Cutting Hard And Soft Materials Quickly With Versatile VMC
Machine tool monitoring is not really just machine tool monitoring. It is organization monitoring — or should be. When the activity report from a machine tool monitoring system shows a particular machine being out of cycle for an unexpected stretch of time, the cause of that lost productivity typically is not the machine itself. Rather, the cause is found in some failing or shortfall in the organization around that machine: Some needed tool, work instruction, measurement or operator intervention was missing, and the disconnect prevented the job from proceeding. In theory, machine tool monitoring ought to reveal and provide a way to address opportunities for improvement such as these. But in practice, there is a big missing piece.
Adam Ellis saw this in his work with machining facilities that were seeking to improve efficiency by leveraging machine monitoring information. The missing piece is this: The machine tool monitoring system does not know what the machine is supposed to be doing in any moment it analyzes. As a result, there is nothing against which to reference the machine’s performance. This leads to the way machine monitoring output is generally used today — shop management looks at bar graphs after the fact and tries to solve the problems the graphing makes apparent.
But there is a different shop resource that does know what the machines ought to be doing. That is the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Can ERP and machine tool monitoring be brought together?
Yes, says Ellis. And arguably he should know. He has worked as an ERP consultant for 25 years.
The startup he co-founded and now leads is Harmoni. The company’s aim is to develop and market a product for closing the loop between machine tool monitoring and ERP for any and every CNC machine tool a shop might use. Providing for real-time evaluation of performance was the initial promise, but the system has proven effective for something even more powerful: assuring NC program revision control, and the correct assignment of programs and work instructions to every part. This latter set of benefits comes thanks to radio-frequency identification (RFID).
I spoke with Ellis recently about Harmoni’s system, which, among other things, seems poised to make the “Internet of Things” — a local version of it, at least — an everyday part of machine shop work.
The Harmoni system uses a physical device to make the connection between machine tool monitoring and ERP (and the operator, but more on that in a moment). The Harmoni device is a “Swiss army knife of machine tool connectivity,” Ellis says. No particular CNC functionality or protocol is needed to obtain information from a machine. Instead, the Harmoni device is rife with every possible connection type a CNC machine tool might provide, including very old machines. “If the only data available are the wires sending signals to the red/yellow/green light, then we can use just this much to get status information,” he says. The same Harmoni device then also links to the shop’s ERP system through connections the company provides. Once the loop is closed in this way, one possible result is real-time tracking of charging efficiency, in which the shop can see how much it is charging for the work of each machine tool compared with how much the machine is actually producing.
But the device’s awareness also extends to people and parts, and this is where its capabilities potentially promise to be even more transformative.
The Harmoni device is a human-machine interface (HMI; “Harmoni” derives from this). Its touch screen provides for work instructions as well as messaging within the organization. It is also a distributed numerical control (DNC) device, sending programs to the CNC. And it has radio frequency sensing, offering the ability to detect and identify RFID tags. This combination of features can bring shops a seemingly magical level of responsiveness.
The RFID tags are a notable element. Each tag is about 7 cents, says Ellis — cheap enough to be used liberally. “Place them on people, parts, fixtures, raw material — anything you care about,” he says. The effect, potentially, is a shop-wide awareness that provides for all the needed safeguards against costly error.
Imagine this, Ellis says: An employee approaches a machine tool. The Harmoni device identifies the employee and offers the option to clock in. The device knows what job that employee is supposed to be running on that machine at that moment. It offers the option to begin the operation at that machine and, if so, it sends this information to the ERP. It then presents this person with the work instructions appropriate to that job. It also loads the NC program — the correct NC program, automatically obtaining the most current revision. Then, the Harmoni device does a radio sweep to assure the correct fixture is in the machine, the correct material is being loaded, all the needed cutting tools are in the magazine, and maybe even that needed hand gages are within reach.
With these steps — performed instantaneously — the system automatically controls for, and avoids, what otherwise might be two dozen different opportunities for lost productivity or a costly error.
Can the system really work that reliably? And control the process that seamlessly? We will know soon. The first run of Harmoni devices has been sold to early-adopting shops, which presumably will soon put them to use.
The workforce implications could be the area of most profound impact. Those two dozen opportunities for error: Shops today rely on knowledgeable employees who are able to foresee and avoid these errors. The critical need for skilled labor in shops is in part a need for employees who can safely setup Indexable Threading Insert and oversee a machining process by guarding against all the different ways the process might go wrong. But in the future, employees with less skill and experience could be able to do more, running work at higher value without restriction or supervision. They will be able to do this if the network, the local Internet of Things, is effective at guaranteeing the process will perform correctly. This promise is valuable to say the least — and it might be realized in part by using accessories that cost 7 cents apiece.
Peter Zelinski writes about manufacturing technology and how it is changing. Find more of his work related to CNC machining and additive manufacturing. To suggest an article topic related to a success in your manufacturing facility or business, or a technology development you are close to, email him here.tungsten carbide inserts
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cutting Inserts
Machine tool monitoring is not really just machine tool monitoring. It is organization monitoring — or should be. When the activity report from a machine tool monitoring system shows a particular machine being out of cycle for an unexpected stretch of time, the cause of that lost productivity typically is not the machine itself. Rather, the cause is found in some failing or shortfall in the organization around that machine: Some needed tool, work instruction, measurement or operator intervention was missing, and the disconnect prevented the job from proceeding. In theory, machine tool monitoring ought to reveal and provide a way to address opportunities for improvement such as these. But in practice, there is a big missing piece.
