Building on its successful company history, Neubeck & Wiedemann GmbH is well equipped and firmly established in the marketplace as a metalworking specialist. For the past eight years, wire-cutting machines from Mitsubishi Electric have had a major hand in this.

Based in Stockach, Germany, Neubeck & Wiedemann houses over 30 machine tools and 40 employees mainly producing precision components as one-offs or in series, as well as punching tools for toolmaking and the production of jigs and fixtures.
On a customer’s recommendation to integrate wire EDM technology in production, the company purchased a used Mitsubishi Electric wire-cutting machine in 2011. Jürgen Läufle, managing director, says: “This gave us an excellent opportunity to launch production in this area. The support from Mitsubishi Electric was quick and outstanding. We got off to a very fast start with the used machine. Within four to six weeks we were able to product parts without assistance. However, after two years we found that the used machine was no longer able to cope with the workload.”
The volume of orders called for investment in the first new wire EDM, an MV2400S from Mitsubishi Electric. Sometime later there was another bottleneck, and the second new machine from the Japanese manufacturer, a MV2400R Connect, was installed – it has been in operation at Neubeck & Wiedemann for the past year. The high workload of the wire-cutting machines has been fuelled by press manufacturer Schuler and demand from the company’s own punching tool activities, such as for the production of dies, punches and die plates.
The company uses coated and uncoated standard brass wire, usually of 0.25 mm diameter.
For further information www.mitsubishi-edm.de

ONA has carried out a study to analyse a wire electro-erosion process (WEDM) as an alternative to the conventional machining (broaching) of fir-tree profiles in discs for the aerospace sector.

In its research, ONA compared the EDM process with more conventional machining like broaching and milling. As key points in the research, ONA compared parameters such as the surface integrity requirements, precision and processing time of fir-tree machining. The test involved cutting a turbine disc with the following characteristics: Inconel 718 material; 350 mm outside diameter; 28 fir-tree slot profiles; slot profiles at 30°; 82 mm thick; profile tolerance of 0.01 mm; and fir-tree radial and angular positioning tolerance of 0.08 mm.
On completion of the tests, the results proved it possible to obtain a recast layer thickness in the necessary range (around 5 µm) and with sufficient precision in the fir-tree profile within a tolerance of 0.01 mm using WEDM technology. These results were obtained following one roughing pass and two finishing passes (three-cut strategy).
In worse flushing conditions (open nozzles), the material removal rate for roughing was 110 mm2/min. In fact, for the strategy used in the research (one pass for roughing and two passes for finishing), material removal rate was 60 mm2/min. On the other hand, in good flushing conditions (closed nozzles), a slight improvement in the material removal rate was observed; in the roughing process alone, it reached over 400 mm2/min.
Following the research, ONA concludes that WEDM machining of turbine disc fir-tree profiles is an extremely valid alternative to compete with broaching as an industrial solution in the aerospace sector. State-of-the-art and increasingly powerful generators, and more advanced numerical controls, allow for the optimisation of machining time and the reduction of white layer thickness.
For further information www.onaedm.com

CADCAM software expert Radan has developed a partnership with IPG IRE-Polus – a Russian division of IPG Photonics – which manufactures fibre laser machines.

The partnership provides for the new LaserCube precision flat-bed laser to be sold with the Radprofile module for programming, along with a special post-processor and set of macros. Moscow-based IPG IRE-Polus recently hosted a special training seminar on the software, conducted by an engineer from Dreambird, Radan’s official Russian and CIS distributor.
For further information www.radan.com

Introduced to the UK two years ago, the TaeguTec Chase2Mill series of end mill tools is now being extended with the arrival of two additional insert designations.

Designed for ramp and slot milling applications, Chase2Mill is available in end mill, modular or face mill designations. Initially launched with a four-corner, double-sided 4NKT 06 insert range featuring a 90° entry angle that is suitable for high ramp-down applications, the 4NKT 06 has been expanded and a newly developed 4NHT insert series released.
TaeguTec’s 4NKT 06 corner R range insert has been extended (04R-20R) to meet the wider range of corner radius requirements demanded by today’s industry. Adding to the existing 8 and 16 mm radius inserts, the company has expanded the line to include a 4, 12 and 20 mm radius offering. The extended 4NKT 06 is available with TaeguTec’s ML and M geometry, and the TT8080 and TT9080 grades, which combine to improve cutting load, minimise built-up-edge and generate high surface finish, says the company.
In addition, the 4NHT 06 insert designation has also been launched with the 4NHT 06-ML, which is said to be characterised by its ability to generate low cutting loads and high surface finishes (credit to ground cutting edges that minimise built-up-edge).
Another release is the 4NHT 06-AL series of uncoated inserts for aluminium and non-ferrous cutting applications.
For further information www.taegutec.com

In order to boost the first stage roughing operation on newly cast aluminium parts for the automotive industry, Sandvik Coromant is introducing its M5Q90 tangential milling cutter.

Designed to complete ‘cubing’ (first machining of faces after casting) in a single operation without creating burrs, the new tool is fitted with PCD tangential inserts that provide a smooth and stable cutting action to lower power consumption and eliminate vibration. This concept ensures reliable performance, improved tool life, exceptional surface finish, high metal removal rate and an increased number of parts per insert.
“To enhance efficiency, our new M5Q90 tangential milling cutter features fully engineered cutter bodies matched with dedicated PCD insert geometries that feature a positive cutting angle to reduce cutting force and load on the machined component,” explains Emmanuel David, global automotive product manager.
M5Q90 cutter bodies are designed according to customer specifications and hence meet the requirements of high-productivity machining – the tool can operate in high-speed conditions in excess of 20,000 rpm. However, all cutter bodies offer the same design of tip seat, coolant channel, lead angle and rake angle. Inserts are always kept in stock.
Aluminium cylinder heads and engine blocks will be among the principal components to benefit, typically at automotive foundries or tier one/two suppliers. By way of example, the cubing operation on a cast cylinder head would involve machining the camshaft face, inlet/outlet face and combustion face. Typical cutting data using M5Q90 might include a speed of 2500 m/min and feed per teeth of 0.20 mm. Users also benefit from high-precision coolant channels that provide the option for either emulsion or MQL application.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com