Customers of Seco Tools can now reduce the time they need for process optimisation with quick, expert tooling recommendations through the recently redesigned Suggest, a free online resource available 24/7.

As machining jobs become more complex, tolerances tighter, delivery times shorter and skilled operators harder to find, shops need reliable access to advice that helps them find the most efficient tooling solutions. After a user enters key information about their machines and application requirements, Suggest sends authoritative recommendations and cutting data in less than a minute.

Suggest provides real-time access to Seco product information and recommended cutting data for most of the company’s products, enabling shops to minimise cycle times.

“Any reduction in machining time helps machining companies to maintain competitive advantages, but traditional cutting-tool selection can be difficult and time-consuming, especially for less-experienced operators,” says Gerrit Kremer, global product manager – digital product services, at Seco Tools.

As more than one tooling solution can address each machining application, Suggest also lists alternative products that may be a better fit for a user’s unique prerequisites. For machine shops that need to optimise thread programming, Suggest accompanies application details with fully optimised CNC code.

Newly optimised for even easier use, Suggest helps machine shops get cutting data and tooling recommendations quickly and accurately. With this comprehensive solution to questions about cutting strategies, customers can leverage the expertise of Seco Tools to achieve their best production results.

For further information
www.secotools.com

The recently released Widia M8065HD indexable milling platform performs heavy-duty milling operations in steel and cast iron materials. Designed with eight cutting edges and extra wide chip gashes, the M8065HD is capable of achieving large depths of cuts while producing high metal removal rates during face-milling applications.

“Face milling is one of the most common machining operations, so we designed a versatile and cost-effective solution that delivers substantial improvements in metal removal rates in steel and cast iron,” says Christine Schneider, Widia senior global portfolio manager.

Engineered to feature a 65° approach angle with a 6.35 mm thick insert, the M8065HD has one universal insert geometry in three versatile grades: WP35CM, WK15CM and WU20PM. All inserts have a 2.37 mm wiper facet to provide reliability and surface finish. These key design features coupled with eight cutting edge inserts enable customers to reduce overall machine set-up times and inventory costs by utilising one tool for multiple operations.

M8065HD indexable milling cutters are available in nine metric diameter ranges between 50 mm and 315 mm, and one insert geometry. Orders for the M8065HD bodies and inserts, as well as other Widia metal-cutting tooling, can be placed through Widia-authorised distribution partners.

For further information
www.widia.com

Dental Direkt, a full-service provider of dental laboratory equipment, has added a shrinking and presetting solution from Haimer for manufacturing its dental prosthetic parts. Set-up for the company’s Swiss-type automatic lathes is now many times faster, leaving the machines free for more valuable machining time.

Machines on site include precision turning and milling machines, as well as eight Tornos Swiss-type automatic lathes from the Swiss GT 13 and GT 26 product series with bar feeders. The Tornos machines primarily produce high-precision laboratory and implant screws, titanium base bonds and individual abutments.

What was not so important with smaller quantities initially became significant due to growing demand for turned parts and their number of variants. The set-up times for Swiss-type automatic lathes were too long for economical production.

“We now handle 37 different implant connections, which reduces our batch sizes to only around 600-1000 parts, “states Jakob Röttger, head of technical sales. “On average, this means that we have to re-tool the machines every second day.”

Dental Direkt determined that the best way forward would be the purchase of a tool presetter, which allows the tools to be set outside of the machine tool and in turn, ensure it remains running. The firm put out a call for tender to various manufacturers but ultimately decided in favour of a solution from Haimer.

The suggestion by Haimer was to invest in its Microset UNO 20/40 tool presetting and Power Clamp Nano NG i4.0 shrink-fit solution.

This combination ensures the highest accuracy, as well as a rapid and reliable presetting process, saving approximately eight minutes per cutter when retooling on the machine.

Röttger says: “The Haimer system has made it possible for us to reduce our set-up times by 50%.”

For further information
www.haimer.biz

Unstable conditions and long overhangs often lead to vibration, poor thread surfaces and even fractures during thread-milling processes. With the TC630 Supreme orbital thread milling cutter, Walter is presenting the first solid-carbide thread milling cutter with DeVibe anti-vibration technology.

Incorporating an anti-vibration land on the flank face, the tool is stabilised during machining, thus suppressing vibration. The patent-pending DeVibe technology ensures excellent operational smoothness and enables usable lengths up to 4xDN, which is suitable for small threads, long overhangs, unstable conditions or difficult materials.

In these difficult areas of machining, creating and maintaining dimensional accuracy is also desirable which, according to Walter, is where the cutter’s overall design and geometry deliver results. With only one row of cutting edges engaged at a time, the design addresses tool deflection to ensure the thread remains cylindrical. The moderate number of teeth also enables a high feed per tooth, enhancing the wear resistance already created by the carefully selected cutter substrate and coating.

The Supreme milling cutter for blind-hole and through-hole threads has a broad application range that covers all ISO materials up to 48 HRc. Metric thread sizes from M1.6 to M20 are in the standard programme, while also in the range are cutters for metric fine pitch threads, UNC, UNF and STI UNF. The latter is primarily suited to aerospace applications.
With the TC630 Supreme, users can take advantage of a range of benefits, such as a high level of process security and reliability in unstable machining operations. This ensures its suitability for lathes with driven tools, long-overhang applications or instances where reliable chip removal is required – even in deeper thread applications where the optional internal coolant (from M5) applies.

For further information
www.walter-tools.com

To address the issue of machining soft, tough and high-alloyed materials that create an issue with swarf clearance, Guhring has introduced its RF100 Sharp series of high-performance end mills. Chip jamming and swarf sticking to the cutting tool can create a major impact upon productivity and machining performance, which is why Guhring has developed the new RF100 Sharp series of solid-carbide cutters.

Recognised as Guhring’s sharpest solid-carbide milling tool to date, the new RF100 Sharp delivers high-quality machining results with good swarf evacuation on the most challenging of materials, says the company. Not only does the new RF100 Sharp demonstrate smooth cutting action and chip removal, it is also a versatile end mill that is suitable for slotting, ramping, roughing, helical milling, finishing and trochoidal cutting.

With a rake angle of 12°, the end mills can be applied to materials with high ductility and tensile strength from 300 to 900 N/mm2. This makes the four-flute end mills suitable for machining steel, stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys and other challenging materials.

The performance of the new RF100 Sharp derives from a tough carbide grade that combines with an AlCrN coating to prevent tool breakages under demanding conditions, while the coating technology increases the wear protection, regardless of the cutting speed, says Guhring. Complementing this composition is a geometry that has an optimised facet that dampens vibration, smooths the cutting action and increases tool life. This tool life improvement is further enhanced with a corner protection chamfer that increases stability and edge strength.

For further information
www.guhring.co.uk