-generation, whis-ker-reinforced, coated-ceramic inserts. Chobotremarks that insert life is extended with coatings.“In the right applications, we’re seeing a typicalgain in tool life averaging two to three times overuncoated ceramic. It’s dramatic when you startthinking about tripling tool life at the surfacespeeds that we’re running.”

Breakthrough Carbide GradesWill Boost Productivity

Our carbide-coating technology is expandingthe range of our carbide grades. Greenleaf’sadvanced CVD (chemical vapor deposition) andPVD (physical vapor deposition) coatings arebeing applied to select carbide substrates, permit-ting those coated carbides to behave more likeceramic inserts, enabling higher cutting speedsand feeds.

Let’s say ceramic tooling is not an option foryou because your material is too soft or yourmachines cannot achieve the speeds and feedsrequired by ceramic tooling. This does not meanyou have to endure extended machining times.Our new coated carbide grades offer a 20–30%increase in productivity at the spindle when com-pared to grades now being used.


application, Greenleaf’s GSN™ enabled theoperator to double the feed rate of carbide andincreased the cutting speed by a factor of 10,leaving a better surface finish than the carbideinsert. That’s a 1000% increase in productivity.

• In the steel-roll industry (steel rolls are used toflatten steel ingots, sheets, or bars), operators

turn 15 to 20-ton rolls that are roughly four feetin diameter and 15 feet long. When these rollsare removed from the production line for resur-facing, they present some tough metal removalchallenges because of their work-hardened,cracked, and spalled surface. Furthermore,hardnesses are in the 60 Rc range, usually


Turning hard materials with ceramics is a productiveand cost-effective alternative to grinding.

WG-300®

A patented, whisker-reinforced ceramic with excel-lent wear and shock resistance at high surface speeds,WG-300® is very effective when machining nickel andcobalt-based superalloys and other hard materials. Itprovides metal removal rates as much as 10 timeshigher than carbide.

WG-600™This is the only commercially available second-

generation, coated ceramic-composite cutting toolusing whisker reinforcement. It excels at finishinghigh-strength alloy materials.

WG-900™Our newest whisker-reinforced ceramic grade will

be available in 2005.

HSN-100This engineered silicon-nitride cutting tool from

Greenleaf has superior toughness and high cutting-speed capability. It’s well-suited for turning andmilling all classes of cast iron. HSN-100 is a goodchoice for ductile, malleable, nodular, and other diffi-cult-to-machine irons.

HSN-200Our newest coated silicon-nitride-based cutting

tool offers toughness, long tool life, and excellent sur-face finish at high cutting speeds. It’s a good choicewhen turning and milling ductile, malleable, nodular,and other high-alloy cast irons.

G.S.N.™Made from hot-pressed, silicon nitride ceramic blend-

ed with toughening agents, G.S.N.™ offers superior wearcharacteristics in high-speed, cast-iron machining.

Ceramic Solutions to Machining ProblemsNNeeww cceerraammiicc iinnsseerrttss wwiitthh iimmpprreessssiivvee pprrooppeerrttiieess hhaavvee bbeeeenn ddeevveellooppeedd bbyy GGrreeeennlleeaaff rreesseeaarrcchheerrss..HHeerree’’ss aa lliisstt aanndd bbrriieeff ddeessccrriippttiioonnss ooff tthheeiirr ccaappaabbiilliittiieess..

stainless steels. It has shown the ability toextend its application range in all areas ofmachining, from roughing feeds and speeds to afinal finish pass on aircraft engine parts wherethe wall thickness can be as thin as 0.045 inch.Only a well-developed carbide grade and engi-neered chip form will allow the machining of athin-wall part without part deflection. In con-junction with the proper insert geometry, GA-5026 produces an excellent surface finish andcan hold tight tolerances.

Our new coated carbide gradesoffer a 20–30% increase inproductivity at the spindle.

• Greenleaf successfully applied GA-5026 to aturning application on a turbine engine case,increasing the SFM by 74% and tool life by100% beyond what a competitive grade ofcarbide was able to accomplish.

• We developed our latest milling grade, GA-5036, as a premium milling grade formilling all forged and cast steels, as well asselected ductile irons. Case in point: GA-5036 is used in a 300-HP milling applicationwith a depth of cut (DOC) of 0.750 inch at380 SFM, and up to 0.020 inch feed pertooth in P-20 tool steel, at 35 Rc in scale con-dition. The same grade is used to mill toughmanganese-enriched steel at more than 500SFM at high feed rates, and is alsoemployed in light-duty machining centerswhere various steels are milled at highspeed with smaller cutters. The versatilityof GA-5036 also makes it suitable for turn-

ing operations when you’re dealing withheavy feed rates or interrupted cutting.

