The negative NRM turning chip breaker is for roughing and semi-roughing of stainless steel and low alloy steel. Launched under the company’s Pramet brand, NRM is available for both double-sided and large single-sided inserts.

It has been designed for continuous and mass levels of production, offering consistent performance and high feeds. However, the NRM has excellent chip-breaking properties and can also be used for roughing of stainless steel even at lower feeds, without the risk of work hardening.

Its positive geometry with a wide T-land offers a broad depth of cut and promotes good chip evacuation in a wide number of applications. The chip breaker is available in grades T7325, T7335 and T9315.

The NRM enhances Pramet’s existing range of turning chip breakers for stainless steel, including the NMR for medium to roughing operations, NM for medium turning and NF for finishing to medium turning.

In a recent test, machining M group material DIN 1.4301, the NRM on the CNMG insert with T7335 grade, achieved a 60% longer tool life than a competitor equivalent.

Meanwhile, Dormer Pramet has developed a new chip breaker for bar peeling of stainless steel, steel and super alloys.

Suitable for roughing to finishing operations, the MM chip breaker has been designed with a wide, strong T-land to offer increased stability of the cutting edge.

This gives the Pramet chip breaker good chip control with an even spread of the cutting forces, making it suitable for high feeds in heavy conditions.

There are three cutting edge options: S01 is for hard materials, S02 for medium hardness and S03 have a stabilized facet on the main cutting edge for soft materials.

The MM chip breaker is available for use with the LNGF inserts, for roughing to finishing, RNGH inserts for roughing and WNGF inserts for roughing to finishing. It is suitable for use with the grades T7325, T9315 and T6310.

KOMET SERVICE Partner Razor Tool opened their new facility in Woburn, Massachusetts last month.

Razor Tool, a KOMET SERVICE® Partner, celebrated the grand opening of their new facility in Woburn, Mass on Wednesday, June 8th 2016. The evening, which featured a cocktail reception, tool demos and displays, and an announcement ceremony, drew a strong crowd on a warm summer evening. Attendees also enjoyed tours of the brand new facility. The new building provides ample space for Razor Tool’s state-of-the-art 5-axis tool and cutter grinding machinery. “The grand opening was a huge success,” Tom Whennen, Manager of KOMET SERVICE says. “As KOMET SERVICE continues to grow and expand its reach across North America, our Partners continue to expand as well. This new building is proof that Razor Tool is growing and can provide more and more customers with top-notch service. We were thrilled to have so many people come out and celebrate this achievement with us.” Razor Tool is the tenth KOMET SERVICE Partner, joining KOMET SERVICE in May of 2015. Razor Tool shares KOMET SERVICE’s commitment to quality service and fast, reliable refurbishment of solid carbide tools. Utilizing state-of-the-art CNC equipment to grind cutting tools of the highest quality, along with their focused, service-based strategy, Razor Tool quickly cultivated and maintained a strong base of repeat customers, and this customer base continues to grow.

The Jabro^®-Solid² JS554 range of solid-carbide end mills gains further utility and versatility with smaller neck diameter options. These latest tools provide greater clearance when machining complex components, such as those found in aerospace, medical and general machining applications.

Smaller neck dimensions make it easier to access parts clamped in complicated fixturing arrangements, as well as enable users to take full advantage of 4-axis and 5-axis machining capabilities. The neck sizes are optimised to retain tool rigidity while providing full compatibility with standard toolholder connective systems. The tools maintain their ability to productively machine materials in the ISO P, M, S and other material groups.

JS554 end mills provide high stability and low deflection. They also bring an excellent price-performance ratio to a range of applications, and these latest additions further expand the line’s advanced capabilities.

The range of JS554 end mills covers tool diameters from 3 mm to 20 mm and typical cutting lengths 2xD + 2 mm. Reach lengths are 3xDc. The range also includes corner radius and 45˚-chamfer versions, for both Cylindrical and Weldon shanks

Stainless steel is a vitally important material for many industries around the world. Even though it was created more than 100 years ago, use of the material has increased significantly since the turn of the 21^st century.

Ricky Payling, application specialist at Dormer Pramet, outlines the growth of stainless steel, how the cutting tool industry has evolved to machine the material, as well as providing a summary of some of its most common grades.

According to the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) the global demand for stainless steel products has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, and continues to grow five per cent each year.

