Anca releases latest ToolRoom RN34

Cutting-tool manufacturer Fraisa reduced set up from hours to five minutes through the new tool balancing feature in Anca’s latest ToolRoom RN34.

A specially designed software package for the aerospace, mould and die, general machining and power-generation industries, the product was officially launched at EMO last month. Customers can get improved productivity or minimise chatter through the intuitive design of high performance, complex end mills, says the company.
“ToolRoom RN34 is aimed to be the differentiator among many suppliers of end mills by allowing customers to design complex geometries and achieve increased tool life, productivity and cutting volume, as well as increased quality and precision of the workpiece,” says Thomson Mathew, Anca software product manager.
The constant-helix ball-nose option, for example, is replaced by a graphical drag-and-drop designer. This ball-nose type of tool, with optimised irregular helix curves to reduce vibration, can be achieved with near-instant visualisation by switching from 2D projection of the cutting edge, to 3D.
Douglas Franke, production manager at cutting-tool firm Fraisa, says: “With Anca’s balancing software we generally have a tool balanced within five minutes. Some of our more complex tooling can take a little longer, up to 20 minutes. This drastically decreases our machine set-up time, which could previously take several hours. Our biggest success story has been an aerospace customer who is running our 25 mm roughing tool for aluminium at 25,000 rpm.”
For further information www.anca.com

Tool and insert production at its best

Walter Ewag UK, a member of the United Grinding Group, reports that in addition to displaying a number of tool and insert production/regrinding machines at last month’s EMO exhibition in Hanover, as well as tool-measurement machines, technology developments from both Walter and Ewag continue unabated.

For example, visitors were able to learn about a new laser marking and cleaning station for the Walter Helicheck Plus tool-measurement machine. In addition, included among the myriad of group machines on show, Walter showcased tool grinding/erosion and measurement machines, while Ewag focused on insert production centres and laser-based tool manufacturing.
On display from Walter was the Helitronic Power 400 with Top Loader, a 24 kW spindle machine for the production and regrinding of tools of 3 to 320 mm diameter, and up to 350 mm long. Also on the stand was the Helitronic Power Diamond 400 with Robot Loader, a single machine that can both erode PCD tools and grind carbide tools, even in the same set-up, ranging from 3 to 380 mm diameter, and 520 mm long.
Another Walter machine in the spotlight was the Helicheck Plus tool measurement machine with Robot Loader. The Robot Loader brings effective automation to the unmanned measurement of complex tooling. Depending on tool weight and length, up to 2,000 tools with a maximum weight of 1.5 kg and a maximum length of 280 mm, can be automatically loaded.
From Ewag, visitors could see the Laser Line Ultra, for the ultra-short-pulse laser machining of all cutting materials, including CBN, ceramic, PCD and CVD, accommodating inserts up to 200 mm diameter and up to
250 mm long. The machine features an integrated six-axis robot. The Ewag Profile Line was also on show.
For further information www.walter-machines.com

Peel grinder investment

Huddersfield-based Meltham Carbide Precision has become one of the latest to invest in a Rollomatic CNC peel-grinding machine, which can be acquired in the UK from Advanced Grinding Solutions. Meltham is a specialist manufacturer of plug gauges and components such as punches, mould and core pins, and blank carbide rods for the cutting-tool industry.

Owner-manager Eric Charlesworth had been aware of Rollomatic tool grinders for some time, and had identified a need for grinding his parts to a higher precision and reducing manufacturing times, and in particular removing the need to transfer parts across several different machines to arrive at the finished result.
Having received a demonstration of a Rollomatic machine, Meltham was attracted by to its pinch and peel grinding method, which ensures that the grinding operation is always carried out immediately adjacent to where the component is supported. This capability allows parts with a very large length to diameter ratio to be machined easily, with component lengths of up to 400 times diameter being ground without deflection issues and with diameters controlled to under 0.002 mm.
Just one example of how the machine has improved efficiency is in manufacturing a set of 10 carbide punches of 6.35 mm diameter by 110 mm long with a point, radius and three different diameters carrying 5 μm tolerances.
“This would have taken us a full day to manufacture previously, but now, on the Rollomatic we need just 15 minutes to set up and around 2 hours to grind,” says Charlesworth. “The surface finish is also much better, and the lengths and diameters are all well within tolerance.”
For further information www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk

Wemo to launch US presence

Netherland-headquartered Wemo, a specialist in the design and build of production lines for processing sheet metal, is set to introduce a direct presence in the US.

With sincere thanks, the company has discontinued co-operation with its US agent Automated Fabrication Systems (AFS), and has now deployed a direct team under the auspices of Johan Poorthuis, vice president of business development. The company’s ultimate goal is establish a fully-fledged and independent Wemo North American facility for sales and service.
For further information www.wemomachines.com

Two Vollmer products unveiled at EMO

The white trade fair roof with logo was visible from afar at EMO 2019 last month, guiding visitors to the stand where Vollmer was presenting its latest technologies and innovations. Vollmer unveiled two machines at the show: the VHybrid 360 grinding and erosion machine, and the VGrind 340S grinding machine.

Beginning with the VHybrid 360, this machine can be used to produce solid carbide and PCD cutting tools in a single set up. With the newly devised Vollmer tool manager, users can manage the automatic switching of up to eight grinding or eroding wheels intuitively. VHybrid 360 is based on multi-layer machining, which is implemented through two vertically arranged spindles. The bottom spindle can be used for both grinding and eroding, while the top spindle is reserved exclusively for grinding. Vollmer’s key erosion component is the VPulse EDM generator.
The VGrind 340S grinding machine, suitable for machining even the smallest carbide tools, was also presented in Hanover for the first time. Drills and milling cutters with diameters of 0.3 mm or larger, which are in high demand in the automotive, electronics and medical device sectors, can be sharpened using the VGrind 340S. The machine features two vertical spindles.
Five harmonised CNC axes achieve interpolation with short travel distances for the linear axes and swivel ranges, which in turn reduces the time required to machine workpieces. Solutions for automation, such as pallet magazines or free-arm robots, ensure that machining can continue unattended around
the clock.
For further information www.vollmer-group.com