Tool life doubled
“Being a leader through technology and service” is the motto of Wilhelm Schauerte GmbH & Co. KG. Looking for an innovative tooling solution, the specialist for precision turning found what they were looking for at ISCAR. Since they have been using indexable inserts from the LOGIQ 4 TURN series, tool life for the demanding machining of a component made of chrome-nickel steel has doubled compared to the previous solution, and the chip evacuation process, which was once so difficult, has been running totally smoothly now.
Founded in 1892 as a craftsman’s business, the company, based in Lennestadt-Grevenbrück in the Sauerland region of Germany, began mass-producing precision turned parts in the 1930s. Today, the company is managed by the fourth generation, Stefan W. Schauerte. “We strive to always being at the most recent technological forefront and count on qualified employees. The quota of skilled workers is over 80 percent,” he describes. With a ten percent quota of apprentices – mainly for the profession of cutting machine operator – it is ensured that the next generation comes from the company’s own ranks. “The complexity of machines and tasks is increasing. It is part of our corporate culture to educate skilled workers.”
175 employees produce precision turned parts from various materials in an area of around 11,000 square meters. Among other things, they process steel of different grades and special alloys. Customers come from automotive suppliers (40 percent), mechanical engineering and the sanitary industry. “We are well-diversified and strive to spread risks,” says Stefan W. Schauerte. In a well-equipped machine park, batch sizes between 500 pieces and the seven-digit range are produced. 3-D printers, CNC lathes, multi-spindle – and rotary transfer machines are used. Re-work processes such as grinding are also carried out in-house. Schauerte meets customer requirements for quality and delivery reliability. Qualified employees use modern technology to ensure that the various part geometries and batch sizes are produced economically.
Chip behaviour problems
In order to keep machinery always up to date with latest technology, Schauerte invests a large amount in new production equipment every year. The continuous improvement process is practiced every day. “We are constantly looking for new solutions and have been testing innovative tools. In this way, we want to optimise the availability of machines and reduce unit costs,” describes Kai Milich, who is responsible for technical controlling and tool purchasing at Schauerte. Problems appeared in roughing a 1.4301 stainless steel component on a multispindle machine. “The chips were too long and were not evacuated. We had to stop the machine frequently to clean it up so that no damage would occur,” outlines Milich. He was also dissatisfied with the tool life: The tool used until then wore too quickly during the complex machining process.
A solution became apparent when Kai Milich attended an ISCAR presentation. The LOGIQ 4 TURN series was also presented on the occasion of this event with features that can sort out the problems from his point of view. Thus, the ISCAR 4, consisting of Dirk Baumhof, Application Engineering and Consulting, Rolf Behrendt, Regional Sales Manager, Marco Rötzel, Consulting and Sales and Jonas von Kahlden, Product Manager, were all on board. Just a while later the specialists ran first tests on the spot, while achieving impressive results. Processing stainless steel on an eight-spindle machine with a cutting depth of 2.5 millimeters, tool life could be increased from 1,000 to 2,000 pieces. Furthermore, chip evacuation was much better: for Kai Milich a clear sign to make the deal.
Positive Geometry reduces Cutting Force
LOGIQ 4 TURN is a positive double-sided insert with four usable cutting edges, two more than conventional CCMT inserts. “This design with positive 80-degree geometry enables significantly reduced cutting forces. The efficient, pin-pointed coolant supply ensures longer tool life, better chip flow and higher productivity,” describes Jonas von Kahlden. The dove-tailed pocket results in a very high degree of machining stability. Schauerte uses the CXMG-M3M type with a cutting width of two millimeters. It allows cutting depths between 0.8 and 3 millimeters and feeds between 0.15 and 0.5 millimeters per revolution.
Clear Process Benefits with LOGIQ 4 TURN
Since the turning specialist has been using LOGIQ 4 TURN, processes have improved significantly. “Tool lives have doubled. In the past, the tool was in operation for 102 minutes before wear, but today it’s 204 minutes,” says Kai Milich. 2,000 components per shift can be processed without any problems. “Today, we have to open the machine door much less often for insert indexing.” Schauerte has considerably reduced tool and unit costs with LOGIQ 4 TURN. They are also very satisfied with the chip removal behavior. “The chips are formed in such a way that they can be evacuated without difficulty. This is one of the major advantages of the ISCAR tool,” says Kai Milich. He is also pleased about the high process reliability. This is essential, he says, because the dimensional tolerances on the product are very low and the material is expensive and, depending on the batch, it is tricky to machine.
The cooperation with the ISCAR employees is also highly praised. The cooperation has existed for almost 20 years and is based on mutual trust and transparency. One man from the very beginning is Dirk Baumhof. There is a special connection with him. “He visits our company quite often. When we call, he’s always on the spot with good advice,” says Stefan W. Schauerte in appreciation, at the same time emphasizing how important a good relationship with suppliers is to him. Regional Sales Manager Rolf Behrendt also appreciates the open communication between the partners. “If there is anything new, it is communicated to us right away.” Schauerte now has been using LOGIQ 4 TURN on four components and identifies further potential. Kai Milich: “We also try to achieve positive results in other applications.”
For more information, please contact ISCAR South Africa (PTY) LTD – Tel: 011 997-2700.
