Cut Harder, Run Faster: Greenleaf’s WG-700 Ceramic Inserts Push the Limits of Heat Resistance

by Bernard Martin

If you've ever battled the heat barrier while cutting hard materials like cast iron or nickel-based alloys, you know the pain—tool wear skyrockets, inserts crater, and productivity tanks. But that’s where Greenleaf’s WG-700 Ceramic Insertscome into play. These are not your average ceramics. Built from whisker-reinforced ceramic material, WG-700 inserts are purpose-built for extreme conditions in high-speed turning and hard machining.

WG-700 inserts allow you to push surface speeds up to 5000 SFM without coolant—minimizing heat damage and maximizing tool life. Whether you're cutting aerospace alloys or gray cast iron, these inserts are your ticket to more uptime and higher throughput.

Built for Heat, Speed, and Tough Materials
WG-700’s secret weapon is its silicon carbide whisker reinforcement. Think of it like rebar inside concrete—it boosts fracture resistance while keeping the edge sharp under pressure. This makes WG-700 perfect for high-temp materials and hard metals, especially where coolant use is limited or not feasible.

Edge Prep & Chip Control Options
Greenleaf offers a variety of edge preps including T-land, honed, and sharp edge finishes. If you're roughing hard parts or taking heavy interrupted cuts, go for the honed edge. Finishing tight-tolerance features on aerospace alloys? The sharp edge prep gives you precision with less built-up edge.

While most WG-700 inserts are uncoated, don’t let that fool you—they’re designed to thrive at high speeds without coolant, and the uncoated structure allows for better heat transfer and less thermal cracking.

Insert Styles and Sizes
WG-700 inserts are available in all the common turning geometries: CNGA, DNGA, SNGA, TNGA, RNGN, and WNGA—each in various corner radii and thicknesses from 3/16" to 5/8". Metric equivalents are available as well, ranging from 4 mm to 20 mm thick, with corner radii from 0.4 mm to 3.2 mm.

Tooling Engineer's Tip
If you’re running Inconel 718 or similar superalloys, start with a T-land WG-700 insert at around 1800 SFM, moderate feed (~0.010–0.015 IPT), and 0.05" DOC. Once you’re dialed in, push the feed and SFM—the WG-700 thrives in aggressive conditions. These inserts love speed and heat—so don’t baby them.

Technical Specifications and Product Details

Here’s what sets WG-700 inserts apart:

• Whisker-reinforced ceramic matrix for superior heat and wear resistance
• Surface speed range of 1000 to 5000 SFM, depending on the material
• Application temperatures up to 1200°C (2192°F)
• Hardness around 92 HRa
• Insert tolerance classes available in ISO Class M and G (typical ±0.0012")
• Edge preps include T-land, honed, and sharp options
• Insert geometries: CNGA, DNGA, RNGN, SNGA, TNGA, WNGA
• Insert sizes: Inch sizes from 3/16" to 5/8" thick; metric from 4 mm to 20 mm with corner radii 0.4 mm to 3.2 mm
• Typically uncoated—ideal for high-temp dry cutting where coating breakdown can occur

And remember, while ceramic inserts may require a different approach than carbide, the productivity payoffs—especially in dry machining—are well worth it.

You'll find WG-700 delivering exceptional performance in dry turning of:

• Inconel, Waspaloy, and other nickel-based superalloys
• Hardened steels up to 62 HRc
• Gray and ductile cast iron
• Interrupted cuts on tough materials

With WG-700, you can reduce cycle times and tool changes, even in the most demanding conditions.

Get Started with Factory Tooling Solutions
Looking to reduce tool changes, cut cycle times, and boost performance on high-temp alloys? Reach out to Factory Tooling Solutions today. We’ll help you select the right WG-700 insert geometry and edge prep for your application—and even arrange a test run. Let's see what these ceramics can really do on your machines.