carbide
n. C1 Advanced US //ˈkɑɹˌbaɪd// UK //kˈɑːbaɪd// car·bide
n. a hard substance made by combining carbon with another element, like silicon or tungsten. It is used to make tools that can cut or drill very hard materials.
n. a compound containing carbon and another element, typically a metal, in which the carbon is in a non-metallic state. Often used to describe extremely hard materials used in industrial cutting tools and abrasives.
The drill bit is made of tungsten carbide.
Because of its extreme hardness, silicon carbide is often used to polish diamonds and other very hard stones.
The industrial revolution in machining was largely driven by the development of synthetic carbides, which allowed for the creation of tools capable of cutting metals at much higher speeds than traditional steel.