Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Advanced Materials & Tools Company (President – Fumio Tsurumaki, Headquarters: 1-3-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo) has launched additional types for the MS plus solid carbide end mill range.

MS plus end mills are regarded as tools with stable tool life when machining a broad range of workpiece materials up to 50HRC that are commonly used in the mould and die industry. Now the MS plus end mill series has been further expanded to include 2 new square corner types, MPMHV and MPJHV. They are both suitable for high efficiency machining of stainless and carbon steels.

Features of MPMHV and MPJHV, MS plus end mills

• MS+ coating is used because it displays excellent wear resistance over a broad range of workpiece materials from carbon steels through to hardened steels up to 50HRC.
• They deliver overwhelmingly high vibration resistance by adopting flutes with different helix angles. This helps to deliver reliable enable machining on long overhang applications. Moreover, the MPJHV, semi-long cut length type is especially effective for deep wall machining.
• MPMHV, the medium length flute type realises higher general-purpose use because both the cutting edge and overall length are slightly longer than conventional products.

Machining tools are becoming increasingly efficient. This is what the KOMET GROUP is demonstrating at AMB 2016, where the precision tools manufacturer is presenting numerous innovations under the trade fair slogan “TOTAL PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS”. Highlights include the growing range of milling tools that can also be used in generative manufacturing processes, as well as a completely new indexable insert reaming tool and unique expansions of the KOMET KUB Pentron^® drill. Other attractions include the numerous innovations in mechatronic tools and ultra-hard cutting tool materials as well as the KOMET^® ToolScope assistance system, which bridges the gap from machining to Industry 4.0.

Renowned as a leading innovator in high-precision drilling, reaming and threading, the KOMET GROUP presented a significantly expanded range of milling cutters just last year that transformed the tool manufacturer into a single-source supplier. Alongside the KOMET^® solid carbide milling cutters for all requirements in the diameter range of 3.0 to 25.0 mm, the KOMET^® indexable insert milling cutters have primarily been subject to further improvements.

The cutter holders in the completely redesigned KOMET^® PCD milling cutters are manufactured using the generative process of laser melting, which means that these new tools can offer feed rates up to 50% higher than before. 3D printing enables up to twice as many cutting edges to be created – regardless of diameter. KOMET^® is also utilising the structural flexibility provided by the additive manufacturing process to create a perfect design for the course of the coolant channels inside these milling cutters. Curved channel routes now reduce pressure loss in the coolant and are positioned precisely in such a way that every cutting edge is supplied with coolant from a separate channel.

Aside from the new production process, KOMET^® is also expanding its milling range with new designs, such as the KOMET^® hi.aeQ 45° face-milling cutter, which has a feed rate of up to 40% higher than a shoulder milling cutter. KOMET^® is also launching new PCD milling and thread milling tools to standard versions that can be particularly productive when used in applications involving lightweight construction materials.

Dimensionally accurate – even for large drilling depths

For years, the KOMET KUB Pentron^® solid drill has stood for precise drilling under extreme conditions. This tool was previously only available in the 4xD and 5xD length/diameter ratios, but the Besigheim tool specialists have now also developed 2xD and 3xD versions so that the high-performance indexable insert drill can be used in an even more versatile manner. The CS (Custom Solution) variant has drawn particular attention with its diameter/length ratio of 6xD. As a result, the KOMET KUB Pentron^® CS, which has been optimised for Key Account and industry segment requirements, does without guide elements and is extremely competitive compared to its guided counterparts on the basis of its performance data.

Indexable insert reaming: Simplified index exchange
Indexable insert technology has revolutionised reaming with multiple cutting edge reamers and has set new standards in terms of cost efficiency and functionality. The KOMET GROUP has now successfully developed new high-precision indexable insert reaming tools that are even easier to operate. In previous tools, each insert was assigned a specific insert seat identified by the letters A, B, C, etc., but this positioning has now become redundant. Users can fit the indexable inserts into the new KOMET^® indexable insert reaming tool in any order – making errors virtually impossible and reducing the logistical effort required.

Increase in performance with diamond cutting materials
As already mentioned with milling, the KOMET GROUP is focussing on developing tools with ultra-hard cutting materials. One example of this is the expansion of the range of ISO indexable inserts with diamond cutting edges to a total of more than 900 items. In addition to KOMET^® PCD products, CVD thick film diamond-tipped inserts can now also be supplied. All variants are manufactured using the latest production technology, such as laser machining and high-vacuum soldering, which results in high-quality cutting edges and variable geometries as well as improved cutting results and longer tool life.

