ISO Milling Cutters and Insert Grades

ISO milling cutters and insert grades are widely used in machining across South Africa. These tools follow international standards, making them reliable, repeatable, and cost-effective. The right cutter and insert grade help you get better tool life, improved surface finish, and lower machining costs.

Types of ISO Milling Cutters In machining workshops, ISO milling cutters are available in different designs to suit the job:

Face Mills – for machining large flat surfaces.

End Mills – for profiling, slotting, and contouring.

Slot Cutters – for keyways and groove milling.

Shell Mills – heavy-duty milling for high stock removal.

These cutters are designed to hold carbide inserts, which can be replaced when worn, reducing overall tooling costs.

ISO Insert Grades Explained Carbide insert grades are classified by ISO codes, making it easier to choose the right grade for your application. Each grade is designed for a specific group of materials:

ISO Code Material Group Examples Insert Grade Features

• P Steel Carbon steel, alloy steel Coated carbide, high wear resistance

• M Stainless steel Austenitic, ferritic, duplex Heat-resistant coating, edge toughness

• K Cast iron Grey iron, nodular iron Abrasion resistance, strong edges

• N Non-ferrous Aluminium, copper, brass Uncoated, sharp edge for soft metals

• S Superalloys Inconel, titanium, cobalt alloys High heat resistance, strong cutting edge

• H Hardened steel 45–70 HRC steels Ceramic or CBN inserts, extreme hardness

Choosing the Right Insert Grade When selecting insert grades for milling in South Africa:

Match the grade to your material group (P for steel, K for cast iron, etc.).

Use coated carbide inserts for longer tool life in tougher materials.

Choose positive rake geometries for stainless steel and non-ferrous alloys.

For heavy-duty roughing, pick tougher grades; for finishing, go with sharper inserts.

Why Use ISO Milling Cutters and Inserts? Standardised across suppliers in South Africa.

Cost saving by replacing inserts instead of the entire cutter.

Wide choice of geometries for roughing and finishing.

Consistent results across different machines and applications.

Get ISO Milling Cutters and Carbide Inserts in South Africa At Unified Tooling, we supply a full range of ISO milling cutters and carbide insert grades suited for steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminium, superalloys, and hardened materials. We’ll help you choose the right cutter and insert grade for your machining setup so you get maximum tool life and performance.

Contact us today to order ISO milling cutters and inserts in South Africa.