Cutting Parameters
TCT Blade for Inox: Tooth Geometry, Coating and Cutting Parameters Explained
Technical guide to TCT blade for inox selection, including tooth geometry, PVD coating, stainless tube vs solid bar cutting and feed/speed vocabulary.
Secondary keywords: inox cutting blade, stainless steel TCT saw blade, carbide tipped inox blade, cold saw blade for stainless steel
Search intent: An engineer or buyer wants technical selection details for inox cutting.
Inox cutting combines high cutting force, heat concentration, possible work hardening and chip control problems. If the blade rubs instead of cutting, stainless can harden at the surface and accelerate edge wear.
If chips remain in the tooth gullet, heat rises and the blade begins to lose stability. This is why tooth geometry, coating and feed cannot be separated.
Inox is a common market term for stainless steel. A TCT blade for inox is a tungsten carbide tipped circular saw blade designed for stainless steel cutting, not a general carbide wood blade and not a generic aluminum blade.
Tooth geometry: the real cutting edge
For many stainless steel circular saw blades, Triple Chip Grind is a common tooth concept because it balances edge strength and chip control. A TCG pattern usually alternates a chamfered tooth and a flat raker tooth, helping the blade handle harder or more abrasive materials.
| Geometry factor | Industrial meaning | Why it matters for inox |
|---|---|---|
| Tooth count | Number of teeth around the blade | Higher tooth count is usually better for thin-wall tube; lower tooth count may be needed for solids to create chip space. |
| Rake angle | How aggressively the tooth enters the material | Too aggressive can grab; too mild can rub and generate heat. |
| Gullet size | Chip pocket in front of the tooth | Insufficient gullet capacity causes chip packing and heat buildup. |
| TCG or special grind | Tooth shape at the cutting edge | Helps distribute cutting load and improve durability in harder metals. |
| Blade body stability | Flatness, tensioning, slots and runout control | Poor stability causes vibration, noise, burr and premature tooth chipping. |
Coating: heat, friction and chip flow
Coating is not decoration. In stainless steel cutting, coating can reduce friction, support chip flow and improve resistance to heat at the cutting edge. Sawtek describes PVD coating as improving chip evacuation, reducing clogging and reducing heat buildup.
For buyers, the right question is not only “Is it coated?” but “Which coating is used for this stainless application, and what machine and cutting condition was it designed for?”
Solid bar vs tube: do not use the same logic
Sawtek separates solid cutting and tube cutting. Its solid-cutting version uses a lower tooth count range for solid materials, while its tube-cutting version uses a higher tooth count range for tubes with wall thickness over 3 mm.
| Application | Typical blade direction | Process risk |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless solid round bar | Lower tooth count than tube, stronger tooth, enough gullet capacity | Chip packing, heat and tooth overload. |
| Stainless tube over 3 mm wall | Higher tooth count, stable clamping, geometry for burr control | Vibration, exit burr and thin-wall deformation. |
| Thin-wall inox tube | High tooth count and low runout blade body | Tooth shock and burr at exit. |
| Multiple tube bundle | Application-specific production blade, correct fill ratio and chip brush | Uneven engagement and chip recutting. |
Starting parameters: use manufacturer data, then test
Public blade data shows how parameter language is used in the industry. Kinkelder gives suggested cutting speed and feed-per-tooth ranges for its own series and also notes the importance of fill ratio, wire brushing and high-quality oil. These numbers should not be copied blindly to another blade, but they show the correct technical vocabulary.
- • Cutting speed is usually expressed as m/min or surface feet per minute.
- • Feed is often expressed as mm/tooth for production circular sawing.
- • Tooth count must be selected together with material section and feed.
- • Coolant, oil or dry cutting must follow the blade and machine recommendation.
- • A chip brush is important in production because recut chips damage the tooth edge.
FAQ
What does inox mean?
In many markets, inox is a short commercial term for stainless steel. Buyers may search TCT blade for inox, inox cutting blade or stainless steel TCT saw blade for the same application.
Is PVD coating necessary?
It depends on volume, material and saw type. For repeated stainless cutting, PVD-coated or cermet options often make sense because heat and chip flow are major life factors.