A Quick Look at the Different Advantages of Polycrystalline Diamond Tools

Manufacturing activities include a lot of cutting, drilling, and filing. For this purpose, one of the most popular set of tools that have been regularly used nowadays are the polycrystalline diamond tools. Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is an artificial composite made by sintering diamond particles with metal binder at extremely high temperatures and pressure. The sintering process and the hardness imparted by natural diamond particles make PCD tools one of the hardest and most abrasion-resistant tools available today.

Top Reasons Behind the Growing Popularity of Polycrystalline Diamond Tools

In the recent few years, polycrystalline diamond has gradually become one of the most popular materials used for manufacturing tools and implements that can be used for cutting and drilling. Naturally, the demand for PCD tools has increased in various end-use industries including automotive manufacturing and oil & gas industry. On account of this surging demand for PCD tools, the global polycrystalline diamond market is predicted to propel ahead during the 2023-2032 timeframe. A detailed market analysis report published by Research Dive highlights that the polycrystalline diamond market is expected to garner $1,604.0 million by 2032 and rise at a CAGR of 6.1% in the analysis period.

The primary reason behind the growing demand for PCD tools in the industrial sector is that they provide some unique advantages which put them a notch above their peers. Some of these advantages of PCD tools are mentioned below:

1. Resistance to Abrasion

Almost all materials undergo wear and tear over time; this is all the more true in the case of tools used for cutting and drilling as they experience the highest amount of friction on a regular basis. Hence, tools are generally manufactured using those materials which offer the highest abrasion resistance, thus delaying the wear and tear of the tools. Of all the contemporary materials used today, polycrystalline diamond offers one of the best resistance to wear and tear and hence is a popular choice for tool making.

2. High Tenacity

One of the most unique advantages of polycrystalline diamond tools is that they show amazing tenacity even on hard surfaces and objects which indicates their high stability. Hence, PCD tools are widely used for cutting or drilling surfaces when high precision and accuracy is required. The high tenacity of polycrystalline diamond tools also helps them to work efficiently on rough surfaces on which most other tools fail to stabilize and achieve their peak performance.

3. Hardness

The natural diamond particles used in manufacturing polycrystalline diamond obviously impart hardness to the material and, hence, to the tools manufactured using PCD. This hardness makes them perfect for cutting or drilling metals and metal alloys such as aluminum, copper, steel, titanium, platinum, and other materials including graphite, ceramic, rubber, etc. The hardness of polycrystalline diamond is main reason as to why a variety of tools like precision counterbores, milling tools, turning tools, etc., are manufactured using PCD.

4. High Heat Conductivity

Diamonds have one of the highest heat conductivity coefficients in any of the naturally occurring materials; this property of diamonds increases the heat conductivity of PCD tools also. High heat conductivity allows the tools to transfer heat from the heat source to the heat sink efficiently, thereby keeping the equipment or tools cool even after long use. Thus, high thermal conductivity of polycrystalline diamond makes it a perfect raw material for tools which are to be used for long periods of time in a manufacturing facility.

The Bottom Line

Polycrystalline diamond tools are some of the most expensive tools available in the market due to the high level of precision and smoothness they offer in their functioning. Though it has been a limiting factor in the growth of the market, the steady increase in the supply of finished goods in the market is helping to counter this problem. Moreover, as more and more players are entering the market, the competition has grown substantially, which eventually compels the companies to lower the prices of their products. Thus, with the effect of growth restraint minimizing, the demand for PCD tools is expected to boom in the coming period.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.