Facing head with direct position measuring system
Mechatronic tools such as precision adjustment heads, facing heads and the KomTronic^® U-axis systems, available in several variants, are one of the specialities of the KOMET GROUP. A patented direct encoder has been available as an optional extra for U-axes and the purely mechanical KomDrive facing heads for two years. In order to enable encoding to take place directly on the slider, the encoder also takes disturbance variables of mechanical elements into account, such as the drive element tolerances, the temperature range and wear. The control system can respond to the measurement data immediately, providing accuracy to +/- 3 µm and thereby enabling outstanding machining quality to be achieved.

Tool and process expertise from a single source
KOMET BRINKHAUS GmbH has been part of the KOMET GROUP for more than three years. As a result of the interaction between tool experts and process monitoring specialists, it has been possible to further develop the ToolScope process monitoring system into an integrated assistance system in terms of Industry 4.0. It monitors the internal signals from the machine, detects events such as tool changes or machine stoppage and is able to calculate parameters and deduce trends. At AMB 2016, KOMET^® is demonstrating how easy ToolScope is to use: Customers can select the solutions they require from the broad range of applications – from tool monitoring to an automatic tool change log through to adaptive feed control – and license them individually. Operation of the system has also become more flexible: Users can now view and operate their custom assistance system on mobile terminals such as tablets and smartphones. 

Tungaloy Corporation is launching the BXA20 series, a new coated CBN grade for hardened steel.

BXA20 delivers predictable and long tool life in a wide range of applications from roughing to finishing, including de-scaling of case-hardened steel, which usually requires a large stock to be removed. This innovative CBN grade exhibits excellent wear and fracture resistance in a low to medium cutting speed range, with enhanced tool life in continuous as well as interrupted cuts.

The BXA20 series is available with a built-in wiper for a superb surface finish at high feed rates or a chipbreaker for smooth chip control in large stock removal, covering a wide variety of applications.

Main Features

• BXA20’s multi-layered PVD coating is twice as thick as the conventional grade to improve wear resistance. The top-most layer of the coating has a very low coefficient of friction to help reduce crater wear. This multi-layered PVD coating with enhanced adhesion strength increases chipping and peel-off resistances, thus assuring stable and long tool life.
• The dedicated carbide substrate withstands a heavy load of interrupted cutting and large depth-of-cut machining.
• With a bright silver finish, used corners can easily be identified
• 95 items in total

From 13th to 17th September 2016, Walter AG will be exhibiting its latest developments at the AMB in Stuttgart. Machining experts from across the world will have the chance to see the company’s latest product innovations in the fields of milling, drilling, threading and turning, as well learn about the numerous processes and solutions developed from practical experience.

Thanks to Walter AG’s “Engineering Kompetenz”, customers can be offered innovative products in conjunction with profound process expertise to achieve value-adding solutions for machining. At AMB 2016, the audience of industry professionals will see a demonstration not only of the company’s numerous product innovations but also its expertise when it comes to processes and solutions.

The highlight in terms of products will be the newly developed cutting tool material for milling applications, introduced for the very first time. The company can boast the DC170 Supreme solid carbide drill, the MC232 Perform milling cutter family and a further development in precision cooling amongst its product innovations in the fields of drilling, threading and turning – developments which customers can always count on when it comes to precision, process reliability and cost efficiency.

Of course, Walter AG also takes into consideration the processes that users have to follow. At the AMB 2016, the expert visitors will be shown, amongst other things, how they can link the Walter Multiply service concept with Industry 4.0 service and production in such a way that all processes can become more efficient and, consequently, more economical. As a special highlight this year, Walter will also unveil solutions for the automotive and aerospace sectors. Thanks to a new cutting tool material as well as innovations in machining aluminium and titanium, Walter will once again demonstrate its expertise as a specialist provider of solutions developed through real-world experience.

You can find Walter AG at the AMB 2016 in hall 1, stand G32 The press conference at the AMB 2016 will take place on 12th September 2016 in Walter AG’s new Technology Center at their headquarters in Tübingen.