• Greenleaf successfully applied GA-5036 to aheavy duty milling operation using a 10-inchcutter on a forged steel application. The useof GA-5036 increased the speed, feed, andDOC to achieve a 73% increase in cubic inch-es of metal removed per minute.

GA-5026 and GA-5036 are only two of the newhigh-performance coated carbide grades Greenleafhas developed over the last 24 months to addressthe need for higher production rates in all materi-als and applications.

“To be a well-rounded cutting-tool company,we need to offer our customers the best carbide-product technology that can be developed,”says Jim Greenleaf, president of GreenleafCorporation. Our carbide tooling is very suc-cessful and respected. We offer a complete lineof PVD-coated, CVD-coated, and uncoated car-bide for just about every application in turningand milling.”

These grades demonstrate the commitmentGreenleaf has made to producing high-perform-ance carbide cutting tools. For example, GA-

5026 is a high-speed grade for turning andmilling difficult-to-machine materials like heat-resistant superalloys, refractory metals, and


GA-5022Designed for turning and milling cast iron at high

speeds and moderate feed rates, this general-pur-pose CVD-coated grade can handle medium rough-ing to finishing operations. GA-5022 offers high wear-resistance characteristics and medium resistance tomechanical shock.

GA-5023A high-speed grade for turning and milling cast iron,

GA-5023 has an advanced MTCVD coating developedfor abrasive-wear resistance. Applications range fromroughing to finishing on most cast-iron materials,including gray iron, ductile, nodular, and other alloyedirons. The high wear-and-shock resistance of GA-5023permits machining at high speeds and various feeds.

GA-5025This high-speed, CVD-coated grade is intended

for turning, light roughing, and finishing of carbonand alloy steels, as well as selected stainless steels.

GA-5026Developed for turning nickel and cobalt-based

superalloys, stainless steels and refractory metals,this high-speed grade has an MTCVD coating over amicrograin substrate to provide high wear resist-ance. GA-5026 provides exceptional resistance tothe notching and deformation common whenmachining high-strength materials. GA-5026 shouldbe used at high speeds and light feeds for turningand selected milling applications.

GA-5035Developed for turning all types of steels and

selected stainless steels, this high-performanceCVD-coated grade can be used in rough, semifinish,and finish-turning situations that require resistanceto heat deformation, thermal shock, and abrasion.GA-5035 should be applied at high speeds and canhandle a range of feeds.

GA-5036Providing high performance when milling steels at

high speed, this CVD-coated grade should be usedwhen milling forged and cast steels, and selected duc-tile irons. It has a combination of toughness and heatresistance that makes it suitable for heavy- and light-duty milling at high cutting speeds.

GA-5040This CVD-coated grade for low-speed, high-feed

milling of carbon and alloy steels and cast irons alsocan be used for milling and interrupted turning ofstainless steel and selected high-temperature alloys.A multilayered CVD-coated grade, GA-5040 excels insevere machining applications that require resistanceto mechanical shock.

High-performance Carbides Enhance ProductivityGGrreeeennlleeaaff’’ss ccoommmmiittmmeenntt ttoo rreessoollvviinngg pprroodduuccttiioonn cchhaalllleennggeess iiss ddeemmoonnssttrraatteedd bbyy iittss nneeww ccooaatteeddccaarrbbiiddee ggrraaddeess..

Rough turning steel with GA-5035.


consumed by machining the part, tool serv-ice, setup, and maintenance. Also, it reducesthe number of tools the company mustinventory and track.

• In another successful application of specialtooling, Greenleaf recently helped a customerextend the capabilities of six new machines itpurchased. The company bought the machineswithout taking into consideration the extend-ed reach necessary for an OD (outside diame-ter) groove operation. “They turned to usbecause they knew about our capabilities with

engineered tooling. We built special toolingadapters to 0.0005-inch tolerances to fit on themachine, and they were able to overcome theirmiscalculation,” adds Rydbom.

Communication with our customers is impera-tive. The more ideas we discuss the more help we cangive to one another. We have the latest solid model-ing and CAD/CAM software packages, which allowus to completely design custom tools without actual-ly machining them. These files can be exchangedwith the customer through fax or email for theirinput and approval before production begins.


