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SPECIAL ATTENTION!

A wide variety of exchangeable heads, shanks, adapters, extensions and reducers feature MULTI-MASTER as a versatile modular system.

When deciding on the appropriate cutting tool for a particular application, it is difficult to determine whether a standard tool or a special tool is preferable. The ideal tool selection is contingent on various factors, such as the nature of the business situation, the manufacturing program, the production type, and sometimes personal preferences. Standard cutting tools, produced by a specific tool manufacturer, offer high versatility and are appropriate for machining a diverse range of parts that come in different shapes.

Furthermore, the tool exhibits excellent performance capabilities when cutting various engineering materials. To ensure seamless production processes, it is crucial to have the cutting tools delivered in a timely manner. This is why standard tools are the foundation of tool stock management on metalworking production floors.

A special cutting tool is designed for specific operations on a particular part, made of a specific material and used on a machine that requires a specific work holding fixture. This custom-engineered tooling solution aims to provide the best possible performance and outcome. However, there is a downside to this solution as it limits the tool’s versatility, making it less adaptable to different applications. As a result, special tools are primarily used for high-volume mass production, especially in the automotive industry.

A special tool is not readily available and requires significant engineering effort, including concept design, coordination with the customer, detailed design and production. The delivery time for special tools is significantly longer than that of standard tools. Metalworking shops often face a dilemma when choosing between standard or special tools, which can impact project timelines. The question remains, which tool will provide the best solution? Should shops rely on readily available standard tools or opt for a highly efficient special tool with a longer delivery time? Naturally, economic factors such as cost per unit and tool costs should be taken into consideration. All things being equal, in an ideal situation where production programs, processes and inventory are planned, the answer is clear. Therefore, the maximum short lead time is an important factor when choosing a special tool.

Special tools vary in their design complexity. Some are simple modifications of standard tools, such as changes to the corner radius or tool length. These modifications fall under the category of “semi-standard” products, which can be manufactured relatively quickly. The design complexity of a special tool is determined by a pre-design study that assesses the customer’s manufacturing limitations, accompanied by cost calculations and production time. The results of the study determine the limits and cost-effectiveness that correlate to the special tool’s delivery time. However, there are additional ways to reduce the delivery time of special tools, such as using solid tools with exchangeable heads, bodies of indexable cutters or replaceable inserts. The tool manufacturer’s delivery times and production abilities play a significant role in the final decision on how to proceed.

One alternative to engineered special tools is modular tooling, such as ISCAR’s MULTI-MASTER, which features rotating tools with exchangeable solid carbide heads. This tooling system includes a wide range of tool bodies (referred to as “shanks” in the family nomenclature), adapters, extensions and reducers that enable the configuration of the required tool for diverse machining operations.

Additive manufacturing (AM) presents new opportunities for special tool solutions. This technology allows for the quick production of tools with complex profile designs. Although finish cutting and grinding operations are still necessary, the fast manufacturing of pre-shaped products that are very close to a final shape is fascinating.

The complex-shaped head of NEOSWISS for Swiss-type machines is a modular quick-change head system created by 3D printed technology.

Additionally, 3D printing can be used to fabricate carbide inserts without the need for a die-set, which significantly reduces production time and costs. This process is an excellent way to create insert prototypes during the development stages and produce low-batch special inserts. AM of carbide inserts and heads is gaining momentum and is highly capable of ensuring fast delivery of customized tools and their components.

Metalworking shops can quickly manufacture and customize a special tool if an appropriate off-the-shelf product is not available. However, they may not have the means to complete the full cycle of toolmaking. In such cases, tool manufacturers can provide semi-standard tools as standard items, which can be adapted by the customer to their final shape. These semi-finished products can include blank bodies, blank inserts, and blank heads. Some cutting tool manufacturers, such as ISCAR, offer this option and include blanks in their standard product range.

A disc-form blank head with MULTI-MASTER adaptation substantially expands the customer’s ability to produce tailor-made milling shapes.

The MULTI-MASTER family offers extra-long shanks with an inner MULTI-MASTER thread on the front face and a centre hole on the back face, which can be cut and shaped by the customer. Recently, ISCAR introduced uncoated carbide blank heads with two sections, such as a disc-form front area with a hexalobular (TORX) recess on the face and a rear area with an outer MULTI-MASTER thread.

These heads are intended for producing special items to be mounted on MULTI-MASTER shanks at the customer’s machine shops for different machining operations such as milling slots, grooves, threads, splines, gears and more.

PENTACUT-27 starlike blank inserts enable fast customized solutions for complex profile grooving.