Adam Ellis saw this in his work with machining facilities that were seeking to improve efficiency by leveraging machine monitoring information. The missing piece is this: The machine tool monitoring system does not know what the machine is supposed to be doing in any moment it analyzes. As a result, there is nothing against which to reference the machine’s performance. This leads to the way machine monitoring output is generally used today — shop management looks at bar graphs after the fact and tries to solve the problems the graphing makes apparent.
But there is a different shop resource that does know what the machines ought to be doing. That is the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Can ERP and machine tool monitoring be brought together?
Yes, says Ellis. And arguably he should know. He has worked as an ERP consultant for 25 years.
The startup he co-founded and now leads is Harmoni. The company’s aim is to develop and market a product for closing the loop between machine tool monitoring and ERP for any and every CNC machine tool a shop might use. Providing for real-time evaluation of performance was the initial promise, but the system has proven effective for something even more powerful: assuring NC program revision control, and the correct assignment of programs and work instructions to every part. This latter set of benefits comes thanks to radio-frequency identification (RFID).
I spoke with Ellis recently about Harmoni’s system, which, among other things, seems poised to make the “Internet of Things” — a local version of it, at least — an everyday part of machine shop work.
The Harmoni system uses a physical device to make the connection between machine tool monitoring and ERP (and the operator, but more on that in a moment). The Harmoni device is a “Swiss army knife of machine tool connectivity,” Ellis says. No particular CNC functionality or protocol is needed to obtain information from a machine. Instead, the Harmoni device is rife with every possible connection type a CNC machine tool might provide, including very old machines. “If the only data available are the wires sending signals to the red/yellow/green light, then we can use just this much to get status information,” he says. The same Harmoni device then also links to the shop’s ERP system through connections the company provides. Once the loop is closed in this way, one possible result is real-time tracking of charging efficiency, in which the shop can see how much it is charging for the work of each machine tool compared with how much the machine is actually producing.
But the device’s awareness also extends to people and parts, and this is where its capabilities potentially promise to be even more transformative.
The Harmoni device is a human-machine interface (HMI; “Harmoni” derives from this). Its touch screen provides for work instructions as well as messaging within the organization. It is also a distributed numerical control (DNC) device, sending programs to the CNC. And it has radio frequency sensing, offering the ability to detect and identify RFID tags. This combination of features can bring shops a seemingly magical level of responsiveness.
The RFID tags are a notable element. Each tag is about 7 cents, says Ellis — cheap enough to be used liberally. “Place them on people, parts, fixtures, raw material — anything you care about,” he says. The effect, potentially, is a shop-wide awareness that provides for all the needed safeguards against costly error.
Imagine this, Ellis says: An employee approaches a machine tool. The Harmoni device identifies the employee and offers the option to clock in. The device knows what job that employee is supposed to be running on that machine at that moment. It offers the option to begin the operation at that machine and, if so, it sends this information to the ERP. It then presents this person with the work instructions appropriate to that job. It also loads the NC program — the correct NC program, automatically obtaining the most current revision. Then, the Harmoni device does a radio sweep to assure the correct fixture is in the machine, the correct material is being loaded, all the needed cutting tools are in the magazine, and maybe even that needed hand gages are within reach.
With these steps — performed instantaneously — the system automatically controls for, and avoids, what otherwise might be two dozen different opportunities for lost productivity or a costly error.
Can the system really work that reliably? And control the process that seamlessly? We will know soon. The first run of Harmoni devices has been sold to early-adopting shops, which presumably will soon put them to use.
The workforce implications could be the area of most profound impact. Those two dozen opportunities for error: Shops today rely on knowledgeable employees who are able to foresee and avoid these errors. The critical need for skilled labor in shops is in part a need for employees who can safely setup Indexable Threading Insert and oversee a machining process by guarding against all the different ways the process might go wrong. But in the future, employees with less skill and experience could be able to do more, running work at higher value without restriction or supervision. They will be able to do this if the network, the local Internet of Things, is effective at guaranteeing the process will perform correctly. This promise is valuable to say the least — and it might be realized in part by using accessories that cost 7 cents apiece.
Peter Zelinski writes about manufacturing technology and how it is changing. Find more of his work related to CNC machining and additive manufacturing. To suggest an article topic related to a success in your manufacturing facility or business, or a technology development you are close to, email him here.tungsten carbide inserts
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cutting Inserts
Company Provides Fast Turnaround For Molds For Sunglasses
An increasing number of shops are considering minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). MQL delivers a very small amount of coolant VBMT Insert to a cutter’s edge in the form of an oil mist or aerosol, as opposed to traditional techniques of flooding the workpiece and tool with a substantial volume of liquid coolant. The lubricant is mixed with air to form the desired air/oil aerosol mixture, and the aerosol is then sent to the cutting edge through ducts in the tool. Just a tiny bit of that aerosol is left on the chips, workpiece and machine during the cutting operation.
