Kennametal Expands Metal Cutting Portfolio with Advanced Drilling and Turning Inserts for Higher Productivity!

Kennametal is showcasing two new tooling innovations at IMTS 2026 designed to help manufacturers improve machining efficiency, extend tool life, and enhance process reliability across a wide range of metalworking applications. The company has introduced the KenTip FS HP modular drilling insert and the Widia -MU geometry turning insert, both engineered to deliver higher productivity, better chip control, and greater versatility in steel, cast iron, and general machining operations.

As manufacturers continue to seek higher machining performance while reducing tooling costs and machine downtime, cutting tool technology plays an increasingly important role in achieving these objectives. Modern machining operations demand tools capable of maintaining consistent performance under varying cutting conditions while supporting faster production rates and minimizing interruptions. Kennametal’s latest drilling and turning solutions have been developed to address these evolving requirements, offering machine shops greater flexibility and improved operational efficiency.

A key highlight of the company’s latest product lineup is the new KenTip FS HP modular drilling insert, the newest addition to the established KenTip FS modular drilling platform. The HP insert expands a product family that already includes the HPG and GTP geometries, giving manufacturers additional options to optimize drilling performance for different materials and machining conditions.

Designed specifically for high-productivity drilling applications, the KenTip FS HP insert incorporates Kennametal’s advanced KCPK15A multilayer coating technology. This wear-resistant coating improves resistance to heat, abrasion, and mechanical wear, allowing the insert to maintain cutting performance over extended production runs. The enhanced coating technology contributes to significantly longer tool life while supporting consistent machining quality in demanding steel and cast iron applications.

The HP geometry has been specifically engineered to maximize drilling productivity by enabling higher cutting speeds and feed rates without compromising machining stability. This allows manufacturers to increase metal removal rates while maintaining excellent hole quality and dimensional accuracy, ultimately reducing overall production cycle times.

Another important feature of the KenTip FS HP system is its modular clamping mechanism, which enables rapid insert replacement without removing the drill body from the machine spindle. This quick-change capability substantially reduces machine downtime during insert changes, allowing operators to resume production quickly while minimizing setup time. The modular design also reduces tooling inventory requirements by allowing multiple insert geometries to be used with the same drill body.

To further improve drilling performance, the insert incorporates two-margin lands that enhance tool guidance throughout the drilling operation. These additional contact surfaces increase drill stability, improve hole straightness, and produce superior surface finishes. Improved guidance also minimizes vibration and deflection, particularly during deep-hole drilling applications where maintaining accuracy is often challenging.

Complementing the new drilling solution is the introduction of the Widia -MU geometry turning insert, developed as a highly versatile cutting tool for a broad range of turning applications. Designed for finishing through semi-roughing operations, the new insert combines robust edge strength with optimized chip control, allowing manufacturers to achieve consistent machining performance across varying cutting conditions.

One of the primary advantages of the -MU geometry is its universal application capability. Rather than maintaining multiple insert styles for different operations, manufacturers can utilize a single insert geometry across numerous machining tasks. This helps simplify inventory management, reduces tooling costs, and streamlines shop floor operations by minimizing the number of insert types that must be stocked and managed.

The insert’s specially engineered chipbreaker design plays a critical role in improving machining reliability. Effective chip control is essential for maintaining uninterrupted production, particularly in automated machining environments where long, uncontrolled chips can interfere with machining operations or damage finished components. The -MU geometry produces well-controlled chip formation across a wide range of cutting parameters, reducing the risk of chip entanglement while improving process stability.

The insert has also been designed to withstand higher cutting forces encountered during deeper cuts and elevated feed rates. Its reinforced cutting edge enables aggressive machining while maintaining excellent wear resistance and dimensional accuracy. At the same time, the insert performs equally well during light finishing passes, providing reliable chip formation even at reduced depths of cut where chip control often becomes more difficult.

Kennametal has further optimized the insert’s chip groove profile to reduce cutting forces and improve machining smoothness. Lower cutting forces place less stress on both the machine tool and cutting insert, contributing to better surface finishes, reduced vibration, and longer tool life. The reinforced nose design provides additional edge strength while maintaining the open geometry needed for efficient chip evacuation and stable cutting performance.

The Widia -MU geometry is available in several industry-standard insert configurations, including CNMG, DNMG, TNMG, WNMG, VNMG, and SNMG styles. This broad selection allows manufacturers to integrate the inserts easily into existing tooling systems without requiring significant equipment modifications.

To accommodate different workpiece materials and machining requirements, the inserts are offered in multiple Widia Victory grades, including WP05CT, WP15CT, WP25CT, WM15CT, WM25CT, WK05CT, WK20CT, WU10PT, and WU25PT. These grade options enable manufacturers to optimize cutting performance for various steel, cast iron, stainless steel, and general machining applications while maximizing tool life and productivity.

Together, the KenTip FS HP modular drilling insert and the Widia -MU geometry turning insert demonstrate Kennametal’s continued focus on developing cutting tool technologies that improve machining performance while reducing production costs. By combining advanced coatings, optimized geometries, rapid tool change capabilities, and improved chip control, the company provides manufacturers with solutions that enhance operational efficiency, increase machining flexibility, and support higher levels of productivity across modern manufacturing environments.

As manufacturers continue to adopt more demanding machining strategies and pursue greater production efficiency, innovations such as these will play an increasingly important role in helping machine shops remain competitive while consistently delivering high-quality finished components.