Horn has launched a new range of solid carbide milling cutters designed specifically for machining titanium alloys such as Ti6Al4V. The programme comprises cutters with diameters from 2 to 20 mm, available in four- and five-flute geometries with a cutting edge length of 2xD and 3xD.
The newly-developed TSTK grade is specifically intended for machining titanium, widely used in the aerospace and medical industries. As well as offering good tribology properties and high temperature resistance, the material transmits minimal heat into the substrate and acts as a kind of thermal shield.
Further important characteristics of the newly-designed solid carbide end mills are alternative helix angles and pitches to ensure a softer, gentler cut, therefore eliminating vibration and chatter. As titanium’s low thermal conductivity makes it difficult to remove heat from the point of cutting, a copious supply of coolant directly to the cutting edge is essential, advises Horn.
For further information
www.phorn.co.uk

Before, during and after graduating from the University of Falmouth with a degree in sustainable 3D design, David Forsyth always had a keen eye for turning the most creative of designs and concepts into a reality. The entrepreneur spent time designing and building surfboards, campervan conversions, trophies and much more.
Prior to setting up Newquay-based Digital Fabrications, Forsyth spent time teaching students how to use 3D milling machines; a period that also educated him in the value of acquiring cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC). “We used cutting tools from ITC at the university and always had excellent technical support, so when Digital Fabrications started with its first AXYZ routing machine, ITC was the natural choice for cutters.”
Among recent projects is the creation of two 7 m high, 1.8 m wide sycamore leaf sculptures for ‘The Address Downtown Dubai’ hotel in Dubai. ‘The Address Downtown Dubai’ hotel faces the iconic BurjKhalifa, the world’s tallest building.
Layers of the sculptures were machined on the AXYZ routing machine. This workhorse was cutting high-density foam for over 12-15 hours a day, for almost six weeks. The company employed an ITC Brit Cut 20 mm four-flute AlTiN-coated square-end milling cutter for rough-machining the complete profile of the 7 m model. The scale of the sculpture required the long-series Brit Cut 204 tool to use its full 75 mm flute length.
Once the rough-machining process was complete, Digital Fabrications then finish-machined the profile of the sycamore-leaf sculpture with a 20 mm diameter Brit Cut 204 series ball-nose end mill.
To put the tool life of both cutters into perspective; one 7 m sycamore leaf required three weeks of machining at 15 hours a day. This equates to over 220 hours of machining, something that was completed with just one square-end roughing tool and one ball-nose finishing cutter.
For further information
www.itc-ltd.co.uk