Inspiration Through Innovation 2024

Inspiration Through Innovation returns on 16-17 October, marking a decade of
breakthrough collaborations in aerospace and medical manufacturing. This year’s event
promises cutting-edge insights into overcoming shared challenges, bringing together
industry leaders, innovators and experts at the UK Innovation Hub of Seco Tools in Alcester.
With dynamic discussions, insightful seminars, live machining and digital demonstrations,
the spotlight will be on transformative strategies and best practices in manufacturing. Seco
Tools is inviting visitors to attend the free event and explore advancements in machining
components such as turbine discs, hip cups, femoral stems and A-frames, with insights from
leaders at the forefront of the aerospace and medical sectors.
More information www.bit.ly/3ZVjxau

Floyd releases Schwanog centre drilling system

Now available in the UK from Floyd Automatic Tooling is the new Schwanog interchangeable indexable centre drilling system. Developed to improve the productivity, precision and positioning of drilled holes, the new centre drill system prevents drills from drifting and maintains a chamfer on the drilled hole.

Suitable for everything from one-offs to high-precision series production runs, the Schwanog centre drilling system provides ±0.01 mm repeatability during insert changeovers thanks to an insert pocket seat that locates and clamps the insert. The tool body is available in a range of lengths and diameters to suit application requirements, providing flexibility to accommodate a host of machine tools and application types.

The ‘quick-change’ design of the inserts results in less time spent changing inserts. Schwanog claims that when combined with the tool geometry, the rapid-change system on the new drilling system guarantees a 40% increase in productivity.

Schwanog centre drill designs range from a 60 to 140° point angle and, depending on the workpiece material, it is possible to apply a wide variety of carbide grades and coatings. Users can machine materials that range from aluminium, brass and copper through to steel, stainless and heat-resistant aerospace grade alloys such as Inconel and titanium.

To further enhance the flexibility of the Schwanog centre drill, customers can request interchangeable drill bodies to suit both left-hand and right-hand operations. Furthermore, to enhance flexibility and ease-of-use, customers to utilise the same tool holder for left and right-hand application. Upon request, customers can order the Schwanog centre drill system with edge preparation to reduce potential chatter that may occur with challenging material types. 

More information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Tiny turning products offer huge results

Tungaloy-NTK UK is giving the small turned-parts industry a ‘shot-in-the-arm’ with a multitude of offers on its latest range of turning technologies. As part of its 2024 promotional offering, the company has a number of special offers that range across the company’s small-part turning, high-feed milling and indexable drilling lines, including the DuoForceCut, MiniV-LockGroove, FaceMiniCut and TinyInternalCut series.

Designed for CNC sliding-head turning centres and cam-driven lathes, DuoForceCut is for turning parts up to 12 mm in diameter. It has the ability to undertake parting-off, front and back turning, threading, and grooving. As part of the 2024 promotional offer, Tungaloy-NTK UK is giving away a free tool holder when customers buy 10 inserts.

For machining intricate and detailed components, Tungaloy-NTK UK has introduced its MiniV-LockGroove range of high-precision grooving and threading tools. Tungaloy-NTK UK is offering manufacturers the opportunity to buy a pack of 10 inserts and get a free tool holder or buy 10 inserts and get one CHP tool holder or CHP head with an additional 50% discount.

The FaceMiniCut is for grooving applications up to 9 mm deep. It features a rigid insert clamping system, as well as inserts with a sharp cutting edge, optimised geometry featuring a chip ‘redirector’ and an advanced SH7025 PVD grade. Again, Tungaloy-NTK UK is giving machine shops the opportunity to try the new system with an offer to buy 10 inserts and receive a corresponding tool holder free-of-charge.

Completing the seasonal offer on small turning tools is the TinyInternalCut series for internal grooving and thread turning in bores down to 5 mm diameter. Customer can buy a pack of 10 inserts and get a corresponding tool holder for free.

More information www.tungaloy.com

Mitsubishi releases tough grade MC6135

Mitsubishi is expanding its MC6100 range of inserts to include MC6135, a tough grade for

applications that range from continuous turning through to rough and interrupted cutting. This new grade will complement the existing range and provide end users with a choice to machine a vast array of steels and of different applications.

MC6135 utilises crystal-orientation control technology that enables thinner but

still impact-resistant coatings for improved chipping and wear resistance. Such features are optimal for use on the tough MC6135 grade. Additionally, the coating is 50% thinner compared with previous types.

In cutting trials of interrupted cutting on DIN 41CrMo4 material, Mitsubishi found the tool life of MC6135 to be 20% more than conventional grades.

Regarding the existing range, MC6115 is a CVD-coated turning grade for steel workpieces that is capable of high-speed machining with its high levels of cutting edge stability. MC6125 grade is versatile, enabling an easy first choice start point when choosing an insert for turning steels and thereby reducing inventory levels.

Both grades have CVD coatings that provide the double benefit of cutting edge stability

and long tool life for machining a wide range of steels, reports the company. MC6115 has the combination of a high hardness base material and new thick Al2O3 outer coating with

improved wear and peeling resistance at high temperatures, while MC6125 has the combination of a tough base material and the advantages of Al2O3 coating. It also has higher peeling resistance and cutting edge stability, achieved through the application of super Tough-Grip technology. This enhances adhesion between the Al2O3 and TiCN base coating layers.

More information www.mmc-carbide.com

Mapal empowers aluminium machining at AMB

Empower Your Aluminium Machining’ was the motto of Mapal’s presence at this year’s AMB trade fair in Stuttgart last month. Among the product innovations on show was a new patent-pending bayonet-type connection for replaceable-head milling systems. Users benefit from easy handling, a rigid connection and optimum cooling.

The functional principle is simple: users insert the replaceable head and rotate it by 90°

to lock it in place, which is significantly easier than with a threaded system. The bayonet system achieves high rigidity and good force distribution thanks to the large cylinder face connection.

Mapal also presented a new holder design with a ring of cooling channel bores for a higher cooling volume. The coolant is channelled directly to the cutting edges, increasing tool service life and machining quality. Notably, the greater rigidity of the milling heads improves form and position tolerances, while simultaneously enhancing process smoothness and tool life.

Another innovation in the spotlight helps to protect aeroplanes against lightning strikes, where all parts require connection in an electrically conductive manner. For this purpose, paint requires removal in the area of drill bores during assembly. Mapal can now offer a tool with a patented micro-stop cage for this so-called spot facing, which replaces conventional brushes. The tool also performs countersinking, chamfering and deburring.

The new Mapal spot-facing tool, a plug-and-play solution, rotates in a micro-stop cage and only protrudes as far as the material that requires removal. With its long service life, one tool can replace several hundred brushes and is therefore not only reliable, but also economical.

When used for deburring, the cutting edges are completely inside the cage, leaving 0.1 mm of the burr. The depth stop is also useful for countersinking or chamfering.

More information www.mapal.com