In 2016, Surrey-based GPR Ltd made its first strides from three to five-axis machining, and it was cutting tool manufacturer Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) that fully supported the subcontractor in selecting the optimum cutters for the new machine. Now, ITC has stepped in again to solve a new challenge.

GPR managing director Vernon Ward says: “We won an initial order for 20 sets of mobile phone test-bed housings and each set consisted of six parts. However, with upward of 300 holes per set, we had an average of three drill failures per set. We persevered with existing HSS drills for a while and then won an extended order for 80 sets of the mobile phone test-bed housings, so we called ITC.”
ITC immediately suggested the Widia range of VDS solid-carbide through-coolant drills to eliminate tool failures and the associated time and costs involved with changeovers.
“We completed the entire batch of 80 sets, which consisted of 480 parts and approximately 24,000 holes, with a single set of drills,” says Ward. “After the project had finished, the VDS drills were still in an ‘as-new’ condition. The drills may have been more expensive than our previous tools, but they paid for themselves by the time we machined 20 parts.”
When GPR won another order for drilling oil well monitoring equipment, ITC again recommended the VDS drilling range. The batch of 10 Duplex bars required four 10 mm deep holes per part and, with a pre-drilling and drilling cycle, the complete drilling time was 4 minutes 58 seconds per component. Aiming to reduce this cycle time, the VDS drills reduced the cycle time to just 44 seconds, a cycle time reduction of over 400%.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

The recent MACH 2018 exhibition proved to be “a roaring success” for Floyd Automatic, with the sliding-head tooling expert claiming that it was the diversity of its collets, guide bushes, indexable tooling ranges and applications expertise, which sent small turned parts manufacturers directly to the distinctive orange stand.

Providing his feedback on yet another successful MACH exhibition, Floyd Automatic’s managing director Richard Floyd says: “We generated more enquiries at MACH 2018 than at many of the previous events, and what stood-out for us was the high enquiry level from both new customers and overseas clients.
“The high level of new enquiries is partially down to more subcontractors embracing the benefits of sliding-head technology, while overseas lead generation can be largely attributed to language barriers and a reluctance to engage in technical dialogue when English isn’t your first language,” he adds.
“We also invested in the Pokem technology at MACH with eight contact points that enabled us to identify what product lines generated the greatest interest at the show.”
From the Pokem technology utilised at MACH, Floyd Automatic noted a high level of interest in the new Masa Microconic sub-spindle collets. Microconic over-grip collet systems consist of a cartridge and precision collet. The over-grip collet fits inside a cartridge and is adjusted before it is fitted into the existing collet sleeve with no machine adaptations required.
The second most popular product line, according to Pokem, was the new Colibri Slim Jet solution for increasing the spindle speed of driven tool units on sliding-head turning centres
For further information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Dormer Pramet’s Econ LN has been designed as a cost-effective, versatile milling option that is capable of supporting numerous operations in most materials while still producing high levels of surface finish.

Positive axial geometry on this universal 90° cutter allows for lower cutting forces and smoother machining in steel, cast iron, stainless steel, non-ferrous metals and hardened materials.
Econ LN cutters offer internal cooling capability close to the cutting edges, a combination of wiper inserts, secure clamping and reduced power consumption. Compatible with the cutter are Dormer Pramet’s LNGX 12 and LNMU 16 inserts, which provide four cutting edges. LNGX 12 inserts support helical interpolation, ramping and progressive plunging, while LNMU 16 inserts are said to deliver long tool life when machining steel and cast iron.
In a recent example in North America, an end user was face milling gas turbine end caps made of stainless steel on a large horizontal mill. An Econ LN 80 mm face mill with LNGX 12 insert allowed the customer to use a feed rate that was 44% higher than the previous option. The improved cutting data meant that the company ran the equivalent of three finished parts on the first edge, with the insert showing little-to-no wear. Furthermore, the Econ LN reduced cycle time by 18 minutes in this operation alone.
For further information www.dormerpramet.com