ISO 513 Material Groups (P/M/K/N/S/H) for Carbide Grades
Every carbide grade and every grade mapping on InsertBase is filed under the six ISO 513 workpiece groups. These pages explain what each letter means, which grades are catalogued under it, and how to read the application band.
ISO 513 classifies the workpiece materials carbide grades are applied to into six main groups, each with an identification colour and a numeric application band that runs from finishing (small numbers) to roughing (large numbers) — for example P01 to P50. A grade described as "P25" sits mid-band in steel turning: general purpose, balancing wear resistance and toughness.
Plain carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel and cast steel. Long, continuous chips.
P01 (fine finishing) – P50 (heavy roughing) · 13 grades catalogued
Austenitic, ferritic, martensitic and duplex stainless steels. Tough, work-hardening chips.
M10 (finishing) – M40 (roughing) · 13 grades catalogued
Grey, nodular (ductile) and malleable cast iron. Short, abrasive chips.
K01 (fine finishing) – K40 (roughing) · 11 grades catalogued
Aluminium alloys, copper, brass, bronze; also plastics, composites and other non-metallics.
N01 (fine finishing) – N30 (roughing) · 1 grade catalogued
Heat-resistant superalloys (nickel/cobalt base, e.g. Inconel-type), titanium alloys. Hot, strong, abrasive.
S01 (finishing) – S30 (roughing) · 4 grades catalogued
Hardened steel (≈45–65 HRC), chilled and hardened cast iron.
H01 (fine finishing) – H30 (roughing) · 0 grades catalogued
How the groups are used on InsertBase
- Each grade record carries the ISO 513 groups its manufacturer assigns it to.
- Grade mappings are only made within the same group and application band — a P25 steel grade is never mapped to a K10 cast-iron grade.
- Match levels follow one rule set: FULL (same group, band and coating family), PARTIAL (same band, different coating or edge prep), VERIFY (aftermarket chart only, unconfirmed).