FEATURE ON TOOLING

Fivefold increase in machine productivity

Having over 50 years of experience in engineering, Team Inc (UK) is a company that specialises in leak-sealing services and solutions. With offices in Carlisle and throughout the UK, Team Inc has grown into a global brand with a reputation that extends from here to its headquarters in the US.

Among the company’s best-selling components are high-pressure injection adapters, which are finish-machined using reamers against a 24/7 schedule. The reamers used previously to machine these high-pressure injection adapters, made from high-tensile alloy steel (A193B7 and A320-L7), allowed Team UK’s engineers to produce between 1500-2000 parts a year. However, reamer wear was prone to causing component damage, leading to scrapped materials and waste. Ceratizit therefore recommended its Fullmax reamer.

Cutting data for the new reaming process was 1722 rpm with a feed rateof 1722 mm/min (1 mm per revolution feed). Saving 50 seconds per component, Team UK managed to increase its throughput to between 8000 and 10,000, equating to a fivefold increase in productivity.

Ceratizit’s new Fullmax Reamer also meant that fewer components saw damage during the process. As another benefit, whereas the new Fullmax Reamers show when they need replacing, there was no way for engineers to tell if the old reamers were wearing.

Chris Mitchell, manufacturing manager at Team UK, says:“Normally, when you want to increase process efficiency as much as this, there is a huge expense either through providing more manpower or buying expensive equipment. However, the new reamer was actually cheaper than the one we were using previously and it has provided a fivefold increase in the production of this adapter, which is absolutely outstanding. As well as this, it has virtually eradicated any waste in terms of scrapping parts.”
For further information www.ceratizit.com

Howells on track forsuccess with ITC

Founded in 1946 as a radio and TV repair shop, Howells Railway Products has travelled a long way since its early days. Today the company has an extensive list of marque clients that include household names like Siemens, Network Rail, Alstom, Transport for London, Bombardier, Babcock Rail and others. To work at the cutting edge of technology, Howells Railway Products has added a new 40,000 sq ft CNC machine shop with 26 Haas machine tools and cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).

The company has worked with ITC since 2018. A recent project saw ITC introduce the Widia line of indexable cutting tools with modular drills and high-feed shell mills on CLA3 alloy steel castings (end bracket components for rail stretcher bars).

A 63 mm Widia M8065HD face mill set about removing 6 mm of excess casting stock in a single pass as part of a facing and shoulder milling process. With the previous high-feed face mill removing material at a rate of 1mm per pass, the M8065HD significantly improved cycle time.

Always looking to take productivity gains to the next level, ITC then introduced the benefits of aBig Kaiser system to the end bracket components, helping to produce an 88.1mm diameter bore at a depth of 65mm. Previously performed using a 50mm diameter indexable shell mill helical interpolating inside the bore, the process took 3 minutes 30 seconds.

The idea to change the process from helical interpolation to a plunging application paid dividends using a Big Kaisertwin-bore tooling system (SW rough boring head). Howells Railway Products runs the twin-bore head at 542rpm and 81mm/min feed rate, reducing the cycle time by 2 minutes 50 seconds per part.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Floyd presents cool solution for ‘crazy milling’

Now available in the UK from Floyd Automatic Tooling is the new CrazyMill Cool Micro series of micro end mills manufacturing by Mikron Tool. With micro-machining applications increasingly commonplace in the electronics, medical, optics, automotive, aerospace and defence sectors, Floyd Automatic says the high-performance CrazyMill Cool Micro end mills are a game-changer.

For the first time, engineers at Mikron Tool have successfully transferred high-performance cutting tool geometries to micro-dimension end mills. Suitable for operations as diverse as sidemilling, helical interpolation, slot milling and drilling, the CrazyMill Cool Micro is available with three or four flutes, diameters from 0.2 to 1mm, and effective cutting lengths of 3xD and 5xD. The high-quality micro-grain carbide grade permits the grinding of special filigree geometries that maximise strength and performance, minimising the potential for tool breakages, especially when machining challenging materials.

The combination of innovative geometries, the high-quality carbide grade and a patented new cooling concept deliver double the tool life performance and three times higher productivity levels than rival product lines, reports Floyd Automatic. Integrated through-coolant channels guarantee high levels of cooling. Furthermore, with a cooling channel for each of the three or four flutes, swarf evacuation issues in micro-machining applications are now a thing of the past.

Also introduced is coating technology that prevents the loss of sharp edges which can be so critical in micro-machining applications. The new arrivals are available with an S geometry for machining stainless steel, steel, cast iron, non-ferrous metals and titanium alloys, while the SX geometry type is suited for particularly challenging materials such as Inconel, Monel, and CoCr alloys.
For further information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

New thread cutting and forming tap range

Seco Tools has expanded its range of tapping solutions with the launch of a new thread-cutting and forming taps product line.

The versatile newrange encompasses three performance levels that allow manufacturers to cost-effectively match the right tap to their particular application. According to Seco, the combination of superior base materials, advanced coatings and special edge preparations mean that thetaps generate precision threads while providing effective chip evacuation, shorter set-up times and longer tool life.

“With the launch of the new line of thread-cutting and forming taps, we now offer customers a one-stop solution for high-quality taps at competitive prices,” says Radoslaw Zdanowski, global product manager at Seco Tools. “In addition to this affordability, we maintain the same high quality in these taps that our customers have come to expect from Seco.”

The three performance levels encompass the product designations of T32 and T34 in thread-cutting taps and T33 in forming taps. At the base level are universal general-purpose type taps. The second T34 mid-level range consists of higher performance taps that work well in a variety of workpiece materials, making them especially suitable for high-mix/low-volume production environments with constantly changing parts and materials. The top performance level comprises material-specific thread-cutting and forming taps, such as those optimised for steel or other advanced materials.

The main benefits of matching the right tap to the application include extended tool life that is consistent and predictable to reduce the risk of unexpected tap breakage and scrapping parts after hours of machining have been invested. Additionally, a range of tap performance levels ensures manufacturers only pay for the level of tap performance they actually need.
For further information www.secotools.com

Multi-tooth PCD cutter for high-speed finishing

A new, high-feed milling system forfinishing non-ferrous metals and plastics is now available from Horn Cutting Tools. Designated DTM 1710, the tool system employs inserts with PCD cutting edges brazed onto cassettes that allow fine axial tuning to micron precision via adjusting screws on the tool carrier. The PCD substrate is laser-cut to achieve high surface quality during the finishing process. Axial run-out is set by Horn engineers before tool delivery.

Compared with other tools of this type on the market, Horn says its milling system offers a higher number of cutting edges for any given size. The tools are available in the diameters 50 mm (z = 10), 63 mm (z = 14), 80 mm (z = 18), 100 mm (z = 24) and 125 mm (z = 30), with z representing the number of inserts. All variants have internal coolant supply.

To achieve a high-quality machined finish on the workpiece and enable use at high speeds, the tool must be in balance with the tool holder, for which purpose balancing holes are available around the cutter body. Furthermore,the combination of machine design, guideways, spindle and work-holding system, as well as the milling tool, have a decisive influence on the result.

The aluminium alloy milling body is lightweight, minimising centrifugal force and hence prolonging spindle life. For long-term protection against abrasion from chips, the cutter body is surface treated.The Horn high-performance PCD cutting material comprises a mixture of different diamond grain sizes. As the proportion of diamond by volume increases, so does the effective hardness, toughness and cutting edge quality. For the DTM 1710 milling system, Horn offers two different PCD substrates to suit the workpiece material.
For further information www.phorn.co.uk