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Turning: ISCAR Gives Aerospace Manufacturing The Cutting-Edge

To ensure that the most efficient, cost-effective cutting tools are designed and made available to the global Aerospace manufacturing industry, ISCAR’s Aerospace Industry Manager remains in constant communication with all of the major sub-sectors involved. Continual technical liaison allows ISCAR’s R&D department to remain aware of all relevant trends in areas such as material developments and machine tool advancements.

This high-level contact and co-operation has supported the development and launch of a wide range of high-quality ISCAR cutting tools that have boosted the global Aerospace manufacturing sector’s productivity and assisted in assuring product quality across many machining disciplines.

Typical of the challenges shared with ISCAR were those related to the difficulties encountered when machining Ni based and titanium alloys that feature very high hardness values (40-47 HRC).

The answer to the problems when machining these materials, that are used in newly designed jet engine parts can now be found in ISCAR’s newly launched IC804 grade and the extension of the company’s selection of uncoated IC4 items.

As the continuing trend is towards ever-harder parts, IC804 and IC4 provide users with substantial improvements regarding tool life and the application of higher cutting speeds, they also provide advantages when machining more conventional Ni based and titanium alloys at stable machining conditions.

IC804 features a hard submicron substrate, IC4 with an AlTiN PVD coating and a special post-coating treatment that provides substantially improved tool life and excellent levels of reliability.

In addition, uncoated IC4 standard items are ideal for the efficient machining of titanium alloys and aluminium alloys with high silicon content. Both IC4 and IC804 feature high hardness, especially suited for hard nickel base and titanium alloys.

Shared features include, outstanding flaking and chipping resistance, continuous turning of nickel base super alloys at stable conditions and reliable and repeatable results.

For more information, contact Iscar South Africa – Tel: (011) 997-2700.

Turning: Oil And Gas Industry Overcoming The Crisis

At this time, the accumulative effects of the slow-down of economic growth throughout the industrialized world and the decision by OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) at the end of 2014, not to reduce production to protect prices, were further intensified by the remarkable growth of oil production and slowing global demand. This perfect storm inevitably led to a major drop of crude oil price.

The effects on Oil & Gas producers have been dramatic – many previously embarked upon projects that began to make little or no economic sense. To help maintain their profitability or to assist in curtailing their losses, throughout this slowdown, countless companies reduced their expenditure. Many major projects were cancelled or postponed, proposed mergers and acquisitions in the oil & gas industry collapsed, as sellers and buyers were unable to settle on a fundamental agreement.

As a consequence of reduced activity in this important sector, global cutting tool manufacturers experienced a significant drop in business. In keeping with company’s reduced revenues, buyers were instructed to utilize existing inventories and to purchase cutting tools only when necessary, without keeping back-up stock.

Despite the global recession in the oil & gas market, there remained several important sectors that continued to run at full capacity. To aid the efficiency of these busy consumables sectors, cutting tool producers have been, and continue to be, approached with requests for help in reducing machined part costs, to further optimize manufacturing processes and to reduce cycle times. These demands have been satisfied by the launch of a new generation of advanced cutting tools.

These tools may appear more expensive, but importantly they deliver significant savings. Although cutting tools represent only 2-4% of total production costs, they have a massive effect on the overall efficiency of a process. The use of today’s minimally more expensive, innovative tools that deliver longer life, ensure faster cycle times and guarantee the continued quality of machined parts, makes undoubted economic sense.

The application of increased cutting speeds, in addition to the use of custom solutions (combination tools) that enable multiple steps to be combined into one, result in significantly reduced cycle times. The shares of machine, labor and administrative costs are decreased, delivering a total cost saving as well as the benefit of improved lead times. The result – added capacity and improved productivity!

ISCAR offers a range of innovative tooling solutions that are designed to simplify production, reduce costs and maximize productivity. Solutions with leading SUMOTEC Grade products provide improved tool life and enhanced reliability across a range of different materials. In addition to a comprehensive collection of cutting tools, ISCAR also provides superior technical support to all users.

Machining Solutions for Oil Country Tubular Goods

Tubing, Casing, Coupling, Line Pipes, Drill Pipes and Rotary Drill Bits 

The aggressive conditions encountered in the oil & gas industries necessitate the use of the most appropriate high-quality materials – as a result these challenging materials require the use of the best available cutting tools.

