FEATURE ON TOOLING

Parting tools for small lathes

Horn has introduced a grooving and parting-off system, 32T, for Swiss-type lathes and smaller fixed-head lathes. With a precision-sintered grooving insert and central clamping screw, the system offers easy insert indexing and direct entry into the seat of the tool carrier.

Importantly, there is no need for clamping elements, which may have a detrimental effect on chip flow. The screw head of the clamping bolt does not introduce interference and therefore permits grooving and parting-off directly at the spindle. Inserts can be used in a neutral position or as left-hand or right-hand configurations.
By adding the new system to complete its triple-edge insert range, Horn is responding to customer solution requests for Swiss-type lathes and other smaller turning machines, in particular for applications where space is at a premium.
The maximum groove depth using 32T is 4 mm with a width of 2 or 2.5 mm. For grooving, the inserts are available with both straight and full radius cutting edges. Horn offers the insert
with a 15° chamfer for parting-off. A cylindrically ground chip-breaker geometry makes for reliable chip removal. The tool carrier is designed as a square shank of 10 x 10 mm or 12 x 12 mm cross section. Each version features internal coolant supply.
For further information www.phorn.co.uk

Top grades for hard-part turning

Sandvik Coromant is releasing two grades for interrupted hard-turning operations: CB7125 and CB7135. Available immediately, the grades complete the company’s offer for hard turning, complementing the existing CB7105 and CB7115 grades.

The latest Sandvik Coromant grades provide the ability to perform medium-to-heavy interrupted cuts and remove the hardened layer (depth of cut up to 2 mm) in case- and induction-hardened steel components, typically for the automotive industry. Here, CB7125 and CB7135 offer longer and more consistent tool life, good levels of surface finish and consistent dimensional tolerances, says the company.
CB7125 and CB7135 are optimised for turning steel materials with a hardness of 58-62 HRc. Designed for medium intermittent cutting, CB7125 features a newly developed PVD coating that provides improved wear and fracture resistance for extended tool life. This grade, which contains medium CBN content, is suitable for the turning of shaft splines and shafts with chamfered oil holes or pockets. Further applications include the facing of gears, the hard-to-soft turning of crown wheels, and the removal of hardened layers.
The CB7135 grade is pitched at the longitudinal turning of gears and shafts with un-chamfered keyways or pockets, as well as CV joint components such as the inner/outer race and cage. Featuring a high CBN content, the grade is said to offer high fracture resistance and predictable machining results.
Available for T-Max P, CoroTurn 107 and CoroTurn TR tooling systems, the grades come in both positive and negative basic shapes, with various edge preparations.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com

Insert app boosts productivity

In a move designed to help machine shops increase productivity, tool life and process reliability, Walter is now offering an app that enables users to quickly and easily replace existing cutting tools – including those currently applying competitor tooling – with the latest Walter indexable inserts.

Rather than endless menu options, a simplified search function within the Insert Converter app allows users to make selections based on insert grades and geometries – inputting the current geometry before the alternatives available from Walter are displayed.
Recommended grades or geometries may vary considerably depending on the workpiece material type, in which case the user will receive additional details such as the coating process or ISO classification and, in the case of ISO geometries, the indexable-insert type. Applications include ISO turning, grooving and parting off, while in addition to carbide cutting tool materials, CBN, PCD, ceramic and cermet are also covered.
Walter’s Insert Converter app is compatible with Android and iOS (Apple) devices, and is available as a web version via a browser – and offline, if required. The app can be downloaded from the App Store, Google Play or via Walter’s website.
For further information www.walter-tools.com

Cutting tools – and a great deal more

A recently signed annual ‘Preferred Partnership Agreement’ has been signed between Glasgow-based Walker Precision Engineering and Seco Tools UK.

The agreement, with its emphasis on continuous improvement and best-practice methods to help WPE increase productivity levels, reduce operational costs and optimise machining processes, provides the company with preferential and priority access to a range of Seco’s technical consultancy services, including: on-site and off-site technical support; turnkey and process improvement; documented cost reduction (DCR) programmes; custom tool design, manufacture and supply; STEP (Seco Technical Education Programme) training courses; regular updates on new technologies and process developments; and new tooling and service introductions and upgrades.
To ensure that the agreement is focused, proactive and maintains momentum, regular monthly planning and quarterly review meetings with key personnel from WPE and Seco are scheduled.
Within the first few months of the agreement being signed, the partnership was delivering results, most notably with the machining of a complex precision chassis part-manufactured by WPE for a defence industry customer. Working in partnership with Seco’s product and technical staff, and employing process improvement strategies and a focused DCR programme, WPE has been able to reduce cycle times for this part by 40%.
At one of the planning meetings, Seco presented an overview on My Pages – the company’s digital portal that provides customers with access to Seco product information, cutting data, previous purchase history and test reports. Benefits include the ability to quickly and reliably find the most appropriate tool for any specific application, which is achieved by searching the on-board SUGGEST database and selecting specific component characteristics, machining priorities and machining strategies that will be employed.
For further information www.secotools.com

CBN-tipped cutting inserts unveiled

The 315 system from Horn for internal and external grooving has gained a new range of single-edged, CBN-tipped inserts suitable for hard machining applications. Inserts are available for producing grooves from 1 to 3 mm wide and up to 5 mm deep.

A large contact area on the insert seats directs the cutting pressure efficiently into the holder, while the central clamping screw enables maximum tightening of the insert for vibration-free, accurate machining. These properties make the system suitable for counteracting the high forces generated during hard turning. The holder range is available in monoblock design and as a cartridge system for HSK-T and PSC connections.
In other product news from Horn Cutting Tools, the company says that Boehlerit’s new turning tool holders with connections for internal coolant supply are now available in the UK. The holders are available from stock with toggle clamp (ISO-P) and screw clamp (ISO-S) systems, allowing manufacturers to benefit from the productivity advantages of cooling directly at the cutting edge.
The P variety is suitable for all ISO indexable inserts. There are no loose components and only a few spares are required, making them easy to handle. According to Horn, inserts can be clamped quickly and securely, and released easily, while chip flow is smooth as there are no obstructions.
S-type tool holders also enable the insert to be secured simply and safely, in this case using a cone-shaped positioning screw. Here too, chip flow is not compromised and a maximum of three spare parts is needed.
For both types of holder, the coolant is supplied at the back of the shank end as standard, or from below the head as an option.
For further information www.phorn.co.uk