Sandvik has chosen to gather its range of rock tools with cemented carbide into a new group called Power Carbide.

The range comes with a combination of strength, hardness, toughness and wear resistance. All of these properties significantly enhance both drilling performance and cost effectiveness, Sandvik said.

Sandvik was the first company to produce rock tools with cemented carbide, which is one of the most successful composite engineering materials ever produced, it said.

Marie Lundbäck, R&D Manager Hard Materials, Rock Tools, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, said the introduction of PowerCarbide enables the company to showcase the importance of carbide grades in drilling operations. “Our key strengths in this area lie in our innovations in advanced material compositions and production processes,” she said.

Sandvik’s leading position in the cemented carbide tool market is down to a focus on R&D, continuous investments and close customer collaboration, according to the company. Sandvik also controls its entire production chain – from its own tungsten mine to the production of drill bits – which is unique in the market, it said.

Lundbäck said: “As we have the most comprehensive range of advanced carbide tools, we can offer our customers tailored solutions to meet their specific drilling needs. At the same time, we are able to contribute to a more sustainable future through our unique global carbide recycling system.”

The Sandvik PowerCarbide family currently consists of the grades DP55, DP65, GC80, SH70, XT49, XT70 and XT90. New grades will be launched and added to the family as Sandvik continues to develop the range, it said.