CAMWorks 3D CAM software technology, Tolerance Based Machining uses tolerances, hole callouts, surface finishes and other annotations to automatically generate CNC programs for SOLIDWORKS 3D parts.

Geometric Limited, a global leader in 3D CNC machining software, today announced the availability of a revolutionary new technology that uses SOLIDWORKS 3D DimXpert and Model Based Definition (MBD) 3D dimensions and annotations to automate the programming process for CNC machined components.

Aligning with industry initiatives such as Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 for advanced manufacturing, CAMWorks has been uniquely structured to realize the benefits of automated CNC program generation based on tolerance, surface finish, and other annotations in SOLIDWORKS 3D parts. This functionality is possible due to CAMWorks’ ability to extract manufacturing features like pockets, bosses, holes, etc…, and automatically create toolpaths based on an internal knowledge base of user definable tools, feeds, speeds, and strategies.

Jim Foster (VP Channel Marketing and Sales –  Geometric) says, “The opportunity to reduce the need for 2D drawings while helping to automate CNC machining to this level is truly exciting. Toolpath programming processes that typically take hours can now be accomplished in minutes. CAMWorks with Tolerance Based Machining will save 70% to 90% over the typical times involved when using traditional CNC software to prepare parts and assemblies for machining.  For many of our product manufacturing customers, the competitive advantage this technology offers is significant.”

TC3020 & TC3030 New Ceramic Grades for High Temperature Alloy Machining

The demand for cutting tools to increase productivity and cut the cost of machining high temperature alloys is always increasing, that is why TaeguTec has launched two new SiAlON ceramic grades – the TC3020 and TC3030 – that offer superior performance.

Both the TC3020 and TC3030 ceramic grades are suitable for high temperature alloy machining where difficult-to-cut materials such as Inconel, rene and titanium are used. These ceramic grades are characterized by their excellent toughness and anti-chipping capabilities making them the best choice for both interrupted and continuous machining.

With the introduction of both these grades, the Asian metalworking giant has gone a step further by supplying even more optimal solutions for machining high temperature alloys than its current whisker ceramic grade.

The new grades are available for insert lines in turning, milling and grooving applications.

The TC3020 is ideal for high temperature alloy machining and runs in the same conditions as the whisker ceramic grade. Its superior wear resistance is due to its high stability while it offers better flank and notch wear resistance compared to the competitor’s similar grade. Furthermore, the TC3020 has excellent high temperature strength and fracture toughness.

The other new offering, the TC3030, is also created to handle high temperature alloys with the difference being that the grade’s extreme toughness enables it more for higher feed and heavier depth of cut machining and is suitable for scaling and roughing applications while offering excellent thermal shock resistance and thermal conductivity.

By combining silicon nitride and aluminum oxide, TaeguTec’s SiAlON grade offers incredible chemical stability in order to reduce notch wear in demanding operations and has the capability to run at 4-6 times the speed of conventional carbide inserts.

Product testing in real-world machining conditions demonstrated increases in productivity and tool life.

While performing a continuous grooving operation on an engine casing made from Inconel 718, the TC3020 grade’s productivity increased by 40 percent over the competitor’s similar ceramic grade.

For an engine casing made from the same Inconel 718 with external interrupted turning and interrupted grooving operations, TaeguTec’s TC3030 increased tool life by 23 percent and 56 percent respectively.

The biggest improvement over the competition was on a rene 108 material, the TC3030 performed incredibly well on a face milling operation of a shroud workpiece when it increased tool life by 100 percent.

As one of Asia’s leading metalworking companies, TaeguTec is a highly regarded and respected supplier of cutting tools, tooling systems and industrial products for the metalworking and steel industries and is present in over 50 countries.

Stainless materials are becoming increasingly important, and not only in the food industry and medical engineering. Walter is providing a completely new type of coolant jet guiding insert geometry for machining both ISO M and ISO S materials in the form of the RM5 geometry: Deep, parallel twin coolant channels convey the coolant even closer to the cutting edge, directly beneath the chip. The result: Maximum cooling – and therefore a considerably longer tool life for roughing operations than was previously possible.

The new RM5 geometry in the current ISO basic shapes combines design features, such as the double positive macro-geometry, with Walter’s own Tiger·tec® Silver coating featuring a PVD-Al2O3 heat shield. In addition to the unique profile of the coolant channels, the RM5 geometry includes two other features which increase tool life. The new cutting edge design also reduces crater wear, as well as the formation of workpiece material build-up on the cutting edge and the occurrence of notching.

