Requirements for tool geometry When machining stainless steel, the geometry of the tool cutting part should generally be considered from the perspective of the front angle and back angle. 

When selecting the front angle, factors such as the chip flute type, the presence or absence of chamfers, and the positive and negative angles of the blade inclination should be considered. 

Regardless of the type of tool, a larger front angle must be used when machining stainless steel. Increasing the front angle of the tool can reduce the resistance encountered during chip 

removal and clearing. The requirements for the back angle selection are not very strict, but it should not be too small. If the back angle is too small, it is easy to cause serious friction with the 

workpiece surface, which will deteriorate the roughness of the machined surface and accelerate tool wear. In addition, due to strong friction, the hardening effect of the stainless steel surface 

is enhanced; the back angle of the tool should not be too large. If the back angle is too large, the wedge angle of the tool will be reduced, the strength of the cutting edge will be reduced, and 

the wear of the tool will be accelerated. Usually, the back angle should be appropriately larger than when machining ordinary carbon steel.

Requirements for the surface roughness of the tool cutting part Improving the surface finish of the tool cutting part can reduce the resistance when the chip forms curling and improve the 

durability of the tool. Compared with machining ordinary carbon steel, when machining stainless steel, the cutting amount should be appropriately reduced to slow down tool wear; at the 

same time, appropriate cooling lubricants should be selected to reduce cutting heat and cutting force during the cutting process and extend the service life of the tool.

Requirements for tool bar materials When machining stainless steel, due to the large cutting force, the tool bar must have sufficient strength and rigidity to avoid vibration and deformation 

during the cutting process. This requires the selection of a properly large tool bar cross-sectional area, and the use of high-strength materials to manufacture the tool bar, such as quenched 

and tempered 45 steel or 50 steel.

Requirements for tool cutting part materials When machining stainless steel, the material of the tool cutting part is required to have high wear resistance and be able to maintain its cutting 

performance at higher temperatures. Commonly used materials are: high-speed steel and cemented carbide. Since high-speed steel can only maintain its cutting performance below 600°C, it 

is not suitable for high-speed cutting, but only for machining stainless steel at low speeds. Since cemented carbide has better heat resistance and wear resistance than high-speed steel, tools 

made of cemented carbide are more suitable for stainless steel cutting.

Cemented carbide is divided into two categories: tungsten-cobalt alloy (YG) and tungsten-cobalt-titanium alloy (YT). Tungsten-cobalt alloys have good toughness. The tools made of them can 

be sharpened with a larger rake angle and sharpened. During the cutting process, the chips are easy to deform, the cutting is light, and the chips are not easy to stick to the tool. Therefore, 

under normal circumstances, it is more appropriate to use tungsten-cobalt alloys to process stainless steel. Especially in the case of rough machining and intermittent cutting with large 

vibration, tungsten-cobalt alloy blades should be used. It is not as hard and brittle as tungsten-cobalt-titanium alloys, and it is not easy to sharpen and easy to break. Tungsten-cobalt-titanium 

alloys have better red hardness and are more wear-resistant than tungsten-cobalt alloys under high temperature conditions, but they are more brittle and not resistant to impact and vibration. 

They are generally used as stainless steel precision turning tools.