Big Kaiser adds 360° LED indicator to Base Master

When it comes to tool pre-setting, the Big Kaiser Base Master Mini from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) has proven its credentials, offering precision tool measurement with simplicity. Now, the Base Master Mini is seeing two upgrades.

The first upgrade replaces the single LED indicator on Base Master devices with a 360° light, which makes it easy for operators to see contact from any orientation. Secondly, the Base Master Mini is now available with a side handle, making it easier to use on turning centres with limited operator access.

Base Master Mini has a compact design that allows machine shop personnel to pre-set the offset position quickly and simply, while providing accurate results to a height tolerance of just 5µm. With a standard height of only 20 mm, the device is suitable for small Swiss-type lathes and compact machine tools with little room for manoeuvre.

The Base Master line-up allows use with all types of machine tools and materials, including non-conductive cutting tools. It enables operators to measure workpiece offsets, tool lengths and cutting edges with zero risk of damage or breakage, at sub-millimetre levels.

Three Base Master models are available. The range includes the BM-50H, BM-50GH, BM50-MH, and one Base Master Mini – the BMM-20H. For maximum flexibility in real-world conditions, the Base Master series offers precision with a repeatability of just ±1µm. From a flexibility standpoint, the system has a solid magnetic base that mounts vertically, horizontally, or at any angle. Optionally, the BM-50H is available without a magnet. This configuration is often required to machine additively manufactured workpiece materials.

For Swiss-type turning centres, ITC also offers Big Kaiserhigh-precision hydraulic chucks, which can reduce the time required to replace cutting tools while also improving the safety and repeatability of tool runout.

“We design our products based on the requirements of machine tool builders, so we can be confident there is a solution for any customer need,” says Giampaolo Roccatello, chief sales &marketing officer for Europe at Big Kaiser.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Master Abrasives becomes Supfina distributor

Midlands-based Master Abrasives is now an authorised distributor in the UK and Ireland for Supfina, a Germany-headquartered specialist in superfinishing and grinding machines.Ian Meredith, Master Abrasives’ applications engineering manager, explains: “Whether it is low-volume attachments or complete machining solutions with automation, we will work together with customers to review the existing production structure and meet any improvement requirements. This now includes solutions from Supfina for superfinishing, precision grinding, attachments and automation.”
For further information www.master-abrasives.co.uk

New grooving and cut-off milling system

A new generation of tools for grooving and cut-off milling is now available from tooling manufacturer Horn. The cutter bodies are available from stock as side, shell and screw-in milling cutters; the two latter variants being equipped for internal coolant supply. Special surface treatment offers protection against abrasion from chips.

Horn offers the side milling cutters in diameters from 80 to 200 mm, while thegrooving width is optionally 5, 6 or 8 mm. As shell mills, the tools are available in diameters from 63 to 200 mm and with identical grooving widths. Horn’s screw-in cutters are for a groove width of 5 mm and come in diameters from 40 to 63 mm as standard. The effective number of teeth of depends on tool diameter and ranges from two to 13.

The M475 system employs precision-ground, indexable inserts with four cutting edges. Positive geometry and a round chip-breaker groove together with a new grade, RC4G, deliver economical, productive machining performance. New also is the availability of an RC4 coating applied using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. It provides high toughness and hardness to enable the machining of steels at elevated cutting speeds, leading to increased insert life.
For further information www.phorn.co.uk

Voortman acquires Muller Opladen

Voortman Steel Machinery has completed its acquisition of pipe processing machinery manufacturer, Müller Opladen. The move will allow Voortman to offer even more value to customers while tapping into emerging markets. Müller Opladen manufactures solutions for cutting steel pipes, pressure vessels and structural steel, boasting over a century of market presence. The company has an installed base of over 1000 machines in 70 countries.

Müller Opladen GmbH will continue its operation in Germany, now accessing Voortman’s trusted and recognised network for customer support and consumables. Mark Voortman CEO of Voortman Steel Machinery,says: “The integration of Müller Opladen is an important step forward in meeting the needs of our current and potential customers, and provides a complete product portfolio for profile, plate and pipe processing.”
For further information www.voortman.net

Guhring introduces latestmicro-precision drills

Guhring is extending its range of drills with the arrival of the company’s new Micro Precision Drills. Developed for the precision drilling of challenging materials, Guhring says that its Micro Precision Drills deliver rigidity, stability, performance and precision when drilling small holes.

Manufactured from a sub-micron carbide substrate, the latest drilling line is suitable for use in challenging materials such as stainless steel, heat-resistant steels, titanium and titanium alloys, Inconel, Hastelloy, Monel, copper, brass and bronze alloys. Until now, this range of materials has proven particularly difficult to drill, especially in small diameters from 0.5 to 3mm. What enables the new Guhring Micro Precision Drills to process this wide range of materials is the strong carbide substrate and innovative geometry. The next-generation geometry technology incorporates a ground facet point, concave cutting edge and web thinning – all in one drill.

This combination delivers high performance as the special facet point increases the cutting data, so end users can process holes at higher speeds than ever before. Additionally, the concave cutting edge significantly improves chip evacuation, which is critical for small-hole drilling where swarf clearance can cause performance issues. The new drills also incorporate Guhring’s next-generation coating technology with high heat resistance. This impervious coating technology maximises tool life and performance even when drilling the most difficult of materials, reports the company, retaining edge performance for prolonged periods under demanding conditions.

The h7 diameter tolerance Guhring Micro Precision Drills are available in drilling depths of 3, 6, 10, 15, and 20xD, in 0.05mm increments from 1 to 3mm with additional diameter increments in the range for pre-threading and specialist requirements.
For further information www.guhring.co.uk