The new RM5 geometry roughing turning insert is the first of its kind in the new ISO M family. Other geometries for medium machining and finishing are to follow. It achieves optimum results when used in combination with Walter precision cooling toolholders. This is because these toolholders feature both rake and flank face cooling. In addition to this advanced method of cooling, the insert can also be used in conjunction with standard ISO turning toolholders on any lathe with standard coolant supply setup.

Tungaloy Corporation is pleased to introduce AH7025, the versatile PVD grade for TungCut, the multi-functional grooving tool with 2-cornered inserts.

TungCut provides stable and long tool life because of its unique rigid insert clamping system. The tool series covers a wide variety of grooving operations from small-part machining to general machining.

AH7025 is a new versatile PVD grade that realizes high level of wear and chipping resistance due to the perfect combination of the new coating layer and the substrate, which makes the grade the first choice for all grooving needs.

AH7025 is applicable for a variety of materials, including steel, stainless steel, and even heat-resistant alloys and suitable for all types of applications, such as grooving, turning, and parting-off.

 Main features:

• Drastically improves wear and chipping resistance due to highly tough and adhesive multi-layer coating with high Al content
• Covers a wide range of workpiece materials, such as steel, stainless steel, and heat-resistant alloys
• Suitable for all types of applications, including grooving, turning, and parting-off

• Insert: 23 items

Cast iron has become one of the easier metals to machine, however, recent machining trends have seen the introduction of excessively high cutting speeds to improve productivity, and the increase of demand for machining complicated shapes made from cast iron.

As such, the need for a new grade specifically designed for high-speed and rough machining of cast iron has emerged.

TaeguTec’s new TT7515 grade has been applied to an improved substrate to boost both toughness and hardness, which maximizes the wear resistance due to the newest special CVD coating technology.

Also, the improved carbide substrate of the Asian metalworking giant’s new grade offers better stability with more uniform and rigid reinforcement while its strong coating adhesion inhibits coating layer delamination.

The TT7515 grade shows outstanding performance in high-speed machining of gray cast iron and achieves stable machining by suppressing the abrupt failure even under unstable machining conditions.

Another major advantage from TaeguTec is that the latest coating increases tool life.

The TT7515 grade complements the existing TT6800 grade by covering the same application range while enabling improved performance. Hence, the existing TT6800 will be replaced with the TT7515 grade being introduced afterwards.

To put it to the test, TaeguTec pitted the TT7515 grade against a leading competitor’s similar offering and found that tool life increased by 40 percent while machining a grey cast iron workpiece material.

With its soft, positive cutting action, the new Walter BLAXX M3024 heptagon cutter achieves high metal removal rates, even on relatively low-performance machines.

With its soft, positive cutting action, the new Walter BLAXX M3024 heptagon cutter achieves high metal removal rates, even on relatively low-performance machines. The 14 cutting edges per indexable insert keep cutting-tool material costs low. The carbide shim provides optimal insert support, thus offering a high level of security when operating with high feed rates; coupled with the tough, negative indexable inserts, this combination affords the highest level of process reliability. Indexable inserts for the Walter BLAXX heptagon cutter are available in two CVD-coated Tiger·tec® Silver grades (WKP25S and WKP35S) for machining steels and cast irons. Not only this, but they are also available in three PVD-coated grades (WSM35S, WKK25S and WSP45S) for machining steels, cast irons and stainless steels. The tool is perfect for machining components such as exhaust turbochargers and turbine blades. Another new addition is the Walter BLAXX M3016 heavy-duty cutter, which also features Tiger·tec® Silver technology.

Indexable inserts are available in CVD-coated grades WKP25S and WKP35S and in PVD-coated grades WKK25S and WSP45S for machining steels and cast irons. Tough, tangential indexable inserts offer a high level of process reliability, and the support seat’s emergency cutting function protects the body in the event of insert breakage. With four cutting edges per indexable insert, the M3016 offers both low cutting-tool material costs and incredibly high metal removal rates. The positive cutting edge geometry allows for a soft cutting action, and the inclusion of a corner radius in the design affords maximum stability. The new tool is ideal for roughing large workpieces in any steel and cast iron material at incredibly high metal removal rates.