ISO K — Cast Iron · K01
K01 — Grey cast iron (soft)
Hardness range: 180–220 HB. Part of the ISO K — Cast Iron group. Cast iron is abrasive and brittle — short chips, no built-up-edge. CVD alumina (Al₂O₃) coatings resist the high-temperature abrasion. Dry machining is acceptable for grey iron; coolant helps with nodular grades. Main failure mode: flank wear. High-speed machining is effective.
Material profile — K01
- ISO designation
- K01 (ISO K — Cast Iron)
- Material
- Grey cast iron (soft)
- Hardness
- 180–220 HB
- ISO group colour
- Cast Iron
Tooling guidance — K-group
- Group summary
- CVD alumina coatings excel. Dry machining acceptable for grey CI. Abrasive wear is the main failure mode.
Insert selection for grey cast iron — starting point
- ISO application class
- K (cast iron). Match the insert's ISO class, not the brand name. Sandvik, Kennametal, Iscar, Walter, Seco and Mitsubishi each publish a K-class grade — pick by ISO class, then confirm the exact grade for your condition.
- Grade & coating
- CVD alumina (Al₂O₃)-coated carbide, K10–K20 — alumina resists the high-temperature abrasion of grey iron. Ceramic for high-speed finishing.
- Geometry
- Negative geometry is fine and economical. Use a honed edge for cast skin and interrupted cuts. Grey iron makes short chips and no built-up edge, so chip control is easy.
- Starting parameters
- Vc ≈ 150–350 m/min, fn ≈ 0.10–0.50 mm/rev; dry is acceptable. Typical starting band — confirm in the advisor or on a sample part.
grey cast iron: what goes wrong, and what to check first
- Abrasive flank wear (the main mode)
- Free graphite and the matrix abrade the edge. Use a CVD-alumina K-grade and keep the speed sensible. See the tool-wear guide.
- Edge chipping on cast skin / interruptions
- The abrasive skin and any interruptions chip a fragile edge. Use a tougher K-grade with a honed edge and ease into the first cut.
- Frittering at the cut exit
- The unsupported corner breaks out as the tool exits. Reduce feed at exit or use a tougher grade.
- Abrasive dust
- Grey iron runs dry and the swarf is abrasive on the machine too — manage the dust.
Reference data
Insert grade index
ISO insert-code index
CNMG120408 — general turning
CCMT09T304 — positive finishing
Tool-wear diagnosis
Get cutting parameters for Grey cast iron (soft)
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