Geo Kingsbury targets Middle East

Geo Kingsbury is establishing a subsidiary in Dubai, Geo Kingsbury Middle East LLC, to service the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region.

Until now, the agency agreements between Geo Kingsbury and its machine-tool principals covered the UK and Ireland. New contracts have been signed to allow the wholly-owned daughter company, which will be a separate legal entity, to carry out similar activities in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. The machines that will be marketed have been drawn from three divisions: Large Prismatic Machines, Milling Turning Grinding and Additive Manufacturing.
For further information www.geokingsbury.com

Soraluce set for XXL series open house

For those tasked with the milling, boring and turning of large components, Soraluce will stage its XXL series open house on 6-9 March in Bergara, Spain.

The company will also be showcasing multi-tasking technology applied to heavy-duty components, whereby a single machine offers several cutting processes, including turning, milling, boring, drilling and tapping. Soraluce provides a range of multi-tasking capabilities thanks to its design of turning heads and mill-turn tables.
The company says that it has pioneered many of the technologies that drive the machine tool sector today, such as the patented DAS systems (Dynamics Active Stabiliser), modular quill and RAM balance systems. At the open house Soraluce will stage a series of live demonstrations involving heavy-duty milling and boring.
For further information www.soraluce.com/en

Tool management services offered on cloud

Cutting-tool specialist Mapal now offers its Tool Management services based on the c-Com cloud platform, a product of c-Com GmbH. Tool Management 4.0 is designed to provide an overview of all data and inventory movement, as well as costs.

Digitalisation opens up a world of new opportunities relating to tool management. Data and information is today available to all process stakeholders in a transparent and consistent fashion. As a result, the entire process is more efficiently structured. Mapal uses the c-Com open cloud platform, upon which it offers digital tool management services to give companies a functional and group-wide technology database. As a result, transparency and complete cost control are available to customers at all times; as are supplier’s prices, conditions and production dates, all of which are available in real time via c-Com. Where previously, individual lists with limited access were used, data is now consistent and transparent.
With Tool Management 4.0, customers have access to automatic analyses of data concerning delivery dates, current stock levels, tool reconditioning status and tool costs per component. Furthermore, technology transfer is made easier, while process parameters such as tool life and cutting values are managed at a central location and can be accessed by the customer’s manufacturing and planning departments, for example. This exchange can occur within a specific plant or across several sites.
For further information www.mapal.com

Milling inserts come in seven grades

AMXT inserts with a choice of seven substrate grades and three chip-breaker geometries have been developed by Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal to meet specific demands where lower powered machines or less stable application conditions are encountered. Each insert has a high rake featuring a curved wave form to the cutting edge. With greater insert width, this design creates a more stable seating to support the cutting action.

The seven grades: ACP100, 200 and 300; ACK200 and 300; and ACM 200 and 300, can cut to depths of up to 5 mm. ACP100 has the latest Sumitomo ‘FF’ CVD coating, giving wear and thermal resistance in the high-speed and light cutting of steel. Sumitomo’s ACP200 uses the company’s ‘Super ZX’ PVD coating on a carbide substrate, which is said to enable milling 1.5 times faster than conventional inserts. ACP300 also has Super ZX coating and is designed for use under more arduous roughing applications.
ACK200 grade with its ‘Super FF’ CVD coating is for use in general machining tasks (including interrupted cuts) involving grey and ductile cast irons. ACK300, which is coated with Super ZX, provides a solution able to generate even greater levels of productivity.
Sumitomo’s ACM200 is coated with Super FF to provide high orders of wear resistance when machining PH stainless steels, while ACM300 is first choice (with its Super ZX coating) when balanced wear and fracture resistance is required.
The AXMT inserts can be paired with Sumitomo’s new WEX Type 1000 cutter bodies for 90º shoulder-milling applications. In fact, pocketing, helical boring, slotting, shoulder milling and ramping cycles can be carried out with the same tool, says the company.
For further information www.sumitomotool.com

Latest grade suits heat-resistant alloys

The AH8000 insert series, which has been developed as part of the TungTurn line from Tungaloy, is said to demonstrate high performance levels when machining heat-resistant alloys. Extended tool life is credited to the composition of the grade, which incorporates newly developed substrates, a multi-layered nano AlTiN coating with a high Al content and Tungaloy’s proprietary PremiumTec surface technology.

Tungaloy says that these characteristics result in an insert grade that is at least 20% harder than alternate grades. In addition, the bonding of the substrate prevents notch wear and further extends performance parameters when machining heat-resistant alloys. Under test conditions on a variety of Inconel, titanium and other aerospace alloys, Tungaloy reports that the AH8000 more than quadrupled tool life while reducing machining times.
Included in the AH8000 series is the AH8005 grade for continuous machining at higher spindle speeds, and the AH8015 grade, which is said to be extremely hard and durable for interrupted cutting applications. As well as the two grade options, Tungaloy has developed its HRM chip-breaker for finish to medium cutting, and the HRF breaker for finish-turning operations. Adding to these negative insert chip breakers, Tungaloy has also launched a positive insert line with PSF, PSS and PS chip breakers.
The AH8000 series includes a 35, 55 and 80° rhombic insert, a square, triangular and trigon insert (90, 60 and 80°), and a round insert range.
For further information www.tungaloy.com/uk