Interactive reference
Every carbide insert has a code — like CNMG 432 or SEKN 42AFTN — built from the ANSI/ISO standard. Use the builder below to assemble or decode a code position by position, or jump straight to a reference table.
Click any position below, or use the builder, to jump to its definitions.
Turning — e.g. CNMG 432
Milling — e.g. SEKN 42AFTN
Pick a value for each position and watch the full insert code assemble live.
| Code | Description | Diagram | Nose Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 85° Parallelogram |  |
85° |
| B | 82° Parallelogram |  |
82° |
| C | 80° Diamond |  |
80° |
| D | 55° Diamond |  |
55° |
| E | 75° Diamond |  |
75° |
| H | Hexagon |  |
120° |
| K | 55° Parallelogram |  |
55° |
| L | Rectangle | |
90° |
| M | 86° Diamond |  |
86° |
| N | 55° Parallelogram |  |
55° |
| O | Octagon |  |
135° |
| P | Pentagon |  |
108° |
| R | Round |  |
Full radius |
| S | Square |  |
90° |
| T | Triangle |  |
60° |
| V | 35° Diamond |  |
35° |
| W | Trigon |  |
80° |
| X | Sp. Parallelogram |  |
85° |
Not sure which shape fits your job? See our Choosing Insert Shape guide.
| Code | Angle | Diagram |
|---|---|---|
| N | 0° |  |
| A | 3° |  |
| B | 5° |  |
| C | 7° |  |
| P | 11° |  |
| D | 15° |  |
| E | 20° |  |
| F | 25° |  |
| G | 30° |  |
| Code | Corner (in) | Thickness (in) | IC (in) | Corner (mm) | Thickness (mm) | IC (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | .0002" | .001" | .001" | .005mm | .025mm | .025mm |
| C | .0005" | .001" | .001" | .013mm | .025mm | .025mm |
| E | .001" | .001" | .001" | .025mm | .025mm | .025mm |
| F | .0002" | .001" | .0005" | .005mm | .025mm | .013mm |
| G | .001" | .005" | .001" | .025mm | .13mm | .025mm |
| H | .0005" | .001" | .0005" | .013mm | .025mm | .013mm |
| J | .002" | .001" | .002-.005" | .005mm | .025mm | .05-.13mm |
| K | .0005" | .001" | .002-.005" | .013mm | .025mm | .05-.13mm |
| L | .001" | .001" | .002-.005" | .025mm | .025mm | .05-.13mm |
| M | .002-.005" | .005" | .002-.005" | .05-.13mm | .13mm | .05-.15mm |
| U | .005-.012" | .005" | .005-.010" | .06-.25mm | .13mm | .08-.25mm |
| Code | Hole | Hole Shape | Chipbreaker Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Null | No | None | |
| A | Yes | Cylindrical | None |
| B | Yes | 70-90° double countersink | None |
| D | Yes | Cylindrical | None |
| E | No | None | |
| F | No | Double-sided | |
| G | Yes | Cylindrical | Double-sided |
| H | Yes | 70-90° single countersink | Single-sided |
| M | Yes | Cylindrical, or dbl countersink | Single-sided |
| N | No | None | |
| P | Yes | Cylindrical | Hi-double positive |
| Q | Yes | 40-60° double countersink | None |
| R | No | Single-sided | |
| S | Yes | Cylindrical | Hi-double positive |
| T | Yes | 40-60° double countersink | Single-sided |
| U | Yes | 40-60° double countersink | Double-sided |
| W | Yes | 40-60° double countersink | None |
| Z | Yes | Cylindrical | Double-sided hi-double positive |
ANSI code, IC size, and the matching ISO code by shape letter.