MQL lowers machining costs by eliminating not only the large volume of coolant used in conventional wet operations, but also all the ancillary equipment and electrical power necessary to maintain a big, central coolant system. MQL also creates a cleaner, safer manufacturing environment, which is beneficial to the health of both the equipment used on the shop floor and the employees who work Coated Inserts there.
However, when using MQL with conventional long high speed steel (HSS) drills that have a single-margin design, many pecking cycles are commonly needed to provide adequate chip evacuation and stability. Conversely, Nachi’s Aqua EX MQL drills use a dual-margin geometry to enable MQL drilling with length-to-diameter (L/D) ratios ranging to 30:1 without time-consuming retract/re-entry pecking cycles. (Special-order drills can be made in L/D ratios as high as 50:1). The company says these drills are well-suited for creating oil-passage holes for crankshafts, mold cooling holes, and related applications requiring deep, small-diameter holes.
According to the company, the Aqua EX MQL drill’s double margin increases drilling straightness and stability by better controlling drill bending and swelling compared to single-margin designs. In addition, a J-shaped cutting edge with hollow center shape is said to forcibly break up curled chips, while an optimum web diameter offers a balance between chip-removal capability and tool rigidity.
The Aqua EX MQL drills have a TiAlN base plus an AlCrTi nano-layer coating for heat and wear resistance. Additionally, a lubrication film is applied to the top layer of coating to facilitate chip evacuation and limit chip packing. This coating is applied only to the drill tip, which extends the life of the grinding wheel when the drill is reground. (Drills can be reground and re-coated as many as five times.)
A test cut performed by the company shows the performance difference between an Aqua EX MQL drill and a conventional single-margin HSS drill in creating a 5-mm hole to a depth of 100 mm in S53C carbon steel. At a cutting speed of 20 m/min. and feed rate of 150 mm/min., the HSS drill created the hole in 51 seconds and required seven pecking cycles. The Aqua EX MQL drill created the hole in 10 seconds without pecking at a cutting speed of 80 m/min. and feed rate of 750 mm/min.
The Aqua EX MQL drills are available in 10:1 and 15:1 L/D versions in diameters ranging from 1.0 to 12.0 mm. The 20:1 version is available from 1.0 to 10.0 mm; the 25:1 and 30:1 L/D versions range in diameter from 3.0 to 10 mm. The company recommends pre-drilling guide holes to a depth of two to three times the diameter prior to the deep-hole drilling operation.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: APKT Insert
An increasing number of shops are considering minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). MQL delivers a very small amount of coolant VBMT Insert to a cutter’s edge in the form of an oil mist or aerosol, as opposed to traditional techniques of flooding the workpiece and tool with a substantial volume of liquid coolant. The lubricant is mixed with air to form the desired air/oil aerosol mixture, and the aerosol is then sent to the cutting edge through ducts in the tool. Just a tiny bit of that aerosol is left on the chips, workpiece and machine during the cutting operation.
MQL lowers machining costs by eliminating not only the large volume of coolant used in conventional wet operations, but also all the ancillary equipment and electrical power necessary to maintain a big, central coolant system. MQL also creates a cleaner, safer manufacturing environment, which is beneficial to the health of both the equipment used on the shop floor and the employees who work Coated Inserts there.
However, when using MQL with conventional long high speed steel (HSS) drills that have a single-margin design, many pecking cycles are commonly needed to provide adequate chip evacuation and stability. Conversely, Nachi’s Aqua EX MQL drills use a dual-margin geometry to enable MQL drilling with length-to-diameter (L/D) ratios ranging to 30:1 without time-consuming retract/re-entry pecking cycles. (Special-order drills can be made in L/D ratios as high as 50:1). The company says these drills are well-suited for creating oil-passage holes for crankshafts, mold cooling holes, and related applications requiring deep, small-diameter holes.
According to the company, the Aqua EX MQL drill’s double margin increases drilling straightness and stability by better controlling drill bending and swelling compared to single-margin designs. In addition, a J-shaped cutting edge with hollow center shape is said to forcibly break up curled chips, while an optimum web diameter offers a balance between chip-removal capability and tool rigidity.
The Aqua EX MQL drills have a TiAlN base plus an AlCrTi nano-layer coating for heat and wear resistance. Additionally, a lubrication film is applied to the top layer of coating to facilitate chip evacuation and limit chip packing. This coating is applied only to the drill tip, which extends the life of the grinding wheel when the drill is reground. (Drills can be reground and re-coated as many as five times.)
A test cut performed by the company shows the performance difference between an Aqua EX MQL drill and a conventional single-margin HSS drill in creating a 5-mm hole to a depth of 100 mm in S53C carbon steel. At a cutting speed of 20 m/min. and feed rate of 150 mm/min., the HSS drill created the hole in 51 seconds and required seven pecking cycles. The Aqua EX MQL drill created the hole in 10 seconds without pecking at a cutting speed of 80 m/min. and feed rate of 750 mm/min.