ISCAR has also added a group of unique PENTACUT-27 blank inserts with five edges for tailor-made profiles to their product portfolio. These starlike carbide blanks can be ground by the end-user to form different shapes for shallow profiling and grooving depths when machining pulleys, bearings and fittings. Customers who produce special tools from blanks are limited compared to ordering specially tailored tools from cutting tool manufacturers. However, when time is of the essence, customers can find the most appropriate solution within given constraints by creating their own specially tailored tools. By providing customers with the ability to create their own tools, new horizons are created to overcome the everyday obstacles of manufacturing.

For more information, please contact ISCAR South Africa (PTY) LTD – Tel: 011 997-2700.

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MAPAL’S ALL NEW CUTTING EDGE DESIGN OFFERING MAXIMUM STABILITY – THE OPTIMILL-COMPOSITE-SPEED-PLUS

Improved workpiece clamping for large carbon-fibre parts enables the aerospace industry to machine more quickly. MAPAL supports this development with new tools. With its diamond coating and optimised geometry, the OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus guarantees process reliability.

The aerospace industry is reluctant to change functioning processes that have already been audited due to the large effort involved. However, growing cost pressures are also forcing this sector to make its production as efficient as possible. Aircraft manufacturers have so far identified the clamping technology as an obstacle on the path to higher performance. Large carbon-fibre parts are usually fixed using vacuum clamping technology. The limited holding forces of the suction cups require relatively low cutting speeds in order to prevent rising vibration. This can lead to a loss of quality and deviations in shape and position tolerances.

New clamping technologies now enable manufacturers to increase the cutting values. But with this came a new problem: under the changed process conditions, there was an increased risk of breakage due to the increased load on milling cutters that had previously worked perfectly. “Even very large manufacturers were affected by tool breakages after using the tools to their limits”, explains Tim Rohmer, Product Manager for solid carbide milling tools at MAPAL. The tool manufacturer saw a need to act and developed the OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus as a response to market demands.

Large core, little chip space

In order to enhance the flexural strength, MAPAL increased the core diameter of its solid carbide shoulder milling cutter. Although this is at the expense of chip space, it does not have any negative effects because CFRP machining does not produce chips, but a fine dust. During tool tests with differently dimensioned diameters, no differences were found in terms of removing dust and process heat. MAPAL noticeably increases the flexural strength with the larger core diameter.

 

The requirements for the groove profile also differ from the machining of metal, where feed, infeed depth and cutting width influence the chip thickness. Since the rake angle for CFRP is only slightly engaged due to a low feed per tooth, MAPAL has designed the cutting wedge for maximum stability.

The new OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus also has an optimised envelope contour to reduce leverage forces and thus for increased fracture resistance. It works well in practice, as Rohmer explains: “Typical parts for aviation consist of stacks, i.e. composite panels, with five to 15 mm usually being machined. Shorter tools are perfectly adequate for this.” While the predecessor tools were still longer than specified in DIN6527, the new tool series largely complies with the standard. MAPAL provides the tools with diameters of 4 to 20 mm.

Even diamond layer

The OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus also ensures high tool lives for machining abrasive carbon fibres with an innovative diamond coating. The uniform layer thickness distribution and the high repeatability with which MAPAL applies the diamond in the CVD process are exceptional. Conventional coating technologies often produce irregular layers that are thicker at the tip than further down on the cutting edge. This process ensures different edge rounding and thus fluctuating cutting pressure and wear and tear.

The homogeneous layer thickness over the cutting edge length contributes to process reliability. This enables consistent performance regardless of which part of the cutting edge is involved. This means that the tools can also be used for circumferential machining of a stack, regardless of height. Users sometimes use the milling cutter until the end of wear and tear, then readjust it and continue working with a fresh part of the cutting edge. The shoulder milling cutter is suitable for a wide range of applications. In addition to circumferential machining, it is also used to produce slots, edges and pockets.

Perfect cutting quality is very important in the aviation industry. Once the fibres are no longer neatly separated and the part thus no longer achieves the desired quality, the tools are replaced, even if they only appear slightly worn. The OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus achieves its excellent cutting quality thanks to its specially arranged “fibre catchers” on the cutting edges, which cause a double compression and thus separate the fibre protrusions on the workpieces extremely precisely. The double compression is additionally created by the spiralisation of the tool.