In 2014, almost 42 million metric tons of stainless steel was produced worldwide – a 70 per cent increase from 2005 (24 million metric tons). This growth is predominantly achieved by an increase in China, where production has grown from a 13 per cent share of global output in 2005 to more than 52 per cent in 2014.

This rapid development is not only to meet worldwide demand, but also to support increased use within China, where stainless steel is consumed in household metal products, building materials and machinery.

Stainless steels’ anti-corrosive qualities make it perfect for use in a huge range of environments and components, such as aerospace, general engineering, consumer, oil and gas, medical and marine industries.

Its versatility is reflected by the fact that there are more than 150 different grades. Common stainless steels include ferritic, martensitic, austenitic, super-austenitic and duplex. More details of which are covered below.

The main alloying element is Chromium, which forms an ultra-thin oxide film on the surface. As a general rule, resistance to corrosion and oxidation increases in line with Chromium content. Other alloying elements, such as Nickel and Molybdenum, can be added to change the structure, increase corrosion resistance and improve strength.

This increase in production and consumption has coincided with advancements and new developments within the cutting tool industry. Due to the difficult process of machining stainless steel, manufacturers have invested a huge amount of time and resources in finding new ways to try to combat the numerous application challenges.

Recent introductions include changes to the cutting tool design, new geometries, improved coolant and developing stronger coatings to improve performance and tool life.

Drills with thin margins for example, reduces the contact with the hole surface, minimising friction between the cylindrical land and the hole walls, decreasing work hardening and temperatures generated.

Positive point geometries ensure excellent chip breaking and evacuation, while a specially designed web combines the benefits of maximum rigidity with space for efficient chip removal, reducing machine downtime.

Coatings and coolant
Significant heat is generated during machining of stainless steel, resulting in plastic deformation and severe crater wear. Therefore, a generous flow of cutting fluid removes heat from the cutting edge, helps chip breaking and improves dimensional stability of the component.

When using flood coolant, it is important to ensure a plentiful supply as any period of coolant starvation can cause temperature fluctuations. This can cause thermal cracking, resulting in reduced tool life. Cutting tools with through coolant also provide an instant reduction in temperature and supports chip evacuation.

Meanwhile, a Titanium Aluminium Nitride (TiAlN) coating is ideally suited for machining stainless steel as it holds its hardness at higher temperatures due to a layer of aluminium oxide, helping to transfer the heat away from the cutting tool.

The high strength of stainless steels combined with their high ductility makes chip breaking more difficult. This increases the risk of vibration, which can affect surface finish quality and reduce the service life of the tool or insert.

To address this, always make sure tooling and work pieces are stable and well clamped. Always keep tool overhang to a minimum, especially when drilling or internal turning. To help reduce vibration, use sharp tools or inserts with a small nose or corner radius.

Ferritic & Martensitic
The machinability of ferritic and martensitic stainless steels shows a resemblance to that of ISO P: Steel. Normal chromium content is 12-18 per cent, with only small additions of other alloying elements.

Ferritic materials are used in shafts for pumps, steam and water turbines, nuts, bolts, hot water heaters, and in the pulp and food processing industries. Martensitic steels can be hardened and are, as a result, used for edges in cutlery steel, razor blades and surgical instruments.

Machinability of ferritic and matensitic stainless steels is good and very similar to low alloyed steels.

Austenitic & Super-Austenitic
Austenitic stainless steels are the most commonly used ISO M material, accounting for 70 per cent of all stainless steel machined. This is due primarily to their very good resistance to corrosion.

The most common composition is 18 per cent chromium and 8 per cent nickel. Steel with greater corrosion resistance is created by adding two to three per cent molybdenum, often called “acid-proof steel” or type 316.  Super-austenitic stainless steels have a nickel content of more than 20 per cent.

Austenitic and super-austenitic stainless steels are used where good resistance against corrosion is required. Typical industry sectors include the chemical, pulp and food processing industries. It is also used in aircraft exhaust manifolds.

Austenite stainless steel produces tough, long, continuous chips that are difficult to break. It is prone to work hardening during machining, producing hard surfaces and chips which lead to notch wear. It also creates adhesion and produces built-up edge, resulting in poor surface finish and reducing tool life.

To minimize this, avoid using tools with worn edges which could accelerate tool wear and cause breakage. Make regular checks for signs of wear and change tools or inserts regularly. Also, try to avoid any dwells or pauses in the cutting process as this will cause heat build-up and increase work hardening.

A high rake angle reduces heat generated during milling, minimising work hardening.

