Knöpfle takes a shine to SilverLine

Changing what is the company’s most popular product can pose significant risk, but in the case of Ceratizit Group’s SilverLine solid-carbide milling cutters, taking that calculated gamble has paid significant dividends for users, who can now enjoy improved performance from the totally updated range.

While cautious not to make change for change’s sake, the development team was tasked with improving the three key elements that give a solid-carbide tool high performance, namely the carbide substrate, coating and geometry.
Demonstrating that SilverLine was a “good tool made even better”, extensive field trials were undertaken in Germany. The test results speak for themselves, as highlighted by the example at long-standing SilverLine user Heinz Knöpfle GmbH.
Says production director Christian Knöpfle: “As big fans of the original SilverLine tools, we had very high hopes, but the amazing results that we’ve achieved with the upgrade have far exceeded expectations.”
The results from the trials showed a tangible increase of between 20 and 40% in cutting speeds. At the same time, service life increased by 30 to 40%.
“I noticed straight away that the new SilverLine tools are quieter, thus reducing the burden on the machine,” says Knöpfle. “The values obtained over the months then confirmed this; we have a new favourite tool.”
In the tests, SilverLine was initially used for machining a stainless steel polygon shaft, which Knöpfle produces in various sizes for a water management company.
Says Knöpfle: “We use the tool at extremely high cutting speeds and therefore achieve excellent chip evacuation, with a service life and level of process security that other milling cutters never reach. This is ideal for users like us, who only wish to use a small selection of tools.”
For further information www.ceratizit.com

Scrappage scheme needed for machinery

Make UK has highlighted the case for government to help manufacturing recover from COVID-19 by implementing a new scrappage scheme for old plant and machinery.

It is hoped the proposed scheme will incentivise cash-strapped firms to invest in the latest technologies. The challenge faced by manufacturers as they start to rebuild their businesses and bring staff slowly back into the workplace is vast, says Make UK. To survive, manufacturers will need to take every advantage they can of the latest technologies and equipment to boost productivity and get back on track in the coming months.
For further information www.makeuk.org

Manufacturers unite to target reshoring

A new initiative designed to build UK industrial capability and increase reshoring has got off to a flying start after £625,000 of orders were placed in the first few weeks. UK Manufacturing Unite has been launched in response to the national effort to produce more critical components and essential equipment, and is the first step in the sector’s fightback against the damaging effects of COVID-19.

A tablet with smart home control system.

Created and run by manufacturers for manufacturers, the movement is urging more firms to collaborate, share practice and find practical solutions for developing domestic supply chains. Over 35 companies have already signed up to the online platform that will act as a central place for sourcing supply solutions or getting answers to the issues that businesses are facing.
For further information www.ukmfgunite.co.uk

Latest catalogue from ITC

Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) has published the latest edition of its annual product catalogue.

Now in its 15th edition, the new publication is crammed with new product developments, including those for milling, drilling, threading and specialist milling lines. This edition of the catalogue incorporates ITC’s updated pricing structure for 2020, as well as having an enhanced aluminium milling section. There is also information on new square and ball-nosed steel and exotic milling lines, as well as the arrival of ITC’s conical barrel end mills.
Commenting upon the latest edition of the catalogue, ITC’s newly appointed director, Georgia Graves, says: “We are always attentive to the demands of the marketplace, and in this latest edition of our product catalogue we’ve expanded our aluminium milling product lines. We have also expanded a number of product series to either offer greater reach for difficult-to-access surfaces, or provide increased stability with more stub-length tools that will enhance even further the performance parameters that our range provides.”
To view and download a copy of the latest ITC Issue 15 product catalogue, visit the web page below. Alternatively, to receive a printed edition of the catalogue, please contact the local ITC representative or call the company’s Tamworth headquarters.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk/products

Form compensation option from NUM

A form-compensation option has been launched by NUM for its Numroto tool-grinding software.

The option enables tool manufacturers to ‘close the loop’ between CNC tool grinding and measurement, further increasing process accuracy and consistency. NUM’s system inherently compensates for process variables, such as temperature fluctuations and grinding wheel wear, and is likely to prove popular with manufacturers of specialist precision tools, which demand tight production tolerances.
Machine shops seeking to maximise the accuracy of tools produced on CNC grinding machines generally use a CMM to obtain probed measurements of the machined part; using this information to influence the production process during subsequent machining operations. Until now, Numroto users processed CMM results with proprietary third-party compensation software running on an external computer, before feeding a suitably corrected target profile back to the CNC machine.
Designed in conjunction with several key Numroto end users, NUM’s form-compensation facility is a fully integrated part of the company’s form-cutter package, and completely dispenses with the need for any third-party software. The data exchange between the CMM and CNC machine can be handled by XML interface, or by export/import of the DXF file via a local area network (LAN).
The software employs filtering algorithms to create a smooth and precise compensation profile. Importantly, the orientation of the grinding wheel and the path speed from the original profile is always calculated so that only the position of the contact point on the cutting edge is compensated – and not the orientation of the grinding wheel. Performing the calculation in this way ensures that the surface quality of the tool is unaffected by the compensation. The form-compensation option is compatible with Numroto version 4.1.2 or later.
For further information www.num.com