Social media is currently ‘alight’ with UK engineers doing the country proud in meeting the ‘Ventilator Challenge UK’ demand to support the battle against COVID-19. Likewise, the supply chain is flying the flag for UK manufacturing with its response to keeping this critical infrastructure in motion.

Guhring UK, which is part of this supply chain, has stepped up to the plate with the critical supply of cutting tools. As a UK manufacturer with a factory floor space of over 60,000 sq ft, Guhring UK is holding in excess of £5m of standard cutting tool stock items. This stock is being directed to F1, aerospace and medical OEMs involved in the ‘Ventilator Challenge UK’, as well as the subcontract supply chain. In fact, with the impact of the pandemic on imports and the wider supply chain, Guhring UK is even delivering its products to recognised cutting-tool manufacturers and competitors that cannot meet the urgent demands of their customers.
Despite Guhring UK holding a plentiful stock of thousands of standard cutting-tool items for next-day delivery, it is the UK manufacture and coating of special tools that are really “saving the bacon” for pockets of the supply chain at such a critical time. One particular customer, Bellurgan Precision Engineering Ltd, based in Ireland, urgently required a three-step special drill for the production of ventilator components. Guhring stepped up to the mark by delivering within 48 hours.
Within that timeframe, Guhring UK had liaised with Bellurgan, designed and created a tool drawing that was subsequently approved, and then the race was on. The Guhring UK team immediately manufactured 16 identical cutters at its Birmingham headquarters and coated all tools in-house with its Signum coating technology before delivery to Bellurgan.
For further information www.guhring.co.uk

Sandvik Coromant has launched online application training to share knowledge and best practices for metal-cutting operations.

The eight-part programme has been released online and is accessible via the Sandvik Coromant website. Embarking on the programme, customers will develop theoretical and application-based knowledge in turning, milling, drilling and threading for both indexable and solid-carbide tools.
Communicated through pre-recorded presentations, the online training courses will provide customers with insights into the best practice strategies for machining. The programme includes specialist topic areas such as solid-carbide tools for drilling, milling and tapping, which is led by expert, Ben Lodge, solid round tools product specialist for north Europe at Sandvik Coromant. During the sessions, customers will learn the fundamentals for successful metal cutting, including the importance of process control and developing the correct machine set up.
A module on indexable drilling is led by Mikael Carlsson, indexable drilling and boring specialist for north Europe. Here, learners will develop an understanding of the vital process considerations for drilling deep holes and how to optimise chip formation for different drills and workpiece materials. A separate module on indexable milling is hosted by Barry Cahoon, indexable milling specialist for north Europe.
Lee Kendall, turning product specialist for north Europe, delivers modules on parting and grooving, thread turning and general turning, where learners can expect to develop new knowledge of different insert geometries and grades.
Each training module is approximately 30-minutes in length. As pre-recorded courses, the modules can be viewed at any time, allowing customers to complete the programme at their own pace.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com

Kennametal has expanded its range of turret-adapted clamping units (TACU), which are now ER-ready driven modules, and introduced a line of solid ER collets that are threaded to accept screw-on milling cutters.

Ronald West, manager – tooling systems, says: “Together, the newly developed TACU ER units and solid ER collets are a great marriage of technology. Available in sizes ER25 through ER40, with thread sizes ranging from M8 to M16, this innovation provides machining centre-like capabilities to live-tool lathes. These new products offer the flexibility to use standard ER collets with solid end mills, or the new solid ER collets together with screw-on indexable milling cutters.”
Fully sealed for through-the-tool coolant, there is a 1 mm stand-off for additional clearance on larger end mills with a precision-ground locating boss for minimal runout. The unit is of compact design, reducing the chance of interference on smaller machines. Compared with a standard spring-style ER collet, the system is designed to be very rigid, allowing users to take heavier cuts.
TACU can be used on seven leading brands of CNC lathes, both VDI and bolt-mounted turrets, with a variety of static and driven blocks. TACUs are equipped for internal and external coolant, with up to 12,000 rpm possible on specified driven tools.
For further information www.kennametal.com

Ceratizit UK & Ireland is reporting “tremendous uptake” of its offer for free test tools, heavily discounted production tools, and technical support for those companies involved in the manufacture of ventilator and other related diagnostic equipment for the NHS during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 20 customers have so far benefitted from the cutting tool discount of 70% and whatever technical support they need to maximise the potential of those tools.
“The number of customers that we are able to help is increasing day-by-day,” says Tony Pennington, managing director. “It is testament to the versatility and ingenuity of the UK manufacturing base that they are able to quickly switch from machining parts for racing cars and aircraft, for example, to components that are going to help save lives. For many it means working with unfamiliar materials, which is where we can add our experience to the mix.”
Technical support is being provided remotely by Ceratizit UK & Ireland’s applications and technical sales engineers, with over 30 engineers available to answer customer questions relating to cutting tool data and application. For example, industry solutions engineer Michael May says the company has been supporting one customer from the motorsport sector, which is working as part of the UK Government’s Ventilator Challenge UK project.
“Initially, the request was for high-performance drills to produce holes up to 16xD in aluminium and steel,” he says. “We were then asked to develop our support through the provision of AluLine end mills and PCR-ALU plunge milling cutters.”
The offer from Ceratizit UK & Ireland is open to any company manufacturing parts for ventilator or associated diagnostic equipment.
For further information www.ceratizit.com

The B21*SGL solid-carbide drill with through-coolant has been unveiled by Kennametal. Designed for stainless steel, nickel and cobalt-based alloys, the B21*SGL with patented point geometry and monolayer PVD AlTiN coating, is said to deliver improved productivity and longer tool life in aerospace and energy sector applications.

Frank Martin, product manager – solid-carbide drills, says: “In customer tests, the B21*SGL consistently outperforms competing drills, producing more holes in less time, with improved hole straightness and surface quality. The new design virtually eliminates the risk of chipping and flaking that lead to drill failure. And thanks to a unique point gash, it offers the lowest thrust level on the market, enabling productive drilling even in delicate workpiece geometries.”
Among the problems with aerospace alloys is their tendency to stick to the cutting tool, leading to built-up edge and corner chipping. The B21*SGL’s proprietary gash geometry, polished cutting edge, negative rake corner margin and ‘chip-friendly’ flute design, mitigates these effects, while encouraging chip evacuation and reducing cutting forces.
“Several customers have seen tool life improve by two to six times in a variety of challenging materials, even after increasing feed rates by up to 50% in some cases,” says Martin.
Drilling is a critical machining process, especially for those producing turbines. As the operation typically comes near the end of the production cycle, when workpieces are at maximum value, a broken drill can damage or even destroy components worth thousands of pounds.
Matthieu Guillon, key account manager – aerospace, says: “This new solid-carbide drill will bring value to anyone needing to drill large numbers of holes in Inconel, titanium, PH-series stainless steels and other heat-resistant super alloys.”
For further information www.kennametal.com