Innovative system solutions by ISCAR include tools for pipe end machining seamlessly hot-rolled or welded steel pipes, for turning, peeling the cone, seal seat machining and thread connections.

The SUMOTEC grade technology offers a new level of toughness and wear resistance for a wide range of applications and greater performance.

Parting Tubes and Rings
Tailor-made tooling combined with the revolutionary TANG-GRIP system, an extremely rigid clamping arrangement that ensures the highest levels of stability along with excellent chip control in most of materials, enables machining at high feed rates and provides excellent straightness and surface finish characteristics.

Included is a wide range of engineered holders and blades for parting tubes. (Pic. 1) 

Turning and Threading

External and internal rough turning operations require a high quality surface and consistent results. High feed turning with DOVEIQ TURN and HELITURN TG turning inserts is a heavy duty ISCAR range that is ideal for rough turning operations and provides the benefits of a high depth of cut and high feed rates. (Pic. 2)

Multifunction tools for turning and threading operations are accurate indexing tools for a wide range of tubing and casing applications, and thus reduce cycle time and increase productivity. This product range provides tool solutions for high-performance thread cutting machines for API and premium threaded tubing and casing connections.

  • Wide solution for API and premium threading
  • High precision engineered tooling
  • Optimized grade and geometry range for different materials (Pic. 3)

Multi-Tooth Threading Inserts and Chasers 

Multi-tooth inserts are specially designed for high-volume production. Less passes are needed to cut the required thread and the cycle time is substantially decreased. ISCAR offers a wide range of threading inserts and chasers for the oil & gas industry, dedicated for the most common API standard threads and premium profiles.

External and Internal Skiving of Welded Seam 

ISCAR’s scarfing solutions consist of both external and internal tools, in addition to the comprehensive range of indexable scarfing inserts for finishing operations of the welded joint.

Rock Drill Bits 

Drill bits are cutting tools used to remove material through a cutting action provided by cones which have either steel teeth or tungsten carbide bit inserts.

The SUMOCHAM Chamdrill Line comprises a revolutionary clamping system that delivers improvements in productivity, while enabling more insert indexes. ISCAR offers tailor-made inserts with the appropriate point angle, corner radius and accuracy.

Machining Solutions for Wellheads, Valves and Frac Pumps 

Wellhead and Subsea Equipment 

Complex and highly engineered materials have become a standard demand for wellhead and subsea components.

Valves, Pumps and Connectors 

Valves, pumps and connectors are fundamental components in pressure control systems, operating under aggressive conditions on both surface and subsea operations. The high strength of stainless steels, duplex and super duplex alloys with their high mechanical strength, and other exotic materials have long been a focus for ISCAR.

In order to meet the current and foreseeable challenges, ISCAR offers a range of advanced tooling solutions, suitable for machining exotic materials that can withstand deep-water hostile environments. This new generation of tools is an essential solution for productivity improvement in today’s oil & gas industry.

Holemaking 

ISCAR’s all-embracing holemaking range provides all of the tools and technology needed for oil & gas component manufacturing. In this area, the key is to achieve the correct balance between the cutting edge, grade and geometry and the material being machined. ISCAR offers a complete package of hole making solutions for various machining challenges with a wide range of drilling tools including solid carbide drills and indexable inserts that meet all of the demands of accuracy and performance.

The CHAMIQDRILL features a unique design, utilizing the flexibility of carbide for self-locking, eliminating the need for clamping accessories. The robust structure of the drill with its concave cutting edge design enables drilling at high feed rates, providing very accurate adherence to tolerance. (Pic. 4)

The SUMOGUN is the only gundrill in the market with an indexable drilling head. It features two effective cutting edges, enabling the drilling of deep holes at much higher feed rates, when compared to most other gundrills.

For large diameter drilling applications, the COMBICHAM drilling system is the ideal solution to boost productivity and efficiency regarding oil & gas deep drilling applications.