Pull or push – improvements of up to 30 percent

One aspect of CFRP machining is that the tools available today produce different machining qualities on the workpieces. The user must decide which quality requirements are placed on the part according to the existing material composite and therefore make the ideal tool selection. It is often connection points for which particularly neat edges are required. MAPAL provides two different variants of its milling cutters. The right-hand spiral model produces a pulling effect and thus axial tensile forces, while the left-hand spiral variant has a pushing effect and thus forms compressive forces in the axial direction. The fibre catchers counteract the force created by the respective spiralisation.

The previous model had a third, neutral variant. With further development, this variant is no longer required as the new tools reduce the axial forces by up to 40 percent. As such, the two versions of the new product also assume all tasks for which the neutral variant was previously used. In terms of tool life, quiet running, productivity and cutting quality, the new tools are up to 30 percent better than their predecessors.

Whilst the aviation industry is still recovering from the coronavirus slump, the use of CFRP is growing rapidly in other areas. In addition to automotive engineering and racing, the focus here is shifting to the consumer sector. Manufacturers of sports equipment such as bicycles, skis, snowboards or fishing rods increasingly use the modern material.

With its sharp cutting edges, the OptiMill-Composite-Speed-Plus can also be used to machine thermoplastics and thermosets. As these plastics are not abrasive, coating is not required here and sharp cutting edges are used. The uncoated milling tools replace the previous router tools as they are far superior, especially in terms of cutting quality. MAPAL also recommends the uncoated tools for machining fibreglass materials.

For more information, please contact Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology – Tel: 021 555 4144.

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VBMX INSERT AND HOLDERS WITH RIGID CLAMPING

TaeguTec introduced a new VBMX insert with increased rigidity holders for improved anti-rotating during operation

The MULTI-L-TURN insert’s narrow corner angles mean the V-type insert is capable of various profiling operations. However, the clearance angle between the pressed type insert and the pocket causes the insert to rotate during machining, resulting in dimensional displacement. To reduce dimensional displacement, TaeguTec has released an all new VBMX V-type positive insert and dedicated holders that reduce dimensional displacement caused by the pressed type insert’s rotation.

The new VBMX insert and dedicated holders provide stable tool life, excellent machining performance and precise machining dimensions based on a rigid clamping design. The insert’s bottom face includes a groove that firmly seats it on a specially shaped shim, while the back end of the insert contacts to a specially designed pocket.

As the VBMX insert shares the same outline design as the ISO-V type insert it is also compatible with ISO holders. To obtain precise machining dimensions, the dedicated holder must be used.

For more information please contact TaeguTec – Tel: 011 362-1500.

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TAEGUTEC LAUNCHES THE WIN-TURN LINE

6-Cutting Edge TNMV Insert and Holders for All-Directional Turning

The 6-corners, 80 degree angle TNMV is a multidirectional, high productivity line capable of deep depth of cuts in forward turning and high feed rates in backwards turning operations. The holders, which use the strong clamping T-HOLDER design, are capable of longitudinal and face turning, both forward turning and backwards turning operations, all in one tool.

For more information please contact TaeguTec – Tel: 011 362-1500.

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HD-TC PROFILE-PIPE CUTTING LASER

DURMA shortened process time by improving centering with the newly added laser sensor centering option added to the HDTC machines. It is possible to control the size and irregular structure of the profile during cutting or before cutting with the help of sensors to ensure that the internal contours to be cut are at the right point.

In existing HD-TC machines, the centering measurement is achieved by scanning the profile surface through capacitive sensors. The advantage of the laser sensor system is that it gives more precise results in a shorter time. The user can take measurements at the distance determined by the user, and precise results are obtained in a shorter period of time as the process of measuring by the sensor is shortened for parts requiring precise measurement with internal contours.

The advantage being fast set-up time, less problems during cutting, best solution in a short time and measurement frequency is dependent on operator request.

For more information, please contact Spectrum Machine Tools – Tel: 011 865-4090

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DURMA HDF/HDFL 3015

An integrated shuttle table maximizes productivity and minimizes material handling times. The shuttle table and pallet change system allows convenient loading of new sheets or unloading of finished parts, while the machine is cutting another sheet inside the working area.The available shuttle table is fully electric and maintenance free; there are no hydraulic oils to handle and table changes are fast, smooth and energy-efficient.

An optional lateral automatic scrap conveyor allows the removal of scrap pieces from the working area without the need to interrupt the cutting process. The sideways operation of the short conveyors allow for easy maintenance and trouble-free running.

The Durma HDF/HDFL 3015 fiber machine achieves highest dynamics and fastest laser processing cycle times thanks to the combination of rigid mechanics and a state-of-the-art numerical control and drive system. Programmes can be loaded easily into the machine with a USB stick or over a fast Ethernet connection with the company network.

