Rainford Precision will be emphasising exactly why the company is regarded as a micro-machining expert at the Manufacturing Solutions Ireland exhibition this week. Prominently positioned on Stand 8 in the Lobby Zone, the company will give attendees at the event an insight into why Rainford Precision has bespoke solutions for companies in niche Irish manufacturing segments.

On 11-12 June at the Technological University of Shannon (TUS) in Limerick, Rainford will present technology like the Kern range of five-axis machining centres and cutting tools from global brands.

Kern is renowned for its precision with machine tools that comfortably achieve precision and repeatability levels of ±1 µm during five-axis machining. At the event, experts from Rainford Precision will be presenting the speed, precision and productivity of Kern machines while discussing the multitude of machine installations and applications at some of the most stringently regulated and precision-driven industries in the manufacturing sector.

Rainford Precision will also present its latest cutting tool solutions from brands such as Union Tool, Louis Bélet, Delmeco, Gloor, HOBE, Osawa, DTS, Iwata, 6C Tools, Swissceramill and ATOM. The respective partners specialise in the manufacture of drills, end mills, reamers, boring bars, thread mills and slitting saws.

Within this diverse portfolio are tools for specialist applications and material types, such as the Hufschmied brand of milling tools. The Graftor series of end mills (pictured) from Hufschmied is specifically for machining graphite, and the range can double productivity rates and tool life when compared with rival tools, reports Rainford Precision.

More information www.rainfordprecision.com

Seco has expanded and updated its portfolio of threading taps with the addition of two specialised and general-purpose tool families. The company’s new T30 taps increase flexibility and reliability across a wide range of materials, while the new T35 taps deliver high threading performance for specific materials to optimise high-volume production environments.
Seco T35 taps include options for various material groups, including T35-P for alloyed steels, T35-K for cast irons, T35-H for tough, abrasive materials and T35-N for aluminium. T35-P, T35-K and T-35H taps all feature a TiAlSiN coating applied via HiPIMS technology. This design provides a smooth, hard and crack-resistant surface for wear resistance and long, predictable tool life.

According to Seco, T35-N taps achieve “excellent tool life and part quality in aluminium thanks to smooth, large flutes that facilitate efficient chip formation and evacuation”.

Seco product manager Radoslaw Zdanowski says: “Manufacturers that need to thread a high volume of holes within a specific material group will find significant value in the T35 family. By applying a T35 tap matched to the part material, shops will gain longer tool life and threading reliability, resulting in increased process security and improved cost performance.”

Suitable for high-mix, low-volume production, Seco T30 taps feature a universal geometry for use across many materials. The flexibility of T30 tools allows shops to simplify their tooling inventory by replacing rarely used specialised tools that are tailored to specific applications.

More information www.secotools.com

Walter is introducing a range of modular solid-carbide circular interpolation milling cutters for slot milling. The tools can be utilised with four interchangeable head versions featuring either three or six crosswise arranged teeth.

While Walter says it is already in a strong position in terms of large diameters with its established milling cutters, the new modular circular interpolation milling cutters offer a wide range of smaller hole diameters from 6.7 to 39.7 mm. These specialist tools are suitable for the slot milling, chamfering and grooving of circlip grooves in accordance with DIN 472. The tools can cut many different materials, from aluminium, steel, stainless steel and hardened steel to materials with difficult cutting properties, such as cast iron.

The circular interpolation milling cutters owe their versatility to different options for combining the four exchangeable heads with Weldon or cylindrical shanks made from steel or solid carbide. Notably, the HiPIMS coating on the exchangeable heads is important in extending tool life. The coating’s wear resistance reduces tool change times and boosts productivity in conjunction with the six-toothed design.

In addition to general engineering, the tools are suitable for applications in the aerospace, automotive and hydraulic industry sectors, to list but a few. Users can reduce their inventory due to the flexibility and variety of different versions. Furthermore, manufacturers are able to benefit from specific Walter services such as the integration of the new circular interpolation milling cutters in the company’s GPS machining software, which is already complete. This makes it possible for users to generate the 3D data and cutting data for the cutters directly for their programming applications.

More information www.walter-tools.com

Mitsubishi Materials has launched a range of small boring bars for Swiss-type automatic lathes. The whole series of these new boring bars is available in both solid carbide and steel. The inclusion of both types provides a choice for end users and offers the benefits of deeper boring capability due to the extra rigidity of the carbide type. Additionally, not all components need an extra deep hole carbide shank, so the cost-effective steel bar is also available in all types.

The lengths of the tools are compatible with Swiss-type automatic lathes. This ready made to length feature negates the costly and time-consuming process of cutting the shanks of standard tools to a shorter length to prevent interference.

A comprehensive selection of hard steel bars has recently been introduced to the range. Notably, the hard steel body is effective in preventing damage and wear caused by chip evacuation. The  hard steel types are available in diameters ranging from 4 to 10 mm for the 7º SCLC, STUC, SDUC, SDQC and SWUC types of holder, and for the 11º types SCLP and STUP.

A vast range of different carbide bar diameters, ranging from 4 to 32 mm diameter with a minimum pre-boring diameter of 5 to 34 mm are available for the 7º SCLC, STUC, SDUC,

SDQC and SWUC types of holder, and for the 11º types SCLP and STUP.

Steel bars ranging from 12 to 32 mm diameter with a minimum pre-boring diameter of 14 to 40 mm are also available in 7º SCLC, STUC, SDUC, SDQC and SWUC types of holder, and for the 11º types SCLP and STUP.

More information www.mmc-carbide.com

Vollmer UK has launched the new VLaser 370 machine for processing precision cutting tools manufactured from ultra-hard materials such as PCD, CVD and PCBN. The company says its new arrival makes Vollmer the industry’s first ‘full-line’ manufacturer with technology that encompasses the disciplines of grinding, erosion, wire erosion and laser cutting.

Incorporating advanced kinematics with smooth movement, future-proofed components and high thermal stability, the VLaser 370 is for the production of cutting tools with a diameter of up to 150 mm, an overall length of 250 mm and a maximum weight of 10 kg. Users can automate production with the adoption of the proven HC4 or HC4 Plus systems that facilitate up to 158 or 160 tools, respectively.

Vollmer says the machine is already proven to be up to 50% more productive than rival technology in field tests, while delivering forms as precise as 0.002 mm. Notably, the concept of the VLaser 370 is that everything rotates around the laser at the rotation point of the C axis. The five axes and a laser with fixed-beam guidance enable fast and precise machining at the centre point of the machine.

From an ease-of-use perspective, the VLaser 370 enables direct clamping of tools in the A axis regardless of tool length. The VLaser 370 improves handling and accuracy by eliminating the need for tool extensions. Additionally, the ability to incorporate a counterpoint enhances stability and precision further, especially when processing long tools that demand the utmost precision.

For anyone already familiar with the Vollmer EDM operational system, the VLaser will prove a breeze. With the same operating philosophy, the intelligent and intuitive interface enables the transfer of programs from existing Vollmer EDM machines.

More information www.vollmer-group.com