Milling 

Innovation has always been an essential part of ISCAR’s milling range. All areas of oil & gas component machining can benefit from our knowledge. Cutters for face milling, helical interpolation, slotting, shouldering, plunge milling, high speed machining and many more solutions are available, along with the advice needed for their successful application. (Pic. 5)

Thread Milling 

Solid thread milling cutters are available in addition to thread milling indexable inserts for different thread profiles, providing a flexible and capable approach for high-quality threaded holes. This approach enables the production of precision threads, eliminates the problem of broken taps, reduces cutting forces and delivers shorter cycle times and increases productivity.

Solid Carbide End Mills – CHATTERFREE 

The most advanced machining technology is ISCAR’s all-in-one solid EFP carbide cutter with its high-tech design providing a great advantage when cavity milling. A winning combination of ISCAR’s three most innovative endmills – unique cutting edge geometry, high stability performance during cutting and the delivery of higher feed rates, even with long tooling overhang. These unique features enable high metal removal rates when machining pockets and cavities in high-temperature alloys. As a result, the cutter delivers a significant reduction in cycle time, increasing productivity.

Customized Tooling 

ISCAR designed its extensive standard product range to cover all of the most common applications. In addition, ISCAR is able to use its extensive knowledge to develop and produce the best solutions for customers’ processes not covered by standard products.

The Oil and Gas market faces many challenges to overcome the present situation, and ISCAR believes that effective collaboration with cutting tool manufacturers play an important role in helping the industry meet these challenges.

In addition to the latest technologies, we can see an industry focused on searching for creative methods and efficient processes. As a leading cutting tools manufacturer, ISCAR’s approach is to work closely with customers and provide them with innovating solutions by thinking outside the box to address these requirements and take productivity to the next level.

For more information, contact Iscar South Africa – Tel: (011) 997-2700.

Turning: Enhanced Speed And Toughness With New Hard Turning Grades

Hard part turning with optimized insert grades can reduce machining time and costs by 70% or more in comparison with conventional grinding techniques.

To help manufacturers enjoy benefits such as reduced cycle times and greater tool life when performing hard part turning, Sandvik Coromant has strengthened its existing offer in the ISO H05 to H15 application area with the introduction of two new grades, CB7105 and CB7115. The grades will be of particular benefit to those machining transmission components for the automotive industry, where lower cost per part can be achieved. 

Hard part turning has been proven to reduce machining time and costs by 70% or more in comparison with conventional grinding techniques, while also offering improved flexibility, better lead-times and higher quality. However, these gains can only be realized using optimized insert grades. With CB7105, Sandvik Coromant has created a grade for hard part turning that offers enhanced crater wear resistance in comparison with existing solutions, while CB7115 is designed to provide users with better fracture resistance than today’s available grades. These benefits equate to higher speed and improved edge line toughness respectively.

Hard part turning is usually a finishing or semi-finishing process where typical machining challenges include high surface and dimensional tolerance demands, along with competitive tool life. CB7105 and CB7115 have been developed to tackle these challenges through the application of a high performing PCBN grade material and coating, as well as appropriately adjusted edge preparation on the inserts. In combination with high quality control during insert manufacturing, this results in a number of end user benefits.

“CB7105 allows machine shops to achieve lower cost per part when used as part of a high speed machining strategy,” states Torbjörn Ågren, Product Manager Turning at Sandvik Coromant. “Alternatively, users of this grade can benefit from longer tool life at lower speeds. CB7115 is also designed to deliver lower cost per component, typically though the adoption of one-cut strategies at higher speeds.”

A case in point saw one trial site increase production of case-hardened 16MnCrS5 (HRc 57-62) automotive components by at least 15% after switching to CB7105 and CB7115. In fact, CB7115 surpassed 600 components (at 0.15 minutes time-in-cut) with predictable surface generation and lower Rz value. The cutting speed was 170 m/min (557 ft/min), while feed rate was 0.22 mm/ rev (0.087 inch/rev) with a cutting depth of 0.15 mm (0.059 inch).

Ultimately, reliable and predictable machining is always the aim when it comes to machining case-hardened or induction-hardened steel components such as transmission shafts and gears. CB7105 and CB7115 offers updated PCBN material, edge preparations and improved edge line quality to ensure better and more predictable tool life and edge line security.