In the high-pressure auto-focus cutting head for the fiber laser the cutting lens is shielded from the laser process by an exchangeable low-cost protection window. The 1μm wavelength light is very sensitive to dust or other contamination produced in the cutting or piercing process, therefore the cutting head is being well protected in an additional cover to ensure that all critical parts remain as clean as possible.

The integrated capacitive distance sensor is capable of having the head follow height differences in the sheet even at the extreme high cutting speeds that can be achieved with the fiber laser technology, while state-of-the-art linear motors promote accuracy and increase productivity.

The CAD/CAM software provided has all the tools to import or draw parts, prepare and optimize automatically different geometries for the laser cutting process and make efficient nests.

The all-solid-state fiber laser technology reduces maintenance requirements, and offers the lowest possible running cost with a wall-plug efficiency of 30% and without the need of any laser gas. When the application requires a broader spectrum of material types to be cut and the maximum thickness range is limited, the fiber laser is the ideal solution and it will cut faster at lower cost than any CO2 laser at the same laser power.

For more information, please contact Spectrum Machine Tools – Tel: 011 865-4090

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EXPANSION OF THE MINCUT FAMILY FOR DEEPER AND WIDER FACE GROOVING AND TURNING

ISCAR introduces new MIFR 15 inserts and tools for face grooving and turning for up to 15 mm grooving depths.

The new MIFR 15 inserts are screw clamped into a long pocket on the MIFHR15 bars with a very rigid clamping, enabling high machining parameters and resulting in prolonged tool life.

The tool features an internal coolant channel directed to the cutting edge and uninterrupted chip flow on the insert rake and can be used for grooving in deep holes and for rotating applications.

The new MIFR 15 inserts are available in 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mm widths. Full radius 2.5 and 3.0 mm inserts made from IC908 grade are also available and special widths within this range can be ordered on request.

For more information, please contact ISCAR South Africa (PTY) LTD – Tel: 011 997-2700.

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TPR8 CNC PRESS BRAKE

Cost-effective bending machine from JFY sold to more than 5.000 customers – Proven technology with high stability and reliability.

The machine body is optimized by finite element design to ensure high strength and high rigidity during operation. Compared with traditional CNC bending machines, the frequency of the Y-axis movement is 25% higher.

A broad range of options and bending tools allow the processing of large and complex workpieces, while the high-performance CNC control TJS-90 as standard configuration ensures maximum workflow efficiency and operating convenience.

The automatic mechanical crowning compensation system as standard configuration solves the influence of ram deformation on the workpiece during bending and Push-Pull Quick clamping as a standard configuration avoids part interference when bending at a small angle.

For further information, please contact PUMA MACHINE TOOLS – Tel: (011) 976 8600.

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EFC ll LASER CUTTING MACHINE

 A high-performance mid-price laser machine equipped with TruFiber Cut Laser up to 6 kW.Smart design and material flow ensure maximum productivity at minimal investment costs.

The EFC ll laser cutting machine from leading Chinese manufacturer JFY, a member of the Trumpf Group, is locally available from Puma Machine Tools.

The machine’s CNC control system is based on the Windows platform and has been proven to be extremely reliable and high-performing.

The cutting head is designed with built-in protective glasses, ensuring reliable and optimized cutting quality. These protective glasses safeguard the optics from potential debris or damage that may come from the process zone. Overall, this results in a significantly higher durability of the cutting head, as well as higher cutting precision.

TruFiber is the ultimate fiber laser solution for all cutting needs. In fact, TruFiber delivers excellent process stability and consistent process results. Furthermore, the technology requires a minimum of maintenance.

Using offline programming software can improve material utilization and process efficiency. On the one hand, programming software can optimize the nesting process to reduce material waste, and  on the other hand, it can simplify the programming process by converting simple and complex part drawings into processing programs, which results in faster production times. The Lantek programming software is a proven solution based on latest technology.

For further information, please contact PUMA MACHINE TOOLS – Tel: (011) 976 8600.

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TIMESAVERS 22 RB SERIES ROTARY BRUSH MACHINE

At the end of last year, WWD Metaal from Nederweert took a new tube laser into use. It is now the first company in the Netherlands to purchase a Timesavers 22 RB series rotary brush machine. Owner Waelbers let his company grow, even during the corona crisis. “We look further ahead. No longer busy with tomorrow, but with next week.”

