FEATURE ON TOOLING

Ceratizit makes bespoke step drill for Volz

Rochdale-based Volz Engineering is a subcontract machining company that services the
automotive, aerospace and agricultural industries. With six CNC machines running 18 hours
a day, Volz sends out more than 500 parts a week.
Constantly looking for process improvements, a standout example of a tooling
recommendation which had tremendous impact was for a bespoke step drill. Required for a
job needing the drilling of one hole at different diameters at depths, Volz previously used

multiple inserts. However, swapping tools throughout the process reduced the overall
reliability and accuracy of the finished product, making it difficult to achieve the critical
tolerance of 0.02 mm. The machine process, with the necessary changes to tooling, took a
total of 26 minutes. This is where Ceratizit identified an opportunity to optimise the process.
Purposefully created to fulfil Volz’s exact specifications, Ceratizit designed and
manufactured a unique step drill. After installation, the total machine process time reduced
by more than 50% to just over 10 minutes. Moreover, using step drill requires just one
machine process to achieve the different diameters.
“The step drill was a game changer,” states James Alletson, operations manager at Volz
Engineering. “Not only did the time taken to machine each part dramatically decrease, but
with no machine interruptions we could achieve a greater level of precision. Since using the
step drill we haven’t had to replace it yet, despite the 500 parts a week it’s drilling.”
Impressed by the initial results of Ceratizit tooling, Volz began to switch out more tooling.
Indeed, a Ceratizit vending machine arrived on the shop floor around 18 months ago.
More information www.ceratizit.com

Introducing a smarter way to rough bore

Hole-making specialist Big Kaiser is expanding its modular CK family with new head types for rough boring. Available in the UK from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), the new SW head for the CK1, CK2 and CKB3 boring tools includes Big Kaiser’s Smart Damper technology. This innovation minimises vibration and eliminates chatter, which is of critical importance when conducting rough boring operations.

Big Kaiser says the modular CK system is the world’s most versatile tooling system and, with support from industry experts at ITC, will exceed the performance and results of any other hole-making system. The new additions to the CK modular precision tool system are also available for the full Big Kaiser SW rough boring family.

“The Smart Damper SW heads offer six times higher boring efficiency with twice the cutting depth and three times the cutting conditions of other rough boring heads,” states Giampaolo Roccatello, chief sales and marketing officer for Big Kaiser Europe.

Based on a cylindrical connection with a radial locking screw, the CK system has been continuously improved over the years to meet changing needs and increases in machine tool performance. Compatibility with existing tools remains a stringent requirement for newly designed products. As well as interchangeability within the Big Kaiser family, the CK system is also fully compatible with all machine tool interfaces and enables customers to create tool assemblies specific to each machining application.

The integration of the Smart Damper shortens the distance from the damping mechanism to the cutting edge. This minimises vibration and enables the CK system to achieve better surface finishes and improved metal removal rates, while also prolonging tool life and enhancing surface finish.

More information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

New parting-off tool for small components

Kyocera Corporation has developed a new parting-off solution, denoted KGZ, for small component machining. KGZ uses a new clamp structure with three proprietary mechanisms to lock the insert in place, suppress chatter and achieve stable machining. In addition, the constraint surface of the holder has a shape that distributes stress, improves durability and realises high-efficiency machining.

Within the insert grade’s line-up, a newly developed PVD-coated grade known as the PR 20 is also available for the KGZ. The new coating, MegaCoat 1 Nano EX, which is resistant to oxidation and abrasion, achieves high precision, long tool life and stable machining when parting-off steel, stainless steel and cast-iron workpieces.

Notably, the new KGZ design improves the holding force of the insert and the durability of the tool holder through three proprietary mechanisms: gap section, top clamp and stopper.

With the gap section, users can simply press down on the insert from directly above to firmly secure it in place. Generally, it is structurally difficult to fix the insert directly above with a parting-off tool. KGZ has a tapered slit with a slanted cut, so when tightening the fastening screw it applies a restraining force from directly above the insert, securing it in place.

The top clamp serves to pull the insert inward and increase the binding force. Designing the shape so that force is applied inward when clamping the insert suppresses the displacement of the insert in the front and rear directions.

Kyocera’s stopper disperses stress over a large area and improves the durability of the holder. According to the company, this design reduces the amount of stopper wear to about one-third of that of competitor products.

More information www.kyocera-unimerco.com

Hexalobe is a star for the medical industry

With star-shaped hexalobular bone screws (TORX) proving the design of choice in the medical industry, Floyd Automatic Tooling is introducing the UK market to CrazyDrill Hexalobe drills and CrazyMill Hexalobe end mills from Mikron Tool.

Medical screws for orthopaedic procedures are predominantly manufactured from titanium, stainless steel and cobalt-chrome. Machining these precision screws to impeccable surface finishes is a challenging task – that was until the arrival of the Mikron Hexalobe series. According to Floyd Automatic, machining hexalobe screws 50% faster with precision burr-free results is what makes this next-generation series the first choice for manufacturers in the medical sector.

These high-performance drills for generating pre-holes in TORX sockets are available in two variants: the pre-hole CrazyDrill Hexalobe TORX drill with a tip angle of 140°, and the CrazyDrill Hexalobe Flat drill with a tip angle of 180°. Both are available from 0.9 to 3.8 mm in diameter for producing T4 to T30 TORX sockets. Upon request, Floyd Automatic can provide the drills as a customised combination drill for streamlining operations. The CrazyDrill Hexalobe series combines two operations into one, as it simultaneously machines a flat pre-hole and a 120° chamfer.

The Mikron CrazyDrill Hexalobe from Floyd Automatic generates chamfer surface quality to a finish of Ra<0.3 µm while guaranteeing high profile accuracy and perpendicularity.

Completing the process is the CrazyMill Hexalobe micro end mill. Available from 0.2 to 1 mm diameter for T4 to T30 socket variants, the CrazyMill Hexalobe presents three- or four-flute variants with milling depths of 3.5xD and 5xD. The CrazyMill Hexalobe milling cutter demonstrates sufficient stiffness for machining with high feeds and stepover rates, while guaranteeing the necessary hex lobular profile accuracy.

More information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Powering up productivity for EV manufacturer

As a machine tool builder that manufactures high-end four and five-axis machines for the global market, Heller UK has frequent involvement in turnkey projects for prestigious OEMs. On one of its more recent projects, the Redditch-based company enlisted the support of the cutting tool experts at Guhring.

There has been a wide spectrum of tools used on this project for a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs), including Guhring tool holders and tool vending technology. As part of the package of tool holders to accompany the cutting tools, the EV manufacturer has selected a vast range of standard heat-shrink, hydraulic and synchro-tapping chucks.

The cutting tools for the project included a huge range of standard products from Guhring’s portfolio of drills, taps and reamers. Although these accounted for a significant element of the system integration project, it was the bespoke PCD combination tools that demonstrated Guhring UK’s expertise as a one-stop solution provider and valued partner for turnkey projects.

With the PCD combination tools manufactured at Guhring UK’s Birmingham manufacturing facility and its main manufacturing plant in Germany, the bespoke tooling solutions were developed to achieve ‘one shot’ plunging. The bespoke tooling aimed to reduce cycle times and adhere to the high surface finishes required over the life of the tool.

“We delivered 22 four- and five-axis machines in this project, all built in the UK,” says Tad Forys, area sales manager at Heller Machine Tools UK. “Guhring has been with us for every step of the journey, clocking in tools and optimising speeds and feeds to make sure we have the most efficient process for the customer before delivery of the machines.”

More information www.guhring.co.uk