For more information, contact Sandvik Coromant – Tel: (011) 570-9615

Turning: RhinoRush Eases Machining Operations

With the screw clamping type boring bar, the current hook lever, T-Holder and wedge clamp types, the RhinoRush line of boring bars meets the needs of more demanding machining applications.

The screw clamping type boring bar has a simple clamping structure, minimizes chip evacuation interference during internal machining and is stable plus durable during demanding operations.

Advantages of the ground type ML chip breaker include reduced cutting force due to its very sharp cutting edge and extended tool life with improved surface quality due to minimal built-up-edge during machining.

By combining the chip breaker’s sharp geometry and polished uncoated grade, this addition makes the RhinoRush line the perfect choice for aluminium and super alloy machining.

RhinoRush’s mini turning inserts have gained a huge following across many sectors within the manufacturing arena due to their reduced machining cost, increased output and competitiveness while keeping an eye on the environment.

RhinoRush is characterized by a tough and smaller double-sided insert that enables improved machining time and better surface finish. Its unique two directional clamping force outperforms other ISO directional clamping force tools on the market.

Turning: CVD Coated Carbide Grade For Steel Turning – MC6015

An insert with excellent wear and fracture resistance was needed for turning steels at cutting speeds that exceed 300m/min. The MC6015 grade for steel turning fulfils that need by delivering substantially better wear resistance through the adoption of an optimized crystal growth, Nano-Texture Coating Technology. This coating technology permits high speed, efficient machining even at high temperatures. 

MC6025 expanded the range of applications it could be applied to by adding a chip breaker for the medium interrupted and general purpose machining area.

Features of the CVD coated carbide grade, MC6015, for steel turning include proprietary Nano- Texture Coating Technology which achieves overwhelmingly high wear and chipping resistance and TOUGH-GRIP Technology which prevents the delamination of the coating because the interface structure of the coating layers is controlled at a nano level. The chipbreakers are available as standard items to complement the existing range of LP breaker for light cutting, MP breaker for medium cutting and RP breaker for rough machining.

For more information, contact Multitrade Distributors – Tel: 087 803-2377.

Turning: Ultra-Heavyweight Colchester Magnum Lathe

The new ultra-heavyweight Colchester Magnum centre lathe which made its debut at MACH 2016, is a much-heralded addition to the Colchester centre lathe range. 600 UK have now announced extra long bed lengths, offering increased quality and value for money. 

While the Colchester Magnum is still available with either 660 and 800mm swing over bed options, it can now be ordered in centre distances up to 6000mm, up from the previous 4000mm.

With spindle bore options up to 230mm and fitted with 20kW spindle motors, the Magnum is designed to be totally comfortable with any heavy metal turning requirement thrown at it.

Colchester’s heavy duty centre lathes are renowned for outstanding quality and reliability, with minimum maintenance requirements.

The lathes have all the power, strength and standard production features to meet almost any large turning requirement in the field of oil and gas, utilities and the shipbuilding industries.

For more information, contact F&H Machine Tools – Tel: (011) 397-4050.

 

Turning: L2600SY Multi-Tasking Turning Center – Wedge Type Y-Axis CNC Lathe

The Hyundai-Wia L2600SY Multi-Tasking Turning Center features box guideways in all axes, and incorporates a wedge type Y-Axis in the milling mode.

Through the use of the wedge style design, the height of the slide is reduced, and the center of gravity is much closer to the box guideway system. This results in the ability to perform heavy cutting in the Y Axis milling mode, while maintaining precision finishing in the turning mode. With the additional sub-spindle, complex parts can be machined complete in a single setup. The L2600SY features a 10 inch chuck on the main spindle, with a bar capacity of 81mm. Spindle output of 30/25 hp. (max/cont.) provides 440 foot pounds of torque.

The L2600SY 12 station turret utilizes BMT65 tool blocks and can accommodate either static or rotary tools at each station. Rotary tool speed has been increased to 6,000 rpm, and turret indexing speed is a fast 0.15 seconds, station-to-station. Rapid positioning in the X and Z axis is performed at 1,181 inches/ minute, fastest in its class for a box guideway machine.