Wil Waelbers walks through the large hall of his factory in Nederweert. A few people are working on making frames. His company is relatively young, just 21 years old. Waelbers founded his company in 1999 in an old barn in a farmer’s yard. In the past two decades, WWD Metaal has grown to its current size, – thirty employees, 3,150 m2 of surface area and a production capacity of more than 50,000 hours per year.

­The 22 RB series is the most compact model in the Timesaver rotary brush machine range for deburring, edge rounding, finishing and laser oxide removal of various sheet metal parts.

WWD Metaal mainly processes stainless steel and aluminium in the broadest sense of the word, performing machining, glass bead blasting, water jet cutting (2D and 3D), tube and plate welding, robotic welding, (certified) welding and lately even manual laser welding. The company supplies the food industry, machine construction, medical sector and various mechanical applications in a wide range of industries. In addition, it produces customised design articles. The ‘design’ is also the explanation of the third letter in the company name: WWD stands for Wil Waelbers Design.

Products without burr

WWD Metaal is a relevant player in the manufacture of frames that serve as the basis for customers’ machines. Especially in the food and medical sectors, it is crucial to work with stainless steel and to be able to deliver burr-free.

“We have to think along with our customers. That means that we have to find solutions together with the customers, while not losing sight of the economic aspect,” he says. Because price always plays a role and WWD can offer good quality at a price that is in line with the market, precisely because it pays a lot of attention to its own processes.

“When you start an assignment, you get to look at the way your customer has set up his business. We take a look at the way they are set up, and together we find out how we can make things run even more efficiently. Which order is best? Where are the possible obstacles? Helping a customer starts with looking and listening.”

Planning

This attention to our own processes is also a must to be able to compete in this day and age. WWD therefore invests, even when the economy is tough in the Netherlands. During the previous crisis in 2014, Waelbers had a new building built that was three times the size of the previous one. He invested in the machinery by purchasing, among other things, a blast cabinet and a water jet. WWD Metaal therefore had the space, the machines and the knowledge to be able to offer a total concept when the economy picked up. Thus, the investments had helped.

A second improvement to his own process is through better planning. “It is difficult to get skilled workers, because everyone is looking for them. So we looked for a new approach. Instead of trying to speed up the process, we started to make it smarter.

Process optimisation with a deburring machine

In the past, a product that was processed in one department would sit for too long before being processed again in another department. Because the flow of work in the departments has improved, employees ask for work sooner. They can therefore move on to the next product sooner, which means that more work can be generated. Waiting times are shortened and rush orders or firefighting are now a thing of the past. In the past, orders would pile up in every department and rush jobs would result in a lot of overtime.

Chosen Timesavers compact deburring machine 22 RB series

Even now WWD Metaal is investing. At the end of last year, the company bought a tube laser from Bystronic. This was intended to speed up the production process of the frames. Now Waelbers has purchased the Timesavers 22 RB series. It is a new step in a better process at WWD Metaal, says Waelbers. The 22 RB series is a compact dry machine for deburring, edge rounding, finishing and removing laser oxide from sheet metal. The machine offers a solution for companies that do not have large capacity needs, but still want to have the commonly used features of the 32 RB and 42 RB series. Customers with limited production demand and budget can still use it to optimally deburr, round and finish parts. The 22 RB series can cost-effectively automate heavy-duty tasks such as grinding and manual edge routing, helping to optimise processes. Thanks to the Siemens PLC and HMI, the process and parameters can be adjusted automatically. In addition, the 22 RB series supports the use of cobots and can be integrated into a Smart Industry software platform.

WWD Metaal deliberately chose a small machine.“Our customers are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises in the central Netherlands. They come with smaller products and smaller series. A machine that is too large would not fit. For that matter, the size also plays a role. If you set up a line like us, it is also important that you can manage it spatially. Now the Timesavers is in line with the laser cutter.

Nesting

22-RB-Series Brushes

“This new development by Timesavers provides a more compact machine, but with the performance of a ‘big boy’. We see that the quality is high. It has to be, because we have to make finishes that are perfect. The user in the food industry cannot damage his hands. That is a hard requirement. With this concept of Timesavers with the rotating brushes, the product is perfectly finished.”

Again, Waelbers cites the bigger picture. “In the overall picture, it is very important that our people do not have to work with a grinder or file.” For a good flow, pieces must be completely deburred. The work process at WWD is structured in such a way that the laser is controlled by the work planner. The software takes care of the nesting. The operator then places the plates on the laser. After picking, the journey continues through the Timesavers deburring machine. Each product passes ‘through the Timesaver’ to be deburred.

For more information, contact First Cut – Tel: 011 614 1112

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