| ANSI | Decimal (in) | Fractional (in) | C | D | R | S | T | V | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | .0625" | 1/16" | |||||||
| 1.2 (5) | .15625" | 5/32" | S4 | 4mm | 3mm | 3mm | 6mm | ||
| 1.5 (6) | .1875" | 3/16" | 4mm | 5mm | 4mm | 4mm | 8mm | 8mm | S3 |
| 1.8 (7) | .21875" | 7/32" | 5mm | 6mm | 5mm | 5mm | 9mm | 9mm | 3mm |
| 2 | .25" | 1/4" | 6mm | 7mm | 6mm | 6mm | 11mm | 11mm | 4mm |
| 2.5 | .3125" | 5/16" | 8mm | 9mm | 7mm | 7mm | 13mm | 13mm | 5mm |
| 3 | .375" | 3/8" | 9mm | 11mm | 9mm | 9mm | 16mm | 16mm | 6mm |
| 3.5 | .4375" | 7/16" | 11mm | 13mm | 11mm | 11mm | 19mm | 19mm | 7mm |
| 4 | .5" | 1/2" | 12mm | 15mm | 12mm | 12mm | 22mm | 22mm | 8mm |
| 4.5 | .5625" | 9/16" | 14mm | 17mm | 14mm | 14mm | 24mm | 24mm | 9mm |
| 5 | .625" | 5/8" | 16mm | 9mm | 15mm | 15mm | 27mm | 27mm | 10mm |
| 5.5 | .6875" | 11/16" | 17mm | 21mm | 17mm | 17mm | 30mm | 30mm | 11mm |
| 6 | .75" | 3/4" | 19mm | 23mm | 19mm | 19mm | 33mm | 33mm | 13mm |
| 6.5 | .8125" | 13/16" | |||||||
| 7 | .875" | 7/8" | 22mm | 27mm | 22mm | 22mm | 38mm | 38mm | 15mm |
| 8 | 1" | 1" | 25mm | 31mm | 25mm | 25mm | 44mm | 44mm | 17mm |
| 10 | 1.25" | 1-1/4" | 32mm | 38mm | 31mm | 31mm | 54mm | 54mm | 21mm |
| — | 1.26" | — | 32mm |
| ANSI | ISO | Decimal | Fractional | Millimeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .5 (1) | - | 0.03125" | 1/32" | 0.79mm |
| .6 | T0 | 0.040" | 1/25" | 1.00mm |
| 1 (2) | 01 | 0.0625" | 1/16" | 1.59mm |
| 1.2 | T1 | 0.078" | 5/64" | 1.98mm |
| 1.5 (3) | 02 | 0.094" | 3/32" | 2.38mm |
| — | T2 | 0.109" | 7/64" | 2.78mm |
| 2 | 03 | 0.125" | 1/8" | 3.18mm |
| 2.5 | T3 | 0.156" | 5/32" | 3.97mm |
| 3 | 04 | 0.187" | 3/16" | 4.76mm |
| — | 05 | 0.219" | 7/32" | 5.56mm |
| 4 | 06 | 0.25" | 1/4" | 6.35mm |
| 5 | 07 | 0.313" | 5/16" | 7.9mm |
| 6 | 09 | 0.375" | 3/8" | 9.53mm |
| 8 | — | 0.5" | 1/2" | 12.7mm |
| ANSI | ISO | Decimal | Fractional | Millimeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Null | Null | Wiper flat | ||
| V | M0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0.2 | 00 | 0.004" | 0.1mm | |
| X | — | 0.004" | 0.1mm | |
| 0 | 00 | 0.004" | 0.2mm | |
| 0.5 | — | 0.008" | 0.2mm | |
| Y | — | 0.008" | 0.2mm | |
| 1 | 04 | 0.016" | 1/64" | 0.4mm |
| — | 05 | 0.020" | 0.5mm | |
| 2 | 08 | 0.031" | 1/32" | 0.8mm |
| — | 10 | 0.040" | 1.02mm | |
| 3 | 12 | 0.047" | 3/64" | 1.2mm |
| 4 | 16 | 0.062" | 1/16" | 1.6mm |
| 5 | 20 | 0.078" | 5/64" | 2mm |
| 6 | 24 | 0.094" | 3/32" | 2.4mm |
| 7 | 29 | 0.109" | 7/64" | 2.9mm |
| 8 | 32 | 0.125" | 1/8" | 3.2mm |
Milling inserts only.
| Code | Angle |
|---|---|
| A | 45° |
| D | 60° |
| K | 60° |
| E | 75° |
| L | 75° |
| P | 0° |
| S | 75° |
Milling inserts only.
| Code | Angle |
|---|---|
| C | 7° |
| D | 15° |
| E | 20° |
| F | 25-26° |
| G | 30° |
| N | 0° |
| P | 11° |
Milling inserts only.
| Code | Edge Preparation |
|---|---|
| F | Sharp |
| E | Honed |
| T | T-Land |
| S | Honed T-Land |
| X | Special chamfer |
Milling inserts only — indicates whether the insert is designed for right-hand, left-hand, or neutral (either direction) milling.
| Code | Direction |
|---|---|
| R | Right hand |
| L | Left hand |
| N | Neutral (either direction) |
Ready to shop inserts? Browse our full catalog, or get help picking a shape first.
Ready to cut
Once the geometry is settled, the grade and the holder decide how long it lasts. Browse the turning line built for tight tolerances under aggressive feeds.
Not sure which grade matches your material? Use the Grade Look-Up.