FEATURE ON TOOLING

GEWEFA UK Adds Tool-Holder Range for Turning Centres

Under a sole agency agreement, GEWEFA UK has been appointed to sell and service in Britain and Ireland the driven and static tool holders, both standard and special, manufactured in Germany by Wendel Tools.

It means that the UK subsidiary of GEWEFA, also a German manufacturer of tool-holding and allied products, now probably offers the most comprehensive range of such equipment. The company arrives at this understanding because it also sells the products of six other partner firms, all but one being German: EWS (driven and static turning tool holders); Fahrion (chucks and collets); Nann (standard and special collets); Ott-Jakob (tool clamping systems); Pibomulti (a Swiss manufacturer of angle heads, speeders and multi-spindle heads); and Rineck (heat-shrink tool holders and machines).

Nicole Lloyd-Foxe, managing director of GEWEFA UK, says: “We regularly receive enquiries from manufacturers seeking bespoke driven and static tooling for very specific production applications on turning centres. However, our parent company and other principals either do not include them in their portfolios, or are unable to supply them quickly enough and at reasonable cost.”

She continues: “This is exactly where Wendel scores highly. Following my visit to their stand at the AMB machine tool show in Stuttgart last September, where we discussed adding their products to our portfolio, we have now been appointed to represent them exclusively in the UK and Irish markets.”

Lloyd-Foxe adds that the manufacturer’s products are known to be of high quality and robust, while the ‘specials’ in particular benefit from a knowledgeable and experienced design team in Germany.

More information www.gewefa.co.uk

Universal tap facilitates easy chip removal

LMT Tools says its new EASYTap “combines outstanding performance, maximum flexibility, and highest efficiency in one product range, enabling powerful thread machining in a wide range of materials”.

EASYTap was developed with the key challenges in thread production in mind, offering characteristics for chip removal, long tool life, a wide range of applications, process reliability, and a reduction in time and costs in production.

Manufactured from HSS-E material and finished with a TiN coating, LMT Tools says EASYTap guarantees maximum precision and durability. A newly developed lead geometry, optimised flutes and a helix angle of 45° ensure stable and efficient chip formation without chip wrap. The uniform and low torque has a positive effect on tool life.

The EASYTap produces threads containing gauges up to 3xD and covers a wide range of applications. It is suitable for blind holes and through holes, can be used in almost all materials – be it steel, stainless steel, cast iron or aluminium – and enables the production of all common thread types such as metric standard and fine threads, UNC, UNF, NPT (blind hole), G and EG-M.

As standard, the range covers diameters from 1 to 30 mm. Larger diameters or other lengths are available upon request. The EASYTap can be used universally in synchro and compensating chucks or collets and is compatible with oil, emulsion and MQL (minimum quantity lubrication).

a blind hole application with a thread depth of 12 mm in martensitic steel, the tap achieved a tool life of 26,500 threads.

More information www.lmt-tools.com

Modular drill reduces set-up times and scrap

From individual parts and small series production to the finishing and reworking of metal parts, Remscheid-based Kurt Metallverarbeitung manufactures various components for large-scale industry, such as spare parts for presses, cranes and excavators. Reliable tools that deliver the best machining results and maximum efficiency are essential. This is why the company focusses on modular drilling systems that impress with their flexibility and savings potential.

“Before we adopted the BT 800 interchangeable-head drilling system from Gühring, we were using a competitor’s modular drilling system, which allowed drill heads to be changed directly in the machine without a screw,” says director Samet Kurt

In this system, the drill head and carrier were connected using assembly keys with slotted engagement points. However, practical experience revealed shortcomings.

“The drill head often got stuck in the tapered interface,” says Kurt. “It then had to be removed with a lot of force, making it easy to slip and damage the sheath.”

The centrepiece of the BT 800 is the wear-resistant bayonet interface. Compared with Kurt Metallverarbeitung’s previous system, the mounting key now engages in the flute, enabling the drill head to be changed quickly, precisely and safely without damaging the cutting head.

Kurt tested the modular solution while drilling a cog made from C45 quenched and tempered steel (1.0503). The through-holes with a depth of 10 mm were milled on a Haas VF-1 vertical machining – ideal for use with the BT 800 interchangeable head drill. The result was convincing across the board.

“The quick-change system from Gühring is simply better,” says Kurt. “There are no problems when changing the drill heads – handling is simple and safe.”

More information www.geuhring.com

Schaeffler and Ceratizit set sustainability targets

Tooling and work-holding equipment manufacturer Ceratizit has recently signed a second sustainability target agreement with bearing giant Schaeffler. The jointly developed sustainability agreements involve prioritising environmentally friendly materials and promoting ethical and eco-friendly practices. They are the result of close collaboration and deepen the long-standing co-operation between the two companies.

In the latest agreement, the companies have agreed on targets for wear protection products made of carbide – a material that due to its durability and reusability, reduces resource consumption over the whole product live span. With the ecological footprint and a further reduction in resource consumption in mind, the Ceratizit portfolio also includes a range of premium carbide grades made from reclaimed carbide powder, which are characterised by a low CO2 footprint.

In the previous agreement, it was decided to focus on the sustainable development and production of high precision cutting tools. First results show lower product carbon footprint (PCF) figures across the portfolio.

“Our ambitious sustainability strategy has enabled us to fulfil the necessary requirements for the two agreements, which underscores our ambition to lead our industry in terms of sustainability,” says Adrien Zoda, director of global sales – hard material solutions at Ceratizit.

Ceratizit’s ambitious sustainability strategy and the progress made in recent years were crucial in meeting the requirements for agreements with Schaeffler. For example, CO2 emissions of 2023 were reduced by 22% compared with 2020. Another key component for the agreement is the transparency provided by Ceratizit’s PCF information, applicable to both cutting tools and wear protection solutions.

More information www.ceratizit.com

Kennametal invests in CAM AI software company

Cutting tool manufacturer Kennametal has made a strategic investment in Toolpath Labs, an emerging leader in AI-powered CAM software. The new partnership supports Kennametal’s growth initiatives to expand its suite of digital capabilities and offerings.

“This partnership represents another bold step in our digital transformation journey,” says Dr Carlonda Reilly, VP and CTO. “Toolpath’s platform amplifies our application engineering expertise through its intuitive, intelligent software. It’s a smart, scalable solution that brings the power of AI right to the shop floor in a practical and impactful way.”

Toolpath’s software integrates AI into the CAM process, optimising tool selection and tool-path strategies. The technology unlocks efficiency for customers and empowers them to overcome industry skill gaps by making advanced tool-path strategies and application engineering more accessible. The partnership will create new opportunities to co-develop and commercialise solutions that combine Toolpath’s AI-first approach with Kennametal’s tooling and application engineering expertise.

“Toolpath represents a compelling opportunity for us to extend what we do best – application expertise and advanced tooling – to a broader audience of customers,” says Dave Bersaglini, president of metal cutting at Kennametal. “Together, we’re building a bridge between human expertise and digital intelligence to deliver measurable performance improvements on the shop floor.”

Al Whatmough, CEO of Toolpath, adds: “Kennametal, a company with deep roots in American manufacturing, is an ideal partner for us not only because of its tooling expertise, but because of our deeply personal shared vision of empowering machinists and transforming the manufacturing world with practical AI. “Together, we’re combining advanced software with real-world application and machining knowledge.”

More information www.kennametal.com