Located in Poole, Allied Tooling is a business that has completely evolved its cutting-tool services over almost 40 years of existence.

The company offers a comprehensive range of services, from the supply and sharpening of TCT saw blades, to bespoke CNC and PCD tooling for the woodworking and metal-cutting industries. Allied has recently spent almost £1.2m on new equipment, including Vollmer and Anca grinding machines, and three machines from Haimer.
The company acquired a Haimer Tool Dynamic TD Comfort balancing machine, a UNO 20/70 Microset pre-setter and a Power Clamp Economic Plus NG heat-shrink machine.
As to why the company opted for the Haimer UNO 20/70 Microset pre-setter, Allied Tooling’s Rod Knight says: “It is simple to use, the software is very user friendly and we even selected a version with the extra travel height of 700 mm for our particularly long tools.”
Looking at the heat-shrink system, Knight states: “With the Haimer Power Clamp Economic Plus NG, we can now offer a service where we heat-shrink customer tools into holders for them. What we do is re-lap or re-grind tools in the holders, which are perfectly concentric. This is a service that has taken our business into an area that we didn’t have before. We can provide a complete refurbishment service on the tools.”
Moving on to the arrival of the Haimer tool balancing system, Knight says: “Everything we do on our Vollmer machines has to be balanced to within 2.5G. It’s essential, especially as some of the machines using these tools are now running upward of 24,000 rpm. If you have a tool that isn’t balanced when working at those speeds, it won’t be long before you have a spindle that is out of sync.”
For further information www.haimer.biz

The CoroBore BC (Boring Combination) range of solutions, which comprises Tailor Made tools for high-volume applications, is being released by Sandvik Coromant.

Using CoroBore BC it is possible to perform different operations such as semi-finishing and chamfering with a single tool. Manufacturers set to benefit include those serving the automotive, general engineering and construction equipment sectors.
According to Sandvik Coromant, CoroBore BC offers a quick and easy alternative when standard tools do not match up to specific requirements, but the cost and delivery time of a specially engineered solution are prohibitive. The process is fast as Sandvik Coromant personnel utilise an online program that automatically creates the tool and provides price and delivery information.
“The productivity advantages offered by CoroBore BC tools are based on eliminating unnecessary tool changes and reducing cycle times,” says Jenny Nilsson, global product manager at Sandvik Coromant. “Among the many strengths of the new solution is the capability to offer these benefits at much shorter notice, thanks to an automated design and quoting process. The Sandvik Coromant representative simply goes through the required operations with the customer, and enters the parameters via a web-based design interface. Once this is complete, the system instantly produces the tool design and quote.”
Thanks to the various CoroBore BC options offered, a range of multi-step boring applications can be performed. Indeed, customers can choose from up to four machining operations in a single tool (a maximum of two cutting edges per operation). Cutting diameters range from 20 to 200 mm, while tool length can be up to 400 mm, depending on coupling size.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com

When San Antonio-based job shop Anthony Machine purchased a pair of NLX 3000 1250 universal turning centres from CNC machine builder DMG Mori – the company’s first Y-axis, live-tool lathes – the team was challenged with making the most of its new investment.

Long-term tooling partner Kennametal explained to Anthony that the best way to reduce set-up times and maximise the new machines’ potential would be to equip them with Turret Adapted Clamping Units (TACU) and KM-series quick-change tool holders.
According to Anthony Machine manufacturing technologist Daniel Goller, the decision to adopt TACU and KM for the new machines was an easy one. “Over the years, we’ve built a number of KM-equipped custom tool holders for deep boring and other machining operations on our CNC lathes and machining centres, and we use Kennametal on several of the shop’s manual turret lathes to overcome limitations with available tool positions. On more than one occasion, we’ve earned new business because KM was able to achieve tolerances and surface finishes that others couldn’t do with conventional tooling.”
Anthony’s operations manager Mohsen Saleh agrees: “The differences are striking. Compared to the traditional wedge and screw-style blocks that come standard on most machines, the KM-equipped TACU units are both faster and more accurate. We routinely hold tolerances of 0.013 mm and I’m told that part size doesn’t change from one clamping to the next. The turret’s less crowded, everything’s easier to get at, and you don’t have the chatter and deflection that you often find with your typical straight shank tools and set-screw type boring bar holders.”
For further information www.kennametal.com

The TurnTenFeed series of tools for turning operations has been introduced by Tungaloy.

This newly developed tool holder and indexable insert line is now the company’s first choice offer for heavy industrial applications that demand a productive all-rounder.
Designed with a double-sided, 10-cornered M-class insert, TurnTenFeed can offer cutting depths to 7 mm and a maximum feed per revolution of 2 mm. To attain robust and rigid machining conditions, Tungaloy has introduced two tool-holder configurations: the HF tool holder for high-feed turning and the HD holder for large depths of cut.
Tool holders are available in shank dimensions of 25 or 32 mm square, while a precision seat ensures positional repeatability and clamping stability underpinned by a dovetail clamping system that is designed to improve chip flow. Furthermore, with just a spring pin, lever and clamping screw, TurnTenFeed demonstrates rapid insert changes with positional repeatability.
Tungaloy’s TurnTenFeed tool holders have been developed with a 108° obtuse angle. Although this design has not been developed for machining corners, the material removal capabilities and productivity rates lead to machining efficiency improvements beyond 130%, which are proven under test conditions, says Tungaloy. To achieve such productivity gains, R&D engineers at Tungaloy have introduced an MNW-style chip breaker that features protrusions on the rake face to facilitate smooth and efficient swarf flow, while providing crater and wear resistance. In addition, the 10-sided inserts have been designed with a straight-wiper design that is built into the cutting edge to facilitate higher machining performance and
feed rates.
For further information www.tungaloy.com

Complementary to its trochoidal milling benchmark 5021 series, Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) has launched its 5031 series of square-end and corner radius five-flute end mills.

These Cupro-coated stub-length end mills are available in diameters from 3 to 16 mm.
ITC’s 5031 has an overall length from 40 to 72 mm, with a length of cut from 7 to 24 mm. This reduced shank and flute length eliminates vibration and improves machining performance in high material removal applications. These benefits are underpinned by harmonic flute geometry that improves chip evacuation and extends tool life.
The company has also introduced the 5031 series with a range of corner radii for each diameter, from 0.25 and 0.5 mm for the smallest 3 mm diameter cutter, all the way up to a 4 mm radius on the largest 16 mm tool.
Geometry combines with a sub-micron carbide substrate and wear resistant Cupro coating to deliver reduced torque and load on the machine. These benefits are credit to a smooth cutting action that improves swarf evacuation and reduces temperature during machining. The composition of the 5031 series is said to makes it the tool of choice for machining steel and exotic materials that inherently increase temperature and stress on the cutting tool.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk