Workpiece material groups (“WMG”) are used to support easy and reliable selection of the right cutting tool and starting values for machining conditions in particular applications. Dormer Pramet classifies workpiece materials into six differently coloured ISO groups;
• Blue: Steel and cast steel (P-group)
• Yellow: Stainless steel (M-group)
• Red: Cast iron (K-group)
• Green: Non-ferrous metals (N-group)
• Orange: High-temperature alloys (S-group)
• Grey: Hardened materials (H-group)
Each of these are divided into sub-groups on the basis of their structure and/or composition. For example, P-group steel and cast steel is split into four sub-groups, namely;
• P1 – Free machining steel
• P2 – Plain carbon steel
• P3 – Alloy steel
• P4 – Tool steel
A final division includes material properties, such as hardness and ultimate tensile strength. This is to provide our customers with a complete tool recommendation, including starting values for cutting speed and feed.