Kennametal Inc, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, has launched KAF82, a tungsten carbide grade developed for the Additive Manufacturing of custom hole-finishing tools. The material is intended to enable the production of complex tool geometries and optimised cooling channels, while helping to reduce lead times for customised tooling.

KAF82 is reported to be the first fully dense Additive Manufacturing tungsten carbide grade of its kind to be commercialised at scale, with proven performance in metal-cutting applications. Its development is said to draw on the company’s Powder Metallurgy and sintering expertise.