The Aqua EX MQL drills are available in 10:1 and 15:1 L/D versions in diameters ranging from 1.0 to 12.0 mm. The 20:1 version is available from 1.0 to 10.0 mm; the 25:1 and 30:1 L/D versions range in diameter from 3.0 to 10 mm. The company recommends pre-drilling guide holes to a depth of two to three times the diameter prior to the deep-hole drilling operation.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: APKT Insert
Automated Tool Carousel Saves Floor Space
Sandvik Coromant's new insert finishing plant in Stafford, a suburb of Houston, Texas, doubles the company's U.S. capacity to produce cutting tool inserts, including advanced-material inserts for global markets. It represents the company's commitment to an increased presence in the NAFTA carbide insert market as well as an expanded role in the global advanced-material inserts market. NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, covers the largest market for inserts in the world. However, this $15 million plant also says a lot about the company's perceptions of key trends in machining, and about the United States as a manufacturing country.
Part of a $37 million U.S. capital expansion for Sandvik Coromant, the new Stafford plant raises the company's annual output to 20 million inserts per year. It replaces a smaller plant in Houston, which Sandvik Carbide Drilling Inserts outgrew. The other portion of the two-year capital project is a $22 million capacity expansion within the existing plant at Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Together the plants produce tungsten carbide inserts and advanced materials for the global and NAFTA markets.
With 51,000 square feet under roof, the Stafford plant will handle finish grinding and assembly of inserts on a three-shift, five-day-a-week schedule. Carbide insert blanks will come from Fair Lawn, where all sintering and coating of the inserts takes place. Finish-grinding of these inserts will account for about 60 percent of the Stafford plant's output.
However, the plant will become the parent company's global finishing center for advanced-material inserts, which include cubic boron nitride (CBN), ceramics and polycrystalline diamond (PCD). CBN, ceramic and CNMG Insert PCD blanks will come from Sweden. Advanced-material inserts are expected to grow in world market share, and will ultimately represent 40 percent of Stafford's output within the next three years. These inserts represent only 5- to 10-percent of the world insert market today, the company says, which indicates the level of growth that is expected.
According to Lars Pettersson, president of Sandvik Coromant AB, the principal market drivers for these inserts are demands for faster material removal and alternatives to grinding of hardened parts and growing use of cast iron and heat resistant super alloys. These materials are difficult to machine. Also contributing is development of faster spindles, machine tools and controls, he says.
To improve cubic boron nitride insert performance, the new plant will use a new sintering-like process that bonds the boron nitride tips to the carbide substrates. The resulting bond is said to be more than twice as strong as conventional brazements, even at cutting temperatures that can melt brazing metals. This eliminates tip breakout, a main cause of catastrophic failures with CBN tooling. These inserts are designed with four or eight usable tips so that indexing one insert reduces the cost per edge and improves process economics. These inserts are targeted for cast iron machining, hard part turning and finish machining of hardened dies and molds.
Stafford also will finish-grind the company's new Si-Alon 6080 and silicon nitride 1690 ceramic inserts. Grade 6080 permits 20 to 50 percent higher machining rates than conventional ceramic inserts for Inconel, Waspaloy and other difficult-to-machine heat resistant specialty alloys, the company says. The PCD inserts finished at Stafford permit higher machining rates, longer tool life and finer finishes on aluminum.
Sandvik's intention to remain a major global player in advanced-material inserts is only part of the strategy behind the new plant. The company's commitment to the NAFTA manufacturing market are also important.
"The Houston-area location reflects our belief that the United States remains a world-competitive place for manufacturing high-tech industrial products," says James T. Baker, president, Sandvik Coromant/US. "Leaders in U.S. government, industrial management and labor should feel good about that. Remember, NAFTA is the largest single market for cutting tool inserts in the world." Speaking at the opening of the plant, Mr. Baker pointed out that the United States has the strongest, most stable economy and government, and the best distribution infrastructure for serving world markets. He also noted that very favorable labor policies here give global manufacturers a great measure of operating flexibility.
The site will also house a new training facility to help customers increase productivity, reduce manufacturing costs and capitalize on new tooling developments. To serve NAFTA markets better, training will be offered in both Spanish and English. The company expects training and support to become larger factors in its anticipated growth, says Mr. Baker, because customers need guidance in tooling selection and use, especially when faced with a constant stream of new product introductions.
Plans call for the Stafford operation to create 30 new jobs, raising local employment to approximately 140 and annual payroll to approximately $3 million.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Carbide Turning Inserts
Sandvik Coromant's new insert finishing plant in Stafford, a suburb of Houston, Texas, doubles the company's U.S. capacity to produce cutting tool inserts, including advanced-material inserts for global markets. It represents the company's commitment to an increased presence in the NAFTA carbide insert market as well as an expanded role in the global advanced-material inserts market. NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, covers the largest market for inserts in the world. However, this $15 million plant also says a lot about the company's perceptions of key trends in machining, and about the United States as a manufacturing country.
Part of a $37 million U.S. capital expansion for Sandvik Coromant, the new Stafford plant raises the company's annual output to 20 million inserts per year. It replaces a smaller plant in Houston, which Sandvik Carbide Drilling Inserts outgrew. The other portion of the two-year capital project is a $22 million capacity expansion within the existing plant at Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Together the plants produce tungsten carbide inserts and advanced materials for the global and NAFTA markets.
