New Seco tools help optimise part processing

To overcome various machining challenges and boost productivity, Seco has introduced new extra-long solid-carbide drills,PCBN inserts, round carbide inserts and tool holders. These products are aimed at applications ranging from general ISO turning to high-volume hard turning and deep-hole drilling.

Manufacturers that drill holes at depths from 40xD to 60xD want to lengthen tool life and reduce tooling costs. Here, Seco says that its new X-tra Long solid-carbide drills provide more than 15% more tool life than other available solutions. Innovative tool geometry and coating technology eliminate chipping and sudden breakage, while minimising flank and centre wear.

According to Seco, the company’s two new PCBN insert grades offer optimal performance in the high-volume production of automotive and other industry components. With a substrate grade and proprietary Seco nano-laminate PVD coating,CH1050meets high surface quality requirements, while CH2581 achieves greater process stability and reduced tool breakage with a versatile, forgiving grade for semi-interrupted cuts.

Many round turning inserts suffer from poor chip control, but Seco’s MF2 chipbreaker on RCGT/RCMT inserts maintains favourable chip control at higher speeds and feeds, especially with dynamic turning. One series of stable, durable carbide round insert grades handles a wide range of turning operations from roughing to finish turning.

Seco has also utilised its proprietary 3D-printed coolant clamp to deliver Jetstream Tooling high-pressure cutting fluid directly to the cutting edge. With a range of single-screw coolant clamp options for specific applications and depths of cut, Seco-Capto MTM JETI toolholders for general ISO turningprovide fast set-up and indexing, making chip control less of a challenge on 45° B-axis multi-tasking machines. 
For further information www.secotools.com



Toolmaker dives into cost savings with Guhring

As a family-run business, Canterbury Tools has been involved in the design and manufacture of press tools since it was established almost 50 years ago. To optimise the production of specialist press tools, the Walsall-based subcontract manufacturer utilises cutting tools supplied by Guhring. 

The company specialises in the production of single operation tools, progression tools, transfer tools, as well as components and assemblies for automated and robotic processes in sectors as diverse as agriculture and construction, through to medical, IT, aerospace and automotive.

Canterbury Tools is always looking for opportunities to accelerate performance and productivity. Josh Bennett, operations team leader, says: “When you are cutting materials like D2 tool steel and running intricate forms with a high material removal rate, you can burn through tools quite quickly.”

Based on an ethos of continuous improvement and progressive strategies, the company took notable steps forward after it was introduced to cutting tool manufacturerGuhring at the MACH 2022 exhibition.

“Our first Guhring tool was the Diver series of end mills,” says Bennett.“We trialled the tools and to our surprise they delivered three times the performance of the apparently high-end tooling we were using at the time. From this point onwards, we took Guhring seriously. We found we could increase our cutting depths and stepovers by 1 to 1.5 times and increase our speeds and feeds while achieving a much higher tool life.”

He adds: “With a much higher material removal rate, jobs are on machines for less time, which is massive in the world of CNC machining.Additionally,not having to change the cutters as often reduces the downtime incurred by tool changeovers.”

For further information www.guhring.co.uk

Strong end to 2023 at UR

Universal Robots, the Danish collaborative robot (cobot) company, has reported Q4 revenue of $103m, up 21% on Q4 2022. The quarter was the company’s largest revenue quarter to date.In 2023, Universal Robots experienced strong demand for the first of its heavypayload cobots, the UR20, particularly for palletising and welding applications. In November, the business launched the second model in its new series of cobots, the UR30, which will make new automation possibilities available to customers. The UR20 and UR30 together represented 30% of Q4 revenue.

For further information www.universal-robots.com

CMZ turns over £110m

Spanish lathe builder CMZ says it exceeded all forecasts by achieving a turnover of £110m in the 2023 financial year. Equating to 549 machines delivered at an average delivery rate of 2.52 lathes per day, this historic milestone means the company has beaten all the goals set by its 2021-2023 strategic plan. This plan set out CMZ’s ambition to reach £100m turnover by the end of 2024. Hence, not only has the company beaten this goal by 10%, it has also achieved it a year ahead of schedule. Some 75% of the 549 machines delivered were exported to other countries.

For further information www.cmz.com

UK demand for VERICUT drives changes

Due to continued expansion of the VERICUT user base and increasing demand for CGTech’s CNC machine simulation, verification and optimisation products, the software company has restructured its UK sales operations and expanded its technical support division.Jonathan Hollinworth, formerly UK technical support engineer, moves into a sales position delivering technical sales to existing and prospective customers in the north of England and Scotland.CGTech has also appointed two new technical support engineers: James Williams and Paul Goodson. Bothhave already completed intensive initial training.

For further information www.cgtech.co.uk