Internal grooving systems feature coolant

Horn Cutting Tools has launched two grooving systems for the internal machining of bores. System 209 is intended for bores of diameter 16 mm and above, while system 216 machines bores greater than or equal to 20 mm diameter.

The two systems make use of tool holders with internal cooling. A robust shank with elliptical cross-section of the boring-bar neck ensures high-performance damping, says the company. The ground shanks, of g6 quality, are available in left- or right-hand design.
Coolant flows from a nozzle in the clamping finger and from the side of the tool holder. The two jets cool the cutting zone and remove chips from the inside of the workpiece.
Precision-sintered, indexable, two-edged inserts with cutting widths from 2 to 6 mm are available in geometries .5, .1A and .KF for cutting medium-strength materials. All three geometries are said to offer good chip control and targeted chip breaking, even on long-chipping materials.
System 209 tool holders with a shank diameter of 16 mm allow retraction distances of up to 30 mm in conjunction with a grooving depth of 3.5 mm. For bores with a diameter of 18 mm or above, a more stable shank diameter of 20 mm, also with a retraction distance of 30 mm, can be used to achieve a grooving depth of 5 mm. The 216 system tool holders, with a shank diameter of 20 or 25 mm, enable grooving depths down to 7 mm at a projection length of 2xD.
For further information www.phorn.co.uk

New standard in drilling

Mapal says it has set a new standard in drilling with its Tritan-Drill range (featuring three cutting edges) which is being gradually expanded. For instance, a new universal version, made from HSS, has been specifically developed to maximise cost effectiveness in small-series production.

Thanks to the shape of its main cutting edge, the Tritan-Drill-HSS is robust, even in difficult drilling situations, says the company. Stable cutting edge corners mean that damage to the edge geometry is reduced, which allows for both greatly improved results and smooth machining. The coating of the Tritan-Drill-HSS is optimised for universal machining. As a result, the drill can be used for different materials while maintaining a long tool life, reports Mapal.
According to the company, the Tritan-Drill-HSS can achieve feeds up to 50% higher than twin-edged HSS drills, while at the same time has a tool life that is up to four times longer. Due to the special point geometry of the Tritan-Drill-HSS, piloting and centre-punching are not necessary. The tool can also be used on hand drills, with the pronounced drill tip preventing it from slipping over the chisel edge (in contrast to drills with two cutting edges).
Mapal’s Tritan Drill-HSS is available in a diameter range from 8 to 40 mm.
For further information www.mapal.com

Alitech races to success with ITC

As a subcontract machine shop, Alitech Precision is a company that is rapidly evolving, a fact credit to its aggressive investment programme, enthusiasm and love for all things motorsport. Since its inception little over three years ago, the Silverstone-based company has purchased three Haas machining centres, Open Mind CAM software, a Spinner five-axis machining centre and cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).

A recent example of the partnership between Alitech and ITC could be seen when it came to the profile machining of deep port pockets. Here, it was ITC that stepped up to the challenge with its lollipop cutters. The majority of projects undertaken by Alitech involve the complex, simultaneous five-axis machining of parts such as billet inlet manifolds, valve seats, inlet port heads, billet turbo manifolds and much more. Reaching deep into ports is a complex challenge for the machine tool kinematics, the CAM software, the cutting tools and tool holding. At the sharp edge are ITC 4101 lollipop end mills that permit Alitech to reach surfaces around corners and deep inside manifold ports.
Commenting upon the daily challenges at Alitech, managing director Darren Cudd says: “We recently machined a billet turbo manifold for a motorsport customer that required two 40 mm diameter oval shaped port holes with a curved machining depth beyond 200 mm. We used an 8 mm diameter ITC lollipop cutter necked to 5 mm that was protruding 70 mm from a slim 80 mm heat-shrink tool holder extension with a 75 mm long back-end configuration. The rigidity and geometry of the ITC lollipop tools ensure we attain an exceptional surface finish while machining at extremely productive speed and feed parameters.”
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Powertrain merger

The Gehring Group and CopperING Group have united their global product portfolio and established themselves as a supplier for production systems in both the conventional and electrified powertrain segments.

Gehring, as a global automotive supplier with more than 90 years of experience, is said to be the technology leader for honing cylinders in combustion engines. CopperING, with locations in Wernigerode (Germany) and Nuvolera (Italy), has extensive experience as a manufacturer of production technology in the field of electrical powertrains.
For further information www.gehring.de

MBO deal

Mid-market private equity investor LDC has backed the £22.5m MBO of Precision Micro Ltd, a photo-chemical etching company, from global aerospace, defence and energy group Meggitt PLC.

As part of the deal, LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, has invested £13m of equity for a significant stake in the company, supporting a management team led by current managing director Ian McMurray. Operating from its plant in Erdington, Birmingham, Precision Micro manufactures more than 50 million precision metal components each year for global customers across multiple markets.
For further information www.precisionmicro.com