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

To provide manufacturers with versatility and high value, Seco has launched its X-Head quick-change replaceable milling head system. With the new solution, users can quickly and easily change between various solid-carbide milling geometries and types to optimise milling operations while reducing manufacturing costs and tooling inventories.

The milling heads mount to a variety of available shank lengths for even greater versatility, with short and long-reach capability for a variety of overhang lengths. Head changes only require a simple turn of a wrench, eliminating the need to remove the holder from the machine to change the cutter. Users also eliminate the need to reset tool lengths thanks to a secure and reliable connection that provides exchange accuracies within 50 µm.

According to Gary Meyers, Seco’s product manager for solid milling, shops must often purchase many different end mills and holders to machine different features on a workpiece, adding higher project costs.

“The Seco X-Head quick-change replaceable milling head system adapts to various machining needs with a range of geometries and types but without additional holders,” he says.

With 194 types of available cutting heads, users can choose between different cutters for multiple operations, as well as between specific high-performance, versatile high-performance and universal-type geometries. Seco also offers metric and inch products for heads and shanks.
For further information www.secotools.com