Carbide cutting tools from Greenleaf can solvemany production problems. If carbide offers thebest means of dealing with your machining tasks,Greenleaf can provide high-performance carbidecutting tools to meet your needs.

Custom ToolingSaves Time and Money

Our expertise isn’t limited to providing stan-dard inserts and tools for our customers. Manymanufacturing jobs place unique demands upontools, and our engineered tooling teams can devel-op productive solutions to the problems you face.

Greenleaf designed a custom-engineeredtool for a bearing liner that reducedmachining time from three hours

to seventeen seconds.

“Increasing productivity is our specialty,” saysDavid Rydbom, Greenleaf Corporation’s NorthAmerican Sales Manager. “Given our 60 years of

experience and our production ofthousands of engineered tools, wehave the experience to quickly tell ifan operation could benefit from a cus-tom tool.”

Sometimes specially engineeredtooling can perform multiple opera-tions at once, saving perhaps five sec-onds per part. This kind of time sav-ings doesn’t sound like much, butwhen you start doing the calculationson five seconds saved per part over100,000 parts each month, that special

tool suddenly becomes very valuable. “On anygiven day, the Greenleaf engineered-tool designstaff is working on special tools to improve appli-cations,” says Rydbom. “We’re constantly doingresearch to improve a customer’s process, or work-ing on new inquiries we’ve received.”

Here are a few examples of work recently doneby our engineered tooling group:

• ”Greenleaf designed a custom-engineered toolfor a bearing liner that reduced machining timefrom three hours to seventeen seconds, whileeliminating a grinding operation,” says DickChobot. “This success allowed the completionof an APU gearbox in eight hours, a time sav-ings of 152 hours over the entire project.”

• As an example of our work on custom tool-ing, Greenleaf engineers designed and builtsome special boring bars used to machineactuator pumps. The application requiredspot face, chamfer, counter-bore, and circularinterpolation operations. Previously, four dif-ferent tools were being used in this applica-tion. Using a Greenleaf custom-engineeredtool, the customer machines these featureswith just one boring bar. This tool has saveda considerable amount of time previously


Greenleaf’s Hushcut® II milling system is designed to reduce HPconsumption and noise while boosting productivity.

Walter Greenleaf, Sr., was an independent cut-ting tool representative who sold tungsten car-bide and designed special tooling throughout the1930s and 40s. At the end of World War II, he

decided to go into business for himself, and in1945 he founded Greenleaf Corporation. Deve-loping new ideas and products was Walter’s goal.An innovator and entrepreneur, he produced amotor-oil additive containing graphite, as well asgraphite-based cutting fluids.

When the 1960s rolled around, Greenleaf hadalready pioneered a new tooling concept, toolholderswith mechanical clamps, leaving brazed tooling in thedust. Greenleaf’s customers were now able to contin-ue using the same toolholder, and only replace theinserts. In fact, Walter Greenleaf is unofficially creditedwith being the inventor of indexable-insert tooling.

Greenleaf was the first cutting-tool manufactur-er to offer coated carbide inserts to US industry,and the company started producing ceramic cut-ting tools in the early 1970s. Greenleaf then formeda company, GSL, to make technical ceramics forgeneral industrial usage, as well as for the elec-tronics and cutting-tool industries that alreadyemployed the company’s products.

In 1985, Greenleaf introduced the world’s firstreinforced ceramic composite, WG-300®, and in1986 WG-300® received the IR100 Award from R & Dmagazine as one of the 100 most significant techni-cal innovations of that year.

Today, Greenleaf continues its legacy of cutting-tool innovation by introducing the only commerciallyavailable, second-generation, whisker-reinforcedceramics, WG-600™ and WG-900™, along withcoated ceramics and new advanced carbide grades.

A Short History of Greenleaf

The innovative geometry of the HoleMill offersreduced cutting forces.

device that must withstand intense heat and corro-sion, Greenleaf brings its extensive knowledge ofceramics to bear on the challenges customers facewhen choosing a material for a product design.

Here are a few examples: • Greenleaf technical ceramics can replace tra-

ditional materials, such as carbide, in wearapplications like metalforming draw dies,dramatically extending die life.

• Ceramics can provide a mirror-like surfacefinish. If you make a product such as a sealthat requires a perfect, hard-surface finish,ceramics can provide an exceptionally gooddesign solution.

• Ceramics also provide an excellent thermalbarrier. For instance, ceramics are a verygood choice for lining materials in heat ves-sels or kilns.

