PCD Cutter Returns for Sharpening After 26 Years
It isn't often that a cutting tool comes back through the workshop and immediately takes you back more than two decades.
These adjustable PCD-tipped stile-and-rail cabinet door cutter sets were originally manufactured by Prima Tooling 26 years ago and recently returned to us for sharpening.
At the time they were made, our manufacturing equipment looked very different from the CNC-controlled machinery we use today.
Manufactured Before Our Modern CNC Machinery
When these cutters were originally produced, Prima Tooling did not yet have the CNC lathes and CNC milling machines that now form part of our manufacturing capability.
Much of the tool body manufacturing was carried out using conventional manual machinery. CNC wire EDM was, however, already being used to cut and profile the PCD cutting tips.
Seeing the cutters back in the workshop therefore provides an interesting comparison between the way specialist PCD tooling was manufactured then and the technology available to us today.
Why PCD Tooling Can Have a Long Service Life
PCD cutting tools are particularly suited to abrasive wood-based materials and production applications where extended cutting life is important.
Just as importantly, a suitable PCD cutter does not necessarily reach the end of its useful life when the cutting edges become worn.
PCD tools can often be sharpened several times, although the number of services possible depends on the amount of PCD remaining, the condition of the cutting edges, the tool body and the dimensions that need to be maintained. Our current servicing process includes inspection, measurement, PCD erosion, final measurement and dynamic balancing.
Sharpening an Older PCD Cutter
Every PCD tool has to be assessed individually before sharpening.
The cutting edges are inspected for normal wear, chips or cracks, and the condition of the tool body and PCD tip seatings also needs to be considered. Only the material necessary to restore the cutting edge should be removed, helping preserve as much usable PCD and cutting diameter as practical.
This is particularly important with older or specialist profile tooling where the original geometry and finished dimensions may need to be maintained.
From Manual Manufacture to Modern PCD Servicing
The return of these cutters is also a reminder of how much cutting-tool manufacture has changed.
The original sets were manufactured before Prima Tooling had CNC lathes and milling machines, whereas our current PCD servicing process uses modern inspection, measurement and erosion equipment.
The principle, however, remains the same: manufacture a serviceable tool correctly in the first place and maintain it properly throughout its working life.
PCD Cutter Sharpening, Retipping & Repair
Prima Tooling provides sharpening, erosion, repair and retipping services for PCD cutting tools.
Whether a cutter requires routine sharpening, individual PCD tip replacement or more extensive repair depends on its condition, remaining PCD and the dimensions that must be maintained.
For a detailed explanation of the process, see our PCD Tool Sharpening Guide, or visit our Cutting Tool Sharpening & Retipping service page.
Have an Older PCD Tool That Needs Servicing?
If you have PCD router cutters, profile tooling, spindle tooling or other PCD cutting tools that need inspection or sharpening, send us the tooling or details of the application and we can assess the most appropriate servicing option.