Standard accessories include part catcher, chip conveyor and Q-Setter. Variant of the L2600SY Multi-Tasking Turning Center includes a tailstock in lieu of a sub-spindle. Optional peripherals include a barfeeder/barloader, special purpose chip conveyor, special parts unloader, high pressure coolant system, part probing, oil separator and mist collector.

Features

  • Cycle time reducing structure for productivity
  • Integrated processing through synchronized control of main Spindle and sub spindle
  • Box guideways in all axes providing long life and for heavy duty machining applications
  • Lubrication unit located in the front allowing for ease of maintenance.

 

For more information, contact Rothco – Tel: (011) 970-1930.

 

Okuma Launches New Generation Of Machine Tools

Okuma presented a new line of machine tools at the 28th Japan International Machine Tool Fair recently. The manufacturer’s trade innovations included state-of-the-art 5-axis vertical machining centres and a new type of intelligent multitasking machine. Among the highlights was the introduction of the world’s first multitasking machines capable of milling, turning, and grinding as well as laser-hardening and 3D metal printing.

Smart factory, just-in-time-production, varying order sizes – production and machining requirements are higher than ever. To meet those demands, Okuma’s latest machine tools take multitasking machining to the next level. The new models will be available in Europe in mid-2017.

Intelligent horizontal multitasking machine 

To facilitate process-intensive production in a smart factory, Okuma has added the MULTUS U5000 to its line-up of multitasking machines. Designed for machining medium and large-sized components for the aerospace, energy and infrastructure industries, the MULTUS U5000 handles even difficult-to-cut materials, such as Titanium and Inconel. With the strongest turning spindle of its class, the MULTUS U5000 achieves unrivalled machining efficiency.

In an effort to allow operators to perform gear machining in-house, Okuma has made skiving and hobbing operations available on their multitasking machines with the accompanying software package enabling faster and easier programming.

With Industry 4.0 no longer a thing of the future, the MULTUS U5000 comes equipped with the latest generation of CNC control – OSP suite – as well as Okuma’s Intelligent Technology. These applications offer supreme connectivity and allow for a seamless integration of the machine tool into an Internet of Things – based production environment.

Smart Machine for 5-axis vertical machining 

Designed to stand at the heart of a smart factory, Okuma’s latest 5-Axis vertical machining centre MU-S600V is able to instantly respond to changed lead-times and accommodates production formats ranging from high-mix, low volume to mass production.

The compact MU-S600V has a very small footprint with a machine-width of 1,400mm and is able to cut workpieces of up to 600mm in diameter. The machine’s compact dimensions and structural design allow for outstanding ease-of-use and easier crane jobs. Its robotic table enables completely unmanned, automated operations, eliminating manual handling of parts between set-ups in different machines. Production line layouts are easily adjusted in accordance with changes in production volume.

Laser technology for process-intensive machining 

Designed to be the world’s first done-on-one – machines, the Okuma MU-6300V LASER EX and the MULTUS U3000 LASER EX are capable of milling, turning, grinding, 3D metal printing and heat treatment for a wide range of workpiece sizes and shapes. On-machine hardening provides the solution to a major bottleneck in production. Compared to hardening by conventional heat treatment, the process is quick and causes less distortion, resulting in dramatically increased throughput. The machine tools fully support agile manufacturing and process-intensive applications.

With a high-quality TRUMPF laser beam source at its core, Okuma’s LASER EX series enables stable laser processing over long runs. The machines allow for Laser Metal Deposition – LMD – for both large-capacity and high definition additive manufacturing. 0.4 to 8.5mm laser spot diameters enable unparalleled throughput regardless of the application. 3D moulding, coating and sectional repair of heat-resistant alloys and highly rigid materials are available on the machine as well.

Okuma’s OSP control meanwhile monitors and controls the entire process, ensuring reliable and stable additive manufacturing for products on par with forged components. The machine tools therefore meet the quality requirements of even the most demanding applications and industries such as aerospace machining.

Additional Okuma models with laser applications will be available shortly.

 

Okuma Opens Third Aerospace Centre Of Excellence

Okuma has recently opened a third technology centre for aerospace clients.

Following the successful opening of their European and U.S. locations in Paris and Charlotte, North Carolina, the CNC-provider’s latest Aerospace Centre of Excellence in Aichi makes equipment, parts and engineering services available to the Japanese market. Okuma therefore consolidates its status as a reliable partner for aerospace manufacturers around the globe.