With 51,000 square feet under roof, the Stafford plant will handle finish grinding and assembly of inserts on a three-shift, five-day-a-week schedule. Carbide insert blanks will come from Fair Lawn, where all sintering and coating of the inserts takes place. Finish-grinding of these inserts will account for about 60 percent of the Stafford plant's output.
However, the plant will become the parent company's global finishing center for advanced-material inserts, which include cubic boron nitride (CBN), ceramics and polycrystalline diamond (PCD). CBN, ceramic and CNMG Insert PCD blanks will come from Sweden. Advanced-material inserts are expected to grow in world market share, and will ultimately represent 40 percent of Stafford's output within the next three years. These inserts represent only 5- to 10-percent of the world insert market today, the company says, which indicates the level of growth that is expected.
According to Lars Pettersson, president of Sandvik Coromant AB, the principal market drivers for these inserts are demands for faster material removal and alternatives to grinding of hardened parts and growing use of cast iron and heat resistant super alloys. These materials are difficult to machine. Also contributing is development of faster spindles, machine tools and controls, he says.
To improve cubic boron nitride insert performance, the new plant will use a new sintering-like process that bonds the boron nitride tips to the carbide substrates. The resulting bond is said to be more than twice as strong as conventional brazements, even at cutting temperatures that can melt brazing metals. This eliminates tip breakout, a main cause of catastrophic failures with CBN tooling. These inserts are designed with four or eight usable tips so that indexing one insert reduces the cost per edge and improves process economics. These inserts are targeted for cast iron machining, hard part turning and finish machining of hardened dies and molds.
Stafford also will finish-grind the company's new Si-Alon 6080 and silicon nitride 1690 ceramic inserts. Grade 6080 permits 20 to 50 percent higher machining rates than conventional ceramic inserts for Inconel, Waspaloy and other difficult-to-machine heat resistant specialty alloys, the company says. The PCD inserts finished at Stafford permit higher machining rates, longer tool life and finer finishes on aluminum.
Sandvik's intention to remain a major global player in advanced-material inserts is only part of the strategy behind the new plant. The company's commitment to the NAFTA manufacturing market are also important.
"The Houston-area location reflects our belief that the United States remains a world-competitive place for manufacturing high-tech industrial products," says James T. Baker, president, Sandvik Coromant/US. "Leaders in U.S. government, industrial management and labor should feel good about that. Remember, NAFTA is the largest single market for cutting tool inserts in the world." Speaking at the opening of the plant, Mr. Baker pointed out that the United States has the strongest, most stable economy and government, and the best distribution infrastructure for serving world markets. He also noted that very favorable labor policies here give global manufacturers a great measure of operating flexibility.
The site will also house a new training facility to help customers increase productivity, reduce manufacturing costs and capitalize on new tooling developments. To serve NAFTA markets better, training will be offered in both Spanish and English. The company expects training and support to become larger factors in its anticipated growth, says Mr. Baker, because customers need guidance in tooling selection and use, especially when faced with a constant stream of new product introductions.
Plans call for the Stafford operation to create 30 new jobs, raising local employment to approximately 140 and annual payroll to approximately $3 million.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Carbide Turning Inserts
End Mills Cut and Polish 2D Contours Simultaneously
Type 02 extended adapters and shrink-fit adapters have been added to Exsys Tool’s Preci-Flex line of high-precision modular tooling systems. The system features a single-base holder and multiple tooling adapters Cemented Carbide Inserts that use the ER collet pocket. They are designed to speed tooling change-overs, while incresing accuracy and cost-effectiveness, the company says. The modular tooling system's compact design ensures maximum torque transmission and rigidity, resulting in increased accuracy and productivity. Available in a range of sizes and styles, each toolholder offers repeatability within 3 microns.
The extended adaptors' extended collet tungsten carbide inserts chucks enable tooling to be positioned closer to a machine spindle or chuck. Their extended lengths are designed to eliminate tool-interference issues. The adapters adhere to the front face of the collet pocket, enabling the use of collet diameters that are closer to the size of the cutting tool. This secures tool holding and enables tooling to be clamped at greater distances from the chuck while providing the same rigidity as a standard toolholder.
The shrink-fit adapters are said to deliver 100-percent clamping and connectivity around a tool’s entire shank diameter while providing holding power, rigidity and accuracy.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts
Type 02 extended adapters and shrink-fit adapters have been added to Exsys Tool’s Preci-Flex line of high-precision modular tooling systems. The system features a single-base holder and multiple tooling adapters Cemented Carbide Inserts that use the ER collet pocket. They are designed to speed tooling change-overs, while incresing accuracy and cost-effectiveness, the company says. The modular tooling system's compact design ensures maximum torque transmission and rigidity, resulting in increased accuracy and productivity. Available in a range of sizes and styles, each toolholder offers repeatability within 3 microns.
The extended adaptors' extended collet tungsten carbide inserts chucks enable tooling to be positioned closer to a machine spindle or chuck. Their extended lengths are designed to eliminate tool-interference issues. The adapters adhere to the front face of the collet pocket, enabling the use of collet diameters that are closer to the size of the cutting tool. This secures tool holding and enables tooling to be clamped at greater distances from the chuck while providing the same rigidity as a standard toolholder.