Custom-engineered TechnicalCeramic components can solve

unique design problems.

• The use of ceramic inserts in valves givesthem longer life and better resistance to cor-rosion or heat.

We will also work with sketch-es or drawings on the backs ofbusiness cards—because this isoften where engineered-toolingideas originate. When we devel-op a special tool, our customersfeel pride in its performance,

because they are an integral part ofthe tool development process.

We’re always working with cus-tomers to continuously improve their

operations, not only to come up withnewly engineered tools, but to improve

their existing processes.

Beyond Cutting ToolsDeveloping ceramic inserts capable of han-

dling the extreme environment faced by metal-cutting tools has given Greenleaf engineers adeep understanding of the characteristics andspecial strengths of ceramics.

Ceramic materials possess attributes such asextreme hardness, wear resistance, biological com-patibility, heat and corrosion resistance, and awide range of impressive electrical and dielectricproperties. Taking advantage of these attributes byusing custom-engineered technical ceramic com-ponents can solve unique design problems.Whether it’s a pump, seal, medical implant, or a

At Greenleaf, we know that our prosperity dependsupon giving our customers superior service and asuperior product. We use our expertise in advancedmaterials technology to develop products of superiorquality and performance, and we work with our cus-tomers to help them use those products in the mostefficient manner. It’s our technology, and our willing-ness to work closely with our customers, that makes usa world leader in cutting-tool technologies.

The truth is quite simple, and quite important. Wehave the best thing to offer to our customers—pro-ductivity. When Greenleaf helps our customersbecome more productive and prosperous, they willcontinue to use Greenleaf products.

In today’s manufacturing economy, productivityseparates winners from losers. Our goal is always tohelp our customers become more productive by solv-ing their tooling problems. We do this in severalways: by developing a better tool design, by produc-ing superior tool materials, or just by offering somegood shop-floor advice. We’re usually the company

that solves the toughest application problems. We’vebuilt a reputation on being able to find solutions totooling challenges. While other cutting tool compa-nies are selling commodities, we’re selling technicalability, service, and excellent products.

To produce our high-quality products, we useadvanced production equipment. Greenleaf oper-ates a highly automated manufacturing facility, andmany of our machines run lights-out, without inter-vention, over the weekends and on holidays. Wehave state-of-the-art engineering design experience,and steel manufacturing capability for toolholdersand milling cutters, along with insert-manufacturingcapabilities that use the latest technologies.

Greenleaf is a world leader, but we know how smallcompanies struggle. Small businesses mean a lot tous, and we give them our personal attention. Whencustomers visit us, we’re glad to show them throughthe plant, because our customers are important. Theyare the people we serve and we never lose sight ofthat fact.


• For the aerospace and defense industries,Greenleaf manufactures a ceramic buttonthat’s inserted into a traveling-wave tubeguide. These buttons are made from severalkinds of ceramic materials. Precisely engi-neered to absorb microwaves, the buttonstune microwaves for radar systems.

Whatever the application, Greenleaf has theengineering and custom design experience todevelop a ceramic component that solves theunique product design challenges our cus-tomers face.

Meeting Your NeedsIt’s our business to help your business succeed.

Whether you require cutting tools, advice on a dif-ficult application, or specialized knowledge intechnical ceramics, Greenleaf Corporation wantsto be your partner.

We’ve provided industry with high-quality cuttingtools for 60 years, and over the past three decades wehave won an enviable reputation as ceramic cutting-tool specialists. Our engineered tools have been thekeys to success for many customers, and our expert-ise in technical ceramics is unsurpassed. In the verycompetitive environment we now face, manufactur-ers and manufacturing engineers must be open toinnovation and new ways of solving problems.

It’s our business to helpyour business succeed.

We’re not selling commodity products, and wedon’t treat our customers as commodities. We’rehere to serve you, and we look forward to the oppor-tunity, and the challenge, of meeting your needs.


If you’re facing a challenging metalcutting problem, consider us a resource you can tap. At Greenleaf,solving such problems is our business. We’d like to hear from you.

We invite you to contact the followingmembers of the Greenleaf team:

For Machining Applications:David RydbomNorth American Sales [email protected]

For Technical Ceramic Applications:Chuck DzedcikTechnical Ceramics [email protected]

We Want to Earn Your Business

James M. Greenleaf PresidentGreenleaf [email protected]

A sample of Greenleaf Technical Ceramics.

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