Cemented Carbides (Tungsten Carbide)
Hardness Close to Diamond
Tungsten carbide wear parts, drill bit inserts and precision components — sintered in-house since 1995
Hydroforce Engineering manufactures a wide range of finished and semi-finished tungsten carbide products — also known as cemented carbides or hardmetal — using a complete in-house powder metallurgy sintering chain. From precision wear components to custom drill bit inserts, our carbide parts deliver exceptional hardness, superior wear resistance, and long service life where other materials fail.
What Are Cemented Carbides?
Hard tungsten carbide (WC) particles bonded with a metallic binder — most commonly cobalt (Co). The extreme hardness of ceramics combined with the toughness needed for real-world industrial use.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Hardness | 1,400 – 2,000 HV (Vickers) / 87–93 HRA (Rockwell) |
| Density | 13.0 – 15.3 g/cm³ |
| Compressive strength | up to 6,000 MPa |
| Fracture toughness | 10 – 15 MPa·m½ |
| Thermal resistance | up to 900 °C |
| Grain size range | 0.4 – 10 μm |
Our Advantages
Complete In-House PM Chain
Ball milling, spray drying, pressing, sintering, and diamond grinding — all under one roof. No outsourced stages.
Precision Tolerances
Diamond-ground parts to ±0.01 mm. Surface roughness Ra 0.1–0.4 μm. Full CMM verification.
Full ISO 513 Grade Range
K, P, M grades and WC-Ni compositions. Custom grade formulations and grain sizes to specification.
Advanced Forming
Uniaxial pressing, CIP, extrusion, and MIM for complex geometries and uniform density.
HIP Densification
Post-sinter Hot Isostatic Pressing for critical applications requiring >99.9% theoretical density.
Years of Experience
Hard metal production since 1995. Two facilities in Estonia and Serbia, 23,000 m² total.
Manufacturing Process
A complete powder metallurgy chain — each stage directly determines the final hardness, density, and dimensional accuracy of the part.
Sintered WC-Co seal rings at production facility — quality check before grinding
Powder Preparation
WC powder is blended with cobalt (or nickel) binder and additives in ball mills or attritors. Alcohol and paraffin are added to form a homogeneous slurry.
Spray Drying (Granulation)
The slurry is spray-dried to produce free-flowing granules with controlled particle size and bulk density — critical for consistent die filling and pressing quality.
Forming (Pressing)
Granules are compacted into the required shape — the green compact. Two methods are used depending on part geometry:
Uniaxial pressing
Standard for rotationally symmetric parts: bushings, rings, rods, inserts.
Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP)
Pressure applied uniformly from all directions. Used for complex geometries and where uniform density is critical.
Sintering
Green compacts are heated to 1,350–1,500 °C in vacuum sintering furnaces. The cobalt binder transitions to liquid state, dissolving a portion of WC and rewetting all grain surfaces. Upon cooling, a dense, fully bonded structure forms. The part shrinks 15–20% linearly — accounted for in tooling design. Sintering tolerances: ±0.15 mm.
Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) (optional)
Simultaneous high temperature (~1,200 °C) and high isostatic pressure (100–200 MPa) in inert gas eliminates remaining micro-pores, increasing density to >99.9% of theoretical. Used for critical oil & gas and precision tooling.
Diamond Grinding & EDM
Only diamond abrasives can machine sintered carbide. CNC diamond grinding centres achieve ±0.01 mm tolerances and Ra 0.1–0.4 μm surface roughness. EDM is used for complex internal profiles and fine features.
PVD / CVD Coating (optional)
Thin hard coatings to increase surface hardness, reduce friction, or improve oxidation resistance: TiN — general wear resistance; TiAlN — higher temperature resistance; Al₂O₃ — maximum thermal and chemical resistance.