The shrink-fit adapters are said to deliver 100-percent clamping and connectivity around a tool’s entire shank diameter while providing holding power, rigidity and accuracy.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts
Deep Holes with a Carbide Microdrill That Flexes
Systems for locking end mills in place within a shrink-fit or hydraulic expansion toolholder, so that there is no danger of the tool pulling out during high-force cuts using a toolholder of this type, often require the shank of the tool to be modified for clamping.
However, there Carbide Milling Inserts is one standard class of tools that already has a shank modified for clamping: tools with Weldon CNC Carbide Inserts flats.
Schunk recently introduced a system that makes use of the Weldon flat for clamping during high-force milling with a precision holder. The system, seen here as it was displayed at this year’s IMTS, is based on the company’s Tendo line of hydraulic-expansion toolholders. As seen in this model, a metal sleeve holds the tool, clamping on the Weldon flat. That sleeve then provides the surface for the screw that locks the tool in the holder for the high-force milling typical of aerospace materials such as titanium and Inconel.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: VBMT Insert
Systems for locking end mills in place within a shrink-fit or hydraulic expansion toolholder, so that there is no danger of the tool pulling out during high-force cuts using a toolholder of this type, often require the shank of the tool to be modified for clamping.
However, there Carbide Milling Inserts is one standard class of tools that already has a shank modified for clamping: tools with Weldon CNC Carbide Inserts flats.
Schunk recently introduced a system that makes use of the Weldon flat for clamping during high-force milling with a precision holder. The system, seen here as it was displayed at this year’s IMTS, is based on the company’s Tendo line of hydraulic-expansion toolholders. As seen in this model, a metal sleeve holds the tool, clamping on the Weldon flat. That sleeve then provides the surface for the screw that locks the tool in the holder for the high-force milling typical of aerospace materials such as titanium and Inconel.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: VBMT Insert
Applications Advance for Solid Ceramic End Mills
Trumpf offers its TruLaser 5030 fiber laser machine with an 8-kW TruDisk laser. According to the company, the machine can process thin materials at high speed as well as thick material with high quality. The X, Y and Z axes measure 3,000 × 1,500 × 115 mm, respectively. A stable machine concept enables precise contour cutting. With the company’s BrightLine fiber, the machine can process steel as thick as 1", and stainless steel and aluminum as thick as 1.5".
Features contributing to productivity include mobile machine operation and monitoring with the MobileControl app; a Drop&Cut function for fast and efficient post-production; and efficient use of remainder CCMT Insert sheets. The laser source, machine, optics, optional cutting technologies, VBMT Insert automation, storage systems and software are all developed by Trumpf to work in tandem for maximum performance and low cost-per-part.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Tungsten Carbide Inserts
Trumpf offers its TruLaser 5030 fiber laser machine with an 8-kW TruDisk laser. According to the company, the machine can process thin materials at high speed as well as thick material with high quality. The X, Y and Z axes measure 3,000 × 1,500 × 115 mm, respectively. A stable machine concept enables precise contour cutting. With the company’s BrightLine fiber, the machine can process steel as thick as 1", and stainless steel and aluminum as thick as 1.5".
Features contributing to productivity include mobile machine operation and monitoring with the MobileControl app; a Drop&Cut function for fast and efficient post-production; and efficient use of remainder CCMT Insert sheets. The laser source, machine, optics, optional cutting technologies, VBMT Insert automation, storage systems and software are all developed by Trumpf to work in tandem for maximum performance and low cost-per-part.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Tungsten Carbide Inserts
3D Printed Metal Component for CNC Machining Center： The Cool Parts Show #47
Mastercam has collaborated with Sandvik Coromant for the integration of Sandvik Coromant’s CoroPlus Tool Library Add-in into the release of Mastercam 2024 CAD/CAM software. The integration of the CoroPlus Tool Library enables Mastercam customers to save significant time searching for desired tools and building 3D tool assemblies that can be brought directly into Mastercam.
The CoroPlus Tool Library makes tool recommendations based on material, operation and tool type. The ability to import tool assemblies directly into Mastercam 2024 saves time and effort because Machining Carbide Inserts users can quickly and easily find and use the right tools. By utilizing 3D tool models and recommended cutting data, users can also optimize the machining process and achieve better results.
Mastercam developers worked closely with Sandvik Coromant product management to enable users to import 3D tool assemblies directly into Mastercam’s toolpath operations. In addition to the time savings, users of Mastercam benefit from having the correct tooling for the material and type of machining operation, as well as an accurate 3D model that can be used for visualization and collision checking.
“In the past, customers had to search through thousands of catalog pages and cross-reference multiple sources to create the tool assemblies needed to machine their parts,” says Dave Boucher, Mastercam chief product officer. Carbide Threading Inserts “Now, they have access to cutting data and tooling recommendations directly from within Mastercam, making it easier for them to select the best cutting tools for their specific applications, optimize their machining operations and improve productivity.”