Duplex
Adding nickel to a ferritic chromium based steel will form a mixed base structure containing both ferrite and austenite. This is known as a duplex stainless steel.

Duplex materials have a high tensile strength and maintain very high corrosion resistance.  Super-duplex and hyper-duplex indicate higher content of alloying elements and even higher corrosion resistance.

Chromium content between 18-24 per cent and nickel content between 4-7 per cent are common in duplex steels, producing a ferritic share of 25-80 per cent.

Duplex stainless steels are used in the chemical, food, construction, medical, cellulose and paper making industries, and in processes that include acids or chlorine. They are often used in equipment related to off-shore oil and gas applications.

Machinability of Duplex is generally poor due to high yield point and high tensile strength. Higher content of ferrite – above 60 per cent – improves machinability.

Dormer Pramet has developed a comprehensive assortment of indexable and rotary cutting tools to support machining of stainless steel.

Its solid carbide drill for applications up to 8xD has been specifically developed to overcome problems typically associated with deep-hole drilling of stainless steel. Created within the Dormer product portfolio, the R459 broadens the existing MP-X range which already consists of 3xD and 5xD solid carbide multi-material drills.

Meanwhile, a versatile range of OEHT octagonal inserts for cutting depths 4 – 10 mm, alongside REHT (round) and XEHT (wiper) inserts, is suitable for stainless steel.

By utilising eight cutting edges – the highest number available for positive inserts – the new range provides an economical offer for customers, while the wiper insert option boosts feed rate capabilities and surface finish quality.

Courtesy: Dormer Pramet
 

Chip breakers are an intrinsic part in most cutting tools because they improve chip control and reduce cutting resistance which, when properly coupled together, increases the machining performance. In order for chips to be broken into suitable lengths and not wrap around the workpiece, TaeguTec has launched two new chip breakers for the TopDrill line: the “DK” type for cast iron drilling and the “DA” type for aluminum drilling.

TaeguTec’ s current “DP” chip breaker was developed for general drilling applications whereas the new geometry “DK” type, which utilizes the TT6080 grade, improves wear resistance when machining cast iron. Both help customers reduce their operating cost and delay the development of tool wear as well as improve stability during the machining process of cast iron materials. The “DA” chip breaker is designed with a polished top face surface as well as a sharp edge to minimize cutting resistance and built-up-edges while drilling into aluminum workpieces which helps to avoid chipping and fracturing of the cutting edge normally caused by vibration. Both the “DK” and “DA” chip breakers are available in the same size range as the current “DP” geometry inserts.

During several case studies on aluminum workpieces, the “DA” transformed chips into pellet sized shards which were quickly and efficiently evacuated from the insert through the TopDill’s advanced body and flute design in order to avoid any damage to the drill or workpiece. In case studies on the “DK” chip breaker, TaeguTec’s newest offering to the highly popular TopDrill line increase tool life by as much as 88 percent while machining ductile cast iron workpieces.

Expansion of the HELIIQMILL 390 line with new 15mm insert geometries to meet more application requirements.

Following market demand, ISCAR is expanding the HELIIQMILL HM390 – 15 triangular insert family to meet the growing requirements of effecient milling in various industrial sectors and applications, by adding three new geometries, one in a cermet grade.

HM390 TDKT 1505PDR-GW IC30N
Generally, cermet features excellent wear resistance at high temperature and reduced buitlt-up edge formation (BUE) with respect to tungsten carbide. These properties contribute greatly to successfully applying cermet tools to high speed machining (HSM) and achieveing super finish cutting. ISCAR’s cermet grade IC30N was designed for long life and excellent surface quality. The new insert is intended mostly semi-finish and finish milling operations, providing a fine machined surface for general use aplications.

• Features
  Cermet grade for longer tool life and superior surface finish
• Good choice for HSM due to high resistance to abrasion and oxidation wear
• wide and sharpe-edge wiper for improved quality of machined surface
• 0.8 mm corner radious
• Covers a wide milling application range on steel

Applying insert made from cermet prevents BUE and thus increasing productivity when milling materials that cause high adhesion wear. The insert cutting edge continues to be sharp over a long period of time, maintaining low cutting force and excellent surface quality – hence, the cermet inserts are good choice for precise finish milling.

Range of tools and high-performance grades address challenges to deliver improved productivity, security and tool life in transmission shaft machining.

