Not all burrs are the same. The material composition of the burr can go a long way in the results they bring, what they are used to work on and their usage.
In this post, we will be talking about the differences between Ceramic burr and carbide burrs. So, what are the differences between carbide burrs and ceramic burrs? And what are the advantages/ disadvantages of using one over the other? Are there any? Let’s find out.
What is a Ceramic Burr?
Ceramic burrs like the name implies are burrs made from ceramic. They are durable like other ceramic tools that we have. Ceramic burrs are great for blends and espresso as they provide that “traditional espresso flavour profile.”
What is a Carbide Burr?
Carbide burs are made from tungsten carbide. They are used for cutting, grinding, and shaping material with which they work. They are also used in deburring materials, sharp edges, as well as remove weld beads. Carbide burrs are versatile with usage in jewellery work, welding, metalworking, woodworking and stone working.
What do I Use Ceramic and Carbide Burrs for?
Ceramic burrs are to remove dentin and cavity preparation. A Ceramic burr is a safe tool that can deburr hard plastics, non-ferrous metals such as Aluminium. They are also excellent at deburring soft metal like aluminium or brass.
Carbide burrs are strong and tough and are used on wood surfaces and ideal on soft metal surfaces like Aluminium, silver, platinum, and steel. Carbide burrs are used in the workshop majorly for grinding, cutting, sharp edges removal, shaping of workpieces, and deburring. They are also useful in the dental hospital as dental drills.
Carbide burrs are used in.
1. Precision machining of metal mold cavities including shoe molds.
2. It is used Craft carve a lot of metals and non-metals.
3. Cleaning up flashing, burrs, and welds in castings, forgings, and weldments, such as machine casting plants, shipyards, and automobile plants.
4. It is used to clean pipes and finish the inner hole surfaces of mechanical parts, e.g machinery plants and repair shops.
5. It is used to polish the impeller flow path, such as an automobile engine factory.
Differences between a Ceramic Burr and a Carbide Burr
Materials they are made of
Carbide burrs are made of YG7 carbide material. This carbide material is the hardest material after diamonds. It is why they are better than high-speed steel cutters. Ceramic burrs are made of ceramic. Ceramic burrs have high strength blades that last longer than others.
- Sharpness
Carbide burrs are sharper than ceramic burrs but they tend to lose their sharpness faster than a ceramic burr. Carbide burrs would, however, give you more precision due to its sharpness. Ceramics burrs are less sharp but wear more slowly than the others. Ceramic burrs do not also rust or deteriorate
- Thermal conductivity
Ceramic burrs do not conduct heat. This means there is no need to worry about temperature impacting your grind. This, however, cannot be said for carbide burrs as they conduct more heat than ceramic.
- Temperature Resistance
Carbide burrs are cryogenic, meaning that they have a low-temperature resistance. They will retain their impact strength and toughness in the cryogenic temperature ranges. Ceramic burrs can withstand high temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1600 degrees Celsius.
- Cutting Action
Carbide burrs offer a fast and free cutting action that is efficient wither you are cutting against or with the grain. Ceramic burrs can perform finishing cuts on steel up to 70 HRC.
- Finishing
Ceramic burrs are the best tools for roughing and are not suitable for finishing. Carbide burrs are the best finishers.
- Cleaning
You can clean carbide burrs using the following methods;
1. Caustic Soda Cleaning
Here, soak the burr inside a caustic soda solution. After a while, all the debris will bubble out.
2. Manual Method Using Brass Brush
You can use a brass or bronze wire brush to clean up any left debris.
You can clean ceramic burrs using this method;
Use a brush or wooden toothpick to remove all the debris in the burr that you can see. Cotton swabs are also efficient in getting to crevices that not accessible by the brush. Do not use water as it can damage the burr.
Pros of Ceramic Burrs
- They are lightweight and easy to handle and control for repetitive work.
- Ceramic burrs are safe to use. They lack a sharp blade but use their ceramic edge to scrape surfaces smoothly. Hence there is no cutting risk.
- During scraping, ceramic burrs do not butter or dig in. They, however, leave a very smooth and even finish.
- Ceramic burrs are cost-effective because they have a long-lasting edge. They do not need replacement like the other type of burrs.
- Ceramic burrs do not corrode.
- Ceramic burrs are tough and durable as they are resistant to wear and tear.
- They are less quiet than carbide burrs.
Pros of Carbide Burrs
- They provide the sharpest edges and are very efficient.
- They are used to cast iron, steel and aluminium.
- Carbide burrs are very easy to use.
- They are safe and reliable.
- Carbide burrs have high productivity when compared to their counterparts.
- They have a good processing quality with a high finish.
How to Use a Ceramic Burr
There are ways you need to use a ceramic burr for its optimal performance and extended tool life.
For Optimal Performances
- Increase the RPM to the maximum allowed. Do not go higher than the maximum speed.
- Engage with the tip.
- Increase the number of passes.
- Do not apply excess pressure.
- Decrease the feed rate.
- Use safety gloves and glasses when using these tools
For Extended Tool life
- Decrease RPM in 10% increments
- Increase the feed rate by 10% increment
How to Use a Carbide Burr
- Apply Little Pressure
While using the burrs, only apply little pressure and let the burr do the work. Applying a lot of pressure will only lead to chipping of the flutes of your burr and this could reduce the life of your burr.
- Keep the Carbide Burr On The Move
Do not keep your carbide burr still for long. This prevents the burr from digging into your material causing unwanted marks. Use an ‘up’ stroke for a smooth finish when ending your work.
- Carbide Burrs are Harder Than HSS Burrs
Carbide Burrs are machine ground from a specially chosen grade of carbide. Due to the extreme hardness of the Tungsten Carbide they can be used on much more demanding jobs than HSS (High-Speed Steel).
Carbide Burrs also perform better at higher temperatures than HSS so you can run them hotter, and for longer.
- Use highly Powered Drives
Mount Carbide Burrs on highly Powered Drives with elastically mounted spindles to avoid vibration. For the cost-effective use of burrs, use a power tool with an output between 300-500 watts.
- Only Use One Third Of The Burs Surface Area
The bur surface in contact with the material to be machined must not exceed 1/3 of the bur surface. Not complying with this recommendation results in rough milling and broken teeth. If this cannot be avoided, it is recommended that you use the tough cut.
- Apply Burs Counter-rotationally
Use burrs in a swinging motion or counter-rotationally. It helps to achieve fine finishes. You can also pass the burr rapidly over the workpiece in the direction of rotation.
Conclusion
The comparison has shown that the choice of burr material is dependent on the type of process. Carbide burrs are more versatile hence they are a better choice in the manufacturing industry.