(Kennametal: Pittsburgh) -- Kennametal has announced a breakthrough in additive manufacturing that enables the rapid production of custom carbide hole-finishing tools with advanced features such as optimized cooling channels and complex geometries.

The new technology, KAF82 TM, is the first additive manufacturing, fully dense tungsten-carbide grade of its kind to be commercialized at scale and with proven performance for metal-cutting applications. It’s made possible by Kennametal’s decades of expertise in powder metallurgy and sintering. The company presented its new offering last September at IMTS 2026 in Chicago.

With KAF82, solutions that traditionally required months of development and production can now be delivered in a matter of weeks, helping manufacturers accelerate new programs, respond quickly to changing requirements, and improve machining performance. Because the powder isn’t sold externally, the performance advantages of KAF82 are available exclusively to Kennametal customers, creating a differentiated offering that competitors can’t easily replicate.

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