The Sandvik Coromant portfolio of automotive component manufacturing solutions offers a selection of tools and insert grades designed to optimize the machining of transmission shafts.
​
Beginning with soft stage steel turning, high-performance GC4325 and GC4315 insert grades for internal and external operations offer superior levels of wear resistance, the ability to withstand high cutting temperatures and cutting edges that stay in shape for long times in cut.

Moving to hard part turning, CBN inserts are the first choice for turning high quality steel surfaces in the hardness range 58-65 HRc. CBN inserts from Sandvik Coromant have wiper options optimized for specific applications: WH (wiper HPT) generates low cutting forces for best surface integrity, while WG (wiper general) permits higher feed capacity.

The CoroCut® 1-2 grooving programme offers a number of benefits to those machining transmission shafts. For instance, patented spring clamping delivers high rigidity and clamping force accuracy, while both over- and under high precision coolant is available and easily connected via plug and play adaptors. What’s more, CoroCut 1-2 is now available in GC4325 high performance grade for steel.

Clearly, as a transmission shaft, these complex components demand numerous gear and spline milling operations. Among the tools ideal for addressing this challenge is CoroMill 176, an innovative indexable insert cutter for productive gear wheel machining that is designed for gears in the module range 4 to 10. Also, deployed widely for transmission shaft applications are the CoroMill 172 disc cutter for milling high-quality gear profiles and, similarly, CoroMill 171 for small gear modules. The latter features inserts with two cutting edges, while the same cutter body can hold inserts for different gear profiles.

Other gear and spline profiles on transmission shafts can be tackled using InvoMilling, the unique Sandvik Coromant approach to milling spur and helical gears using indexable insert cutters, along with CoroMill 161 and 162. Using this single tool set on multi-task machines or five-axis machining centres it is possible to create many different profiles by simply changing the CNC program instead of changing the tool.

Indian Tool Manufacturers or ITM, a division of Birla Precision Technologies Limited, belonging to the Yash Birla Group is a pioneer in manufacturing and supply of high speed steel cutting tools in India.  Having been in the business for more than 70 years, it offers a comprehensive range of High Speed Steel (HSS) cutting tools to companies across the engineering industry. ITM products and solutions are widely accepted and known for thequality and performance not only in the domestic market but also various export markets.

Established in 1937, the company has pioneered the business of HSS cutting tools in India. The plant at Nashik was started in the year 1973, followed by its second unit that started in 1989-90 at Aurangabad.

The Nashik plant has played a vital role in the growth of the company. ITM Products popularly known as “Dagger Brand” made from the finest High Speed Steel and conforming to stringent international standards are exported to the European and American Markets apart from being sold throughout India through an extensive distribution network.

Product Offerings
ITM believes in constantly evolving with the technological trends, this has led the company to manufacture more than 10,000 different varieties of products including drills taps, reamers, milling cutters and tool bits among others. ITM undertakes production of cutting tools in various grades of HSS like M2, M35, M42 and T42 among others.

An extensive range of high seed steel cutting tools in various grades and various types of drills, milling cutters, reamers, taps and tool bits are manufactured in ITM’s well-equipped units in Maharashtra. The plant in Nashik is focused mainly on special tools are that are manufactured according to the customer demands, while the plant at Aurangabad manufactures standard catalogue products.

The company boats of manufacturing a wide range of drills, carbide tipped masonry drill to high performance drill, a customer can find everything here. One of the most sought after products from the ITM shop floor is the specially developed Carbide Tipped Masonry Drill for drilling of all traditional buildings material like concrete, stonework, bricks, tiles and marble among others.

According to the company officials, ITM is committed to manufacture quality cutting tools by continual improvements in process, by adapting innovations & creativity and by implementation of quality systems through involvement of all the employees. The company also believes in working towards achieving customer satisfaction through continual improvements in ‘timely delivery of quality products and services’.

Investing In Technology
Keeping in line with the technological developments in the machine tools industry, the cutting tool technology has also undergone various changes. This has also resulted in development of a variety of HSS, like powder technology and different types of coatings. Today the customers have a wide range of option to choose from. This has led to a competition among HSS cutting tools providers to meet the evolving demands and they have a huge task of meeting the improved norms of productivity and quality requirements. To meet these challenges, the ITM facilities are well equipped with CNC turning machines, heat treatment system, flute-grinding machines and friction welding machines.

Growth On Cards
Nothing stopped ITM to invest in technology, not even the economic downturn. This reflects on its determination towards the commitment towards excellence in manufacturing and to their customers. Looking at the change in demand trends, the company will continue to invest in technology in an attempt meet the specific customer requirements.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com