Given the complexity of aerospace parts, new production solutions and technologies for demanding applications and difficult-to-cut materials, such as titanium and Inconel, need to continually be identified and developed. Okuma’s Aerospace Centres of Excellence provide manufacturers with a testing and proving ground for advanced CNC machining technology to enhance productivity and to continually meet the demands of all tiers of aerospace manufacturing.

At Okuma’s Aerospace Centres of Excellence, joint research efforts from academia, industry and government meet practical application. On-site, manufacturers can experience the latest in 5-axis machining, innovative tools, new processes and Okuma’s performance-enhancing Intelligent Technology. Best practices provide manufacturers with expertise based on the experience of renowned aerospace clients from all over the world. Given Okuma’s close collaboration with CAM providers, tool and fixture manufacturers as well as manufacturers of automation equipment, on-site engineering experts offer extensive resources for optimizing each aspect of the manufacturing process.

All three Aerospace Centres of Excellence are closely linked, so that advances at one facility are shared with the other two. No matter the location, manufacturers therefore benefit from the combined know-how and global resources of Okuma’s Aerospace experts. The facilities’ global connectivity also enables test-cuts requested by a client in Japan to be performed at Okuma’s European or U.S. centres and vice versa.

Ultrasensitive Sensors Ensure Optimum Sight Conditions

SPAD sensor chips are implemented in CMOS technology. © Photo Fraunhofer IMS

Automotive industry research is strongly focused on technology that enables automated driving. A new sensor system developed by Fraunhofer researchers should help increase passenger safety. 

News of the first serious accident involving an automated electric vehicle made headlines recently. The vehicle in question collided with a truck while in autopilot mode. According to the manufacturer, the front cameras could not perceive the oncoming semitrailer properly. Additionally, incorrect radar measurement prevented activation of the emergency brakes.

“A camera’s accuracy depends very much on the lighting available. In this case, it failed. The radar system recognized the obstacle, but couldn’t locate it precisely and mistook the truck for a road sign,” says Werner Brockherde, head of the CMOS Image Sensors business unit at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS in Duisburg. Instead, the researcher and his team are counting on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, which they have refined for this purpose. In combination with other components, this technology fulfills the requirements for independent steering, braking and acceleration. “LiDAR could have probably prevented the crash,” Brockherde surmises. The system could complement currently used camera and radar technology in automated driving to obtain a complete view of the driving environment and thus better perceive traffic obstacles.

A LiDAR system works by emitting pulsed laser beams, which reflect on the surface of objects, and capturing any signals that are reflected back with the help of time-of-flight cameras. It can then use the time it took for the light to travel to and from the objects to calculate the distance, position and relative speed of surrounding vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians or construction sites. This data makes it possible to avoid collisions.

In a flash, the scene is set

Conventional LiDAR devices aim a single laser beam at a rotating mirror to capture the surroundings through 360 degrees. Google uses this technology for its driverless cars, for example. However, these mirror-based systems are rather bulky and prone to mechanical error, leading many car manufacturers to forgo installing the LiDAR system in their vehicles. For this reason, Brockherde and his team at Fraunhofer IMS use ultrasensitive sensors that can capture the car’s entire surroundings with just one laser flash and no need for mirrors. The researchers have dubbed the new generation of sensors “Flash iDAR.” They are composed of photodiodes developed at Fraunhofer IMS known as single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD). “Unlike standard LiDAR, which illuminates just one point, our system generates a rectangular measuring field,” Brockherde explains.

SPADs are a hundred times more sensitive than the photodiodes integrated into smart-phones. Their advantage over the original LiDAR system is that both the sensor and the electronic evaluation unit can be integrated on a single chip, meaning that the new devices will be considerably smaller and sleeker. As a result, car manufacturers can easily fit them behind the windshield or a headlamp. IMS researchers’ ultimate goal is for Flash LiDAR to be able to sense road obstacles from a distance of up to 100 meters.

“The first systems with our sensors will go into production in 2018,” Brockherde says. The sensitive sensors are also of interest for other application fields such as medicine, analytics and microscopy, as they also function in low light intensity.

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