The Cemented Carbide Blog: TCMT Insert
Mastercam has collaborated with Sandvik Coromant for the integration of Sandvik Coromant’s CoroPlus Tool Library Add-in into the release of Mastercam 2024 CAD/CAM software. The integration of the CoroPlus Tool Library enables Mastercam customers to save significant time searching for desired tools and building 3D tool assemblies that can be brought directly into Mastercam.
The CoroPlus Tool Library makes tool recommendations based on material, operation and tool type. The ability to import tool assemblies directly into Mastercam 2024 saves time and effort because Machining Carbide Inserts users can quickly and easily find and use the right tools. By utilizing 3D tool models and recommended cutting data, users can also optimize the machining process and achieve better results.
Mastercam developers worked closely with Sandvik Coromant product management to enable users to import 3D tool assemblies directly into Mastercam’s toolpath operations. In addition to the time savings, users of Mastercam benefit from having the correct tooling for the material and type of machining operation, as well as an accurate 3D model that can be used for visualization and collision checking.
“In the past, customers had to search through thousands of catalog pages and cross-reference multiple sources to create the tool assemblies needed to machine their parts,” says Dave Boucher, Mastercam chief product officer. Carbide Threading Inserts “Now, they have access to cutting data and tooling recommendations directly from within Mastercam, making it easier for them to select the best cutting tools for their specific applications, optimize their machining operations and improve productivity.”
The Cemented Carbide Blog: TCMT Insert
Cost Cutting Coolant Quells Odor, Dermatitis
Cutting speeds of 500 inches per minute are a reality with the new 15,000 rpm wye/delta VECTOR spindle system for high speed machining from Fadal Machining Centers (Chatsworth, California). An incremental design change, which includes a cogged belt, delivers power more efficiently to the 15,000 rpm spindle.
Both high speed material removal for aluminum and lower speed steel cutting are enhanced with the application of a 22.5 HP wye/delta spindle motor. To achieve better performance in high and low speed ranges, the spindle-to-drive ratio was changed from 1:3 to 1:2. Dynamometer readings at customer beta test sites indicate output of 34 horsepower at 15,000 rpm. Incorporating a cogged belt into the original design, which ensures positive delivery of power, eliminates slippage during either high or low range metal removal.
At high speed, friction caused by the spindle’s rotating elements transfers heat to the head casting and causes thermal growth and accuracy problems. In this new spindle design, spindle speed and accuracy are maintained over time by combining hybrid ceramic bearings with an air/oil injection system that helps stabilize spindle temperature.
Ceramic (silicon nitride) bearings in steel races feature less mass and higher stiffness, which enables them to maintain shape and require less inertia. Ceramic bearings have a heat expansion rate of about one-third that of steel, which prevents heat build-up at higher speeds so bearing preload is more constant.
A high-precision air/oil injection system lubricates the spindle bearings without excessive oil buildup for cool running at high speeds. The air/oil injection system injects a precise amount of steam turbine oil droplets into the air stream. The mixture is filtered through a 5-micron filter. As a result, less than 0.025cc of oil is used per 25 minutes. Oil droplets are injected into the air stream at a precise time determined by sensors. Excess oil is removed before it can load bearings and cause heat buildup and noisy operation.
The air/oil system prevents moisture from entering the spindle cavity with a constant flushing of bearings with new oil, which forces any extant moisture out. This extends the life expectancy of the spindle substantially. It also extends the useful duty cycle times because the spindle requires less warm-up or cool-down to achieve optimum operating temperature.
The horsepower available at high rotational speeds is doubled with Fadal’s application of a 22.5 horsepower wye/delta spindle drive motor. Productivity, accuracy and workpiece material capabilities are expanded with a wider range of torque, speed and horsepower, which enables low-speed, high torque steel cutting operations and high-material removal rates during high-speed, high-horsepower aluminum cutting operations.
A wider performance range is achieved by utilizing both the conventional wye and delta motor windings. The wye winding supplies high torque at low spindle speeds. The advanced delta winding delivers double the horsepower at high speeds, which eliminates upper speed range drag and facilitates high-speed machining. The result is Carbide Grooving Inserts a gearless electronic transmission, which automatically shifts from wye to delta windings to provide consistent torque at a given spindle speed setting and higher horsepower across a machine tool’s high speed range. A design characteristic inherent in these drives is the capability of maintaining consistent torque at a given speed under uneven load conditions, whether operating at 150 or 15,000 rpm.
Power loss at high speed, caused by back EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) generated in a standard vector-drive spindle motor at higher rotating speeds, is eliminated with wye/delta. Back EMF actually robs horsepower from the spindle, which causes high-speed tools to stall before optimum performance is reached. By utilizing Delta motor windings, back EMF at high speed is reduced, so more horsepower is delivered to the cutting DCMT Insert tool.
The capability of the Fadal 15,000 rpm spindle to cut at 500 inches per minute will substantially reduce cycle time for parts cut on slower spindles. In tests, the new 15,000 rpm spindle can represent as much as a 55 percent reduction in overall cycle time. This is good news for the average CNC shop.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: TNGG Insert
Cutting speeds of 500 inches per minute are a reality with the new 15,000 rpm wye/delta VECTOR spindle system for high speed machining from Fadal Machining Centers (Chatsworth, California). An incremental design change, which includes a cogged belt, delivers power more efficiently to the 15,000 rpm spindle.
