Cutting tool materials — common choice for high-speed machining Which of the following materials is most commonly used for manufacturing general-purpose cutting tools such as drills, taps, and end mills?

Introduction / Context:
Tool materials must retain hardness and resist wear at elevated temperatures generated during cutting. High-speed steel, cemented carbides, and ceramics each serve niches. For many general-purpose tools, high-speed steel remains a versatile and economical choice.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• General-purpose tools for steels and nonferrous alloys.
• Moderate cutting speeds and feeds as in conventional machine shops.
• Focus on common, widely used tool material categories.

Concept / Approach:
High-speed steel (HSS) combines hot hardness with toughness and ease of grinding. Alloying with tungsten or molybdenum, chromium, vanadium, and sometimes cobalt allows HSS to maintain cutting edges under heat. While carbides cut faster, HSS provides superior toughness and is easier to sharpen, making it ubiquitous for drills, taps, and milling cutters in varied conditions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the most versatile tool material for common shop tools.Compare candidates: plain alloy steels soften at cutting temperatures; stainless grades lack suitable hot hardness; HSS is designed for this role.Select high-speed steel as the best answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Catalogs from tooling manufacturers show extensive HSS product lines for twist drills, taps, reamers, and end mills, confirming industrial prevalence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Nickel steel, chrome steel, nickel-chrome steel: may be strong but lack the hot hardness and wear resistance necessary for cutting edges at speed.
• Martensitic stainless: offers corrosion resistance, not optimal hot hardness for cutting.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming the hardest room-temperature alloy is best. Cutting performance depends on hot hardness and abrasion resistance at temperature, where HSS excels compared with ordinary alloy steels.

Final Answer:
high-speed steel