Polished WC-Co seal rings — after diamond grinding
WC-Co nozzle inserts and bushings — various types
Technical Capabilities
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Part weight range | 0.001 – 300 kg |
| Dimensions | Ø 3 mm – 500 mm (other shapes not limited) |
| Minimum wall thickness | 0.1 mm |
| Tolerances (pressing & sintering) | ± 0.15 mm |
| Tolerances (after diamond grinding) | ± 0.01 mm |
| Surface roughness (ground) | Ra 0.1 – 0.4 μm |
| Forming methods | Uniaxial pressing, CIP, extrusion, MIM |
| Optional post-processing | HIP densification, PVD/CVD coating |
Material Grades (ISO 513)
Full ISO 513 cemented carbide grade range. Grade selection is based on the workpiece material, cutting conditions, and required balance of hardness vs. toughness.
| ISO Grade | Cobalt % | Hardness (HV) | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| K01 – K10 | 3–6 % | 1,750–2,000 | Finishing, precision turning — cast iron, non-ferrous metals, abrasive materials |
| K20 – K30 | 8–11 % | 1,500–1,700 | General machining, semi-finishing, wear parts — K30 standard for bushings |
| K40 | 12–16 % | 1,300–1,500 | Heavy interrupted cuts, high-impact wear components, mining |
| P10 – P20 | 6–10 % | 1,500–1,750 | Steel turning and milling at high cutting speeds |
| P30 – P40 | 10–14 % | 1,300–1,500 | Semi-finishing and roughing of steel, interrupted cuts |
| M10 – M20 | 7–11 % | 1,500–1,700 | Stainless steel, heat-resistant and high-temperature alloys |
| WC-Ni grades | 9–13 % Ni | 1,400–1,600 | Corrosion-resistant: chemical industry, food processing, marine |
Custom compositions and grain sizes manufactured to specification.
Product Range
Finished and semi-finished cemented carbide components — from single prototypes to series production.
Nozzle Inserts
Bushings & Sleeves
Seal Rings
Cylinder Blanks
Nozzle Bodies
Custom Components
Quality Control
Every batch passes through a multi-stage quality assurance process before delivery.
Hardness Testing
Rockwell hardness measurement on finished parts. Specification: 85–93 HRA depending on grade.
Metallographic Microscopy
Grain size distribution and microstructure analysis. Detects abnormal grain growth and binder segregation.
X-Ray Inspection
Non-destructive porosity and internal defect detection for critical components.
CMM Dimensional Verification
Coordinate measuring with < 3 μm precision. First article inspection per customer requirements.
Who We Serve?
Cemented carbide solutions across diverse industrial sectors
Oil & Gas
Valve cores, seal rings, choke pipe inserts, plunger tips
Mining & Drilling
DTH drill bit inserts, PDC substrates, carbide buttons
Industrial Equipment
Wear-resistant bushings, seal faces, pump components
Machining & Tooling
Cutting tool blanks, wire drawing dies, precision molds
Construction
Road milling carbide tips, TBM components, cutting inserts
Chemical & Food
WC-Ni corrosion-resistant parts for aggressive environments
Applications
Sealing & Valve Components
Polished WC-Co seal ring
Seal rings — production batch
Mirror-ground surface
Oil & Gas Industry
WC-Co choke pipe inserts
Choke pipes — end-on view
High-pressure, corrosive, and abrasive environments demand materials with exceptional hardness and chemical resistance. Tungsten carbide maintains dimensional accuracy where conventional materials fail within hours.
Nozzles & High-Pressure Cleaning
Nozzle body variants
Precision nozzle insert
Nozzle bushing
Bushings, Plungers & Sleeves
WC-Co bushings and nozzle inserts
Carbide bushings — various sizes
Mining, Drilling & Construction
Why Hydroforce Engineering?
Your trusted partner for cemented carbide manufacturing
- Complete in-house PM chain — ball milling, spray drying, pressing, sintering, grinding under one roof
- 30+ years of hard metal production since 1995 — over 1,000,000 components delivered
- Full ISO 513 grade range — K, P, M grades and WC-Ni compositions, custom formulations
- Advanced forming — uniaxial pressing, CIP, extrusion and MIM for complex shapes
- Optional HIP densification & PVD/CVD coatings (TiN, TiAlN, Al₂O₃)
- Multi-method quality control — HRA hardness, microscopy, X-ray, CMM (< 3 μm precision)
- ISO 9001:2015 certified — third-party verification: DNV, Bureau Veritas, TÜV, SGS
- European production, global delivery — Estonia + Serbia, 23,000 m², 100+ customers in 30+ countries
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Ready to Start Your Project?
Send us your drawings, specifications, or sample parts — we'll provide a detailed technical and commercial offer.