New grooving, slotting and parting-off system

MaxiMill-Slot-SX is the new grooving, slotting and parting-off system from Ceratizit, where through-coolant capability provides the highest levels of process security and optimum performance, even for diameters as large as 250 mm.

Ceratizit developed MaxiMill-Slot-SX, based on existing grooving inserts from its SX system, making it suitable for use on almost all materials in the ISO P, M, K, N and S categories. As for tool holders, customers can select from standard DIN connections, threads or shell mill adapters, ensuring the cutters are compatible with all machining centres, milling machines and turning centres.

Key to the development of MaxiMill-Slot SX is the addition of internal coolant supply up to cutter diameter 250 mm. Swarf control is vital in these applications, meaning through-coolant brings significant advantages. Potential damage to the cutter or component is eliminated, extending tool life, along with time savings gained by not having to remove swarf from grooves by hand. These issues are compounded the deeper a slot or parting-off operation goes.

One other aspect of MaxiMill-Slot SX that Ceratizit says elevates it above its competitors is its ease of insert changes. Simple handling is essential to smooth changeovers and here the MaxiMill – Slot SX makes use of Ceratizit’s patented SX clamping key when changing inserts. The lever design of the SX clamping key reduces insert change times while ensuring the correct clamping force, thus eliminating the risk of over tightening, stressing or deforming the insert seat, guaranteeing that the insert is secure in a precise and stable position.
For further information www.ceratizit.com

Okuma Europe open house

How can automation help save energy and costs? What innovations do Okuma machines offer that allow the quick manufacture of all kinds of parts with high precision while simultaneously saving resources? What contribution is Okuma technologies making towards decarbonisation in production? Okuma Europe will be providing answers to these questions and more from 25 to 27 October at its open house in Krefeld, Germany. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a guided tour, taking guests through the warehouse, engineering centre and showroom. The English-language guided tour will start at 13:00.
Register at openhouse2022.okuma.eu

Busbar coating project success

HV Wooding has secured new business and is investing in additional production capabilities as a result of a research collaboration with the Nuclear AMRC. Over the past year, the company has been working with materials and engineering researchers from the Nuclear AMRC and other parts of the University of Sheffield to improve the quality of busbars manufactured at its site in Hythe, Kent. The project, supported by Innovate UK through the Faraday Battery Challenge, aimed to develop a new powder coating process to improve the quality and performance of electric vehicle busbars.
For further information www.hvwooding.co.uk

Gühring launches stainless steel parting-off system

Gühring has expanded its grooving and parting-off to include a new grade with a blade width of 3 mm for parting-off stainless steel materials. The System 222 expansion adds to the company’s existing indexable inserts for steel materials. With two cutting edges and a length of 22 mm, the new indexable insert is suited to parting off all common bar diameters.
The enhanced series also offers an extensive range of clamping holders with and without an internal coolant facility.

Many production facilities are seeing an increase in demand for stainless steel in particular, notably in sectors that include medical, automotive and general mechanical engineering. With this rise in demand – and following the successful launch of its 3 mm indexable insert for steel machining – Gühring has therefore developed the new indexable insert for stainless steel materials. In series production, this insert is suitable for parting-off operations on turning centres with a bar-feed system. As parting-off is frequently the last application in a machining cycle, process reliability is critical. If the tool breaks, the finished component could be subject to damage at its point of highest value (after significant machining time). For this reason, it is important to use an insert with application-optimised geometry, material composition and coating.

In one customer machining example, a feed-rate increase from 0.06 to 0.08 mm resulted in a reduction in machining time using the same cutting speed. With a series run of 15,000 components, the customer made a time saving of more than five hours. Despite the higher feed rate, the Gühring solution created 40% more parts per insert edge with a 25% productivity gain.
For further information www.guhring.co.uk

Apprentices reach WorldSkills national finals

Four MTC Training apprentices have reached the national finals of the 2022 WorldSkills UK competition, which takes place in November. Two learners from the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre and two from Oxfordshire Advanced Skills beat competition from across the country to qualify for the finals.

Jack Leonard and Omar Awaad, first-year apprentices at FANUC UK and Regent Engineers Leicester, are finalists in the Industrial Robotics competition, while second-year apprentices Darren Mitchard and Tony Yarinakis from the Science and Technology Facilities Council will compete in the CNC Milling final. All four are completing the Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeship Standard delivered by MTC Training, which is part of the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
For further information www.the-mtc.org