Ceratizit says that its new ProACT-Mill UNImax solid-carbide milling cutter is not only powerful and universally applicable, but also environmentally friendly thanks to the resource-efficient manufacturing process of the upGRADE CT-GS20Y grade, part of a particularly sustainable carbide family which the company calls upGRADE.

“What’s special about upGRADE CT-GS20Y is the significantly smaller carbon footprint generated during production compared with carbides from conventional production,” explains Michael Wucher, global technical product manager. “We achieve this using 99% reprocessed cutting tools as the raw material.”

The test results of the new series underline its potential: Ceratizit says that ProACT-Mill milling cutters deliver up to 30% higher performance compared with other universal tools. The newly developed coating, which brings with it additional performance and tool life reserves, further contributes to this level of performance.

A variable helix pitch ensures extremely quiet running and optimum chip removal. The ProACT-Mill UNI has an HB shank for optimal force transmission, while the reinforced tool core ensures even force distribution throughout the milling process.

To ensure stability of the cutting edge, the mill features a radial clearance face. The face-finishing chamfer promises top surface quality with base machining, while cutting edges with an irregular pitch specifically suppress vibration. Ramping milling and helical milling are possible up to an angle of 30°.

The ProACT-Mill UNI with a cutting edge length of 3xDC is particularly suitable for series production and trochoidal machining. Chip breakers in a radial design deliver long tool life and break the chips to a length of 1xD, with even and consistent removal thanks to the special shape of the chip space.

When it comes to maximum material removal rates, the ProACT-Mill UNImax offers special geometry design for depths-of-cut of up to 2xDC.

More information www.ceratizit.com

Cutting tool manufacturer Horn has extended downwards in size its M475 grooving and cut-off milling system. A user could previously select a grooving width of either 5, 6 or 8 mm, but now smaller inserts with a cutting width of 3 or 4 mm are available. In the UK and Ireland, the tools are available via the German manufacturer’s subsidiary in Ringwood, Hampshire.

The M475 system employs precision-ground, indexable inserts with four cutting edges. Positive geometry and a round chip-breaker groove, together with the new RC4G carbide grade, deliver economical, productive machining performance, reports the company. High toughness and hardness enable the machining of steels at elevated cutting speeds. These attributes also serve to increase insert life significantly.

The cutter bodies are available from stock as side, shell and screw-in milling cutters – the two latter variants feature internal coolant supply.

Side milling cutters range in diameter from 80 to 200 mm and have cutting widths of 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8 mm. As shell mills, the tools are available in diameters from 63 to 200 mm and with identical grooving widths. The screw-in cutters are for a groove width of 5 mm and are available 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. Special surface treatment of the tool body offers protection against abrasion from chips.

More information www.phorn.co.uk

With the new WSM13G, WSM23G, WSM33G and WSM43G grades, Walter is expanding its Tiger·tec Gold range for grooving applications and also making it suitable for universal use. The diversity of the new grades ensures their suitability for everything from grooving and parting off to groove-turning, in virtually every material.

Walter developed the multi-layer Tiger·tec Gold PVD insert coating especially for the main types of wear that occur when grooving. The company says that the special performance of the inserts is credit to the combined TiAlN and TiSiN multi-layer coating. This makes the layers of the grades hard and resistant against both flank face wear and plastic deformation.

Complementing the multi-layer coasting is a special post-treatment process that ensures smooth rake faces, less friction and more toughness. Walter is offering the grades in four versions with different levels of hardness or toughness.

The WSM33G universal grade is suitable for 80% of grooving applications in steel, stainless and heat-resistant alloys. If the level of wear is too high, users can choose from two harder grades for ISO M, S and P materials. The WSM13G is suitable for finishing and medium machining with uninterrupted cutting, while the new WSM23G is for stable conditions, high-speed cutting and where machine shops are using oil as the cooling lubricant.

For particularly heat-resistant materials such as Inconel 718, Walter says that the WSM13G grade achieves maximum tool life in combination with 150 bar precision cooling. If a tougher grade is necessary, the WSM43G is suitable for interrupted cutting, machining at low cutting speeds or unstable conditions.

Walter is offering the new grades for all its grooving systems.

More information www.walter-tools.com

Over the past 35 years, the Supermini universal boring system from Horn has undergone numerous development stages to solve problems in a variety of turning applications. The latest enhancement for the Supermini type 105 is a lower cost version of the solid-carbide inserts with chip-breaking geometry included at the sintering stage, rather than laser cutting or grinding them afterwards. Indeed, the price of the new Supermini is similar to that of the standard insert without geometry.

As with these previous machined chip breakers, the new sintered geometry avoids the drawback of long, stringy swarf coiling around the tool or workpiece and potentially causing damage to both. It assists with the internal machining of small diameter holes, whether boring, profile turning, internal grooving, threading, chamfering, face grooving or slot broaching.

Horn developed teardrop shaped carbide blanks for the tool, enabling large, precise contact surfaces in the tool holder and resulting in greater rigidity of the overall system. The teardrop profile also prevents the insert from twisting, which leads to consistent, precise positioning of the centre height of the tool. When using long tool overhangs, it reduces deflection and minimises vibration during turning.

Horn offers the inserts as standard in three lengths (15.0, 20.0 and 25.0 mm) and in carbide grades TH35 and IG35. The tool is suitable for use from a bore diameter of 6 mm, while the edge geometry extends far into the 0.2 mm corner radius of the insert, ensuring good chip control even with small infeed settings. It is possible to process different material groups and the geometry is suitable for internal, face, copy and back turning.More information www.phorn.co.uk

Walter Tools is raising its profile for the machining of lightweight components with the
arrival of its new FMT competence brand. The machining solutions provider is bringing
together its global presence and the technical expertise of lightweight machining specialist
FMT (Frezite Metal Tooling).
In the overall share of processed materials in the manufacturing industry, the proportion of
lightweight materials such as aluminium alloys continues to grow significantly. Machining
specialist Walter has therefore been consistently expanding this area of its portfolio for a
number of years.
The new Walter FMT competence brand showcases the importance of lightweight
machining for Walter to its global customer base and wider industry. It stands for the added
value that Walter says it offers customers through various services from consulting and
planning to implementation and maintenance, and for a trusting partnership that goes far
beyond tools.
As vice president of Walter Lightweight Business Unit, Pedro Pacheco will be responsible for
the new competence brand. He served as the first managing director of FMT from 2006 to
2017 and took over the role again in 2019.
“My focus will be on bringing together the expertise and working methods of FMT and
Walter’s PCD division in the optimal way,” says Pacheco. “We want to increase our reach in
the market significantly and contribute to Walter’s strategic growth targets. I want to create
the right structures and processes to provide current and potential customers with an
attractive offering that enables them to achieve their own economic goals.”

More information www.walter-tools.com