Milltronics Introduces Largest XP Series VMC

Sodick’s OPM250L combines additive metal manufacturing and high-speed milling into the same workspace, enabling single-process production of finished components. The machine represents Sodick’s first foray into Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology. The OPM250L is primarily aimed at moldmakers, offering the ability to create conformal cooling channels within a finished mold to improve mold performance by reducing cooling time, deformation and cycle time.

Using alternating passes of laser sintering and milling, the OPM250L can machine workpieces before printing is complete. In addition to producing conformal cooling channels, this technology also makes it possible to reduce the number of parts necessary to produce a mold, in some instances reducing a mold from 21Cemented Carbide Inserts pieces to just one, Sodick says.

Because of the special demands of such a process, the company has developed a dedicated CAM system, Z-Asso, capable of importing CAD data, generating laser and machining data, optimizing cutting along high-load areas and simulating the process to accurately estimate production time. In addition, the machine enables High Feed Milling Insert unmanned and remote machining. 

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cutting Carbide Inserts

Sodick’s OPM250L combines additive metal manufacturing and high-speed milling into the same workspace, enabling single-process production of finished components. The machine represents Sodick’s first foray into Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology. The OPM250L is primarily aimed at moldmakers, offering the ability to create conformal cooling channels within a finished mold to improve mold performance by reducing cooling time, deformation and cycle time.

Using alternating passes of laser sintering and milling, the OPM250L can machine workpieces before printing is complete. In addition to producing conformal cooling channels, this technology also makes it possible to reduce the number of parts necessary to produce a mold, in some instances reducing a mold from 21Cemented Carbide Inserts pieces to