Both high speed material removal for aluminum and lower speed steel cutting are enhanced with the application of a 22.5 HP wye/delta spindle motor. To achieve better performance in high and low speed ranges, the spindle-to-drive ratio was changed from 1:3 to 1:2. Dynamometer readings at customer beta test sites indicate output of 34 horsepower at 15,000 rpm. Incorporating a cogged belt into the original design, which ensures positive delivery of power, eliminates slippage during either high or low range metal removal.
At high speed, friction caused by the spindle’s rotating elements transfers heat to the head casting and causes thermal growth and accuracy problems. In this new spindle design, spindle speed and accuracy are maintained over time by combining hybrid ceramic bearings with an air/oil injection system that helps stabilize spindle temperature.
Ceramic (silicon nitride) bearings in steel races feature less mass and higher stiffness, which enables them to maintain shape and require less inertia. Ceramic bearings have a heat expansion rate of about one-third that of steel, which prevents heat build-up at higher speeds so bearing preload is more constant.
A high-precision air/oil injection system lubricates the spindle bearings without excessive oil buildup for cool running at high speeds. The air/oil injection system injects a precise amount of steam turbine oil droplets into the air stream. The mixture is filtered through a 5-micron filter. As a result, less than 0.025cc of oil is used per 25 minutes. Oil droplets are injected into the air stream at a precise time determined by sensors. Excess oil is removed before it can load bearings and cause heat buildup and noisy operation.
The air/oil system prevents moisture from entering the spindle cavity with a constant flushing of bearings with new oil, which forces any extant moisture out. This extends the life expectancy of the spindle substantially. It also extends the useful duty cycle times because the spindle requires less warm-up or cool-down to achieve optimum operating temperature.
The horsepower available at high rotational speeds is doubled with Fadal’s application of a 22.5 horsepower wye/delta spindle drive motor. Productivity, accuracy and workpiece material capabilities are expanded with a wider range of torque, speed and horsepower, which enables low-speed, high torque steel cutting operations and high-material removal rates during high-speed, high-horsepower aluminum cutting operations.
A wider performance range is achieved by utilizing both the conventional wye and delta motor windings. The wye winding supplies high torque at low spindle speeds. The advanced delta winding delivers double the horsepower at high speeds, which eliminates upper speed range drag and facilitates high-speed machining. The result is Carbide Grooving Inserts a gearless electronic transmission, which automatically shifts from wye to delta windings to provide consistent torque at a given spindle speed setting and higher horsepower across a machine tool’s high speed range. A design characteristic inherent in these drives is the capability of maintaining consistent torque at a given speed under uneven load conditions, whether operating at 150 or 15,000 rpm.
Power loss at high speed, caused by back EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) generated in a standard vector-drive spindle motor at higher rotating speeds, is eliminated with wye/delta. Back EMF actually robs horsepower from the spindle, which causes high-speed tools to stall before optimum performance is reached. By utilizing Delta motor windings, back EMF at high speed is reduced, so more horsepower is delivered to the cutting DCMT Insert tool.
The capability of the Fadal 15,000 rpm spindle to cut at 500 inches per minute will substantially reduce cycle time for parts cut on slower spindles. In tests, the new 15,000 rpm spindle can represent as much as a 55 percent reduction in overall cycle time. This is good news for the average CNC shop.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: TNGG Insert
Tool for Shallow, High Feed Cuts Speeds Roughing
Walter USA has added polycristalline diamond (PCD) grooving inserts to its Walter Cut GX grooving system. These straight-edge (F1) and full-radius (M1) geometries are designed for grooving in aluminum and titanium alloys, enabling high cutting speed, lengthening tool life and improving surface quality in grooving, parting and recessing operations. The inserts are said to be ideal for aerospace, Indexable Milling Insert medical device and automotive applications.
The wear-resistant WDN10 Carbide Milling inserts PCD grade provides high hardness, a low coefficient of friction and minimal heat distortion for high-speed machining of nonferrous materials.
The GX24-WDN10 inserts feature chipbreaker geometry, laser-marked ISO and ANSI corner-radius designation, and widths ranging from 0.078" to 0.118" (2 to 8 mm).
The Cemented Carbide Blog: http://leanderfit.mee.nu/
Walter USA has added polycristalline diamond (PCD) grooving inserts to its Walter Cut GX grooving system. These straight-edge (F1) and full-radius (M1) geometries are designed for grooving in aluminum and titanium alloys, enabling high cutting speed, lengthening tool life and improving surface quality in grooving, parting and recessing operations. The inserts are said to be ideal for aerospace, Indexable Milling Insert medical device and automotive applications.
The wear-resistant WDN10 Carbide Milling inserts PCD grade provides high hardness, a low coefficient of friction and minimal heat distortion for high-speed machining of nonferrous materials.
The GX24-WDN10 inserts feature chipbreaker geometry, laser-marked ISO and ANSI corner-radius designation, and widths ranging from 0.078" to 0.118" (2 to 8 mm).
The Cemented Carbide Blog: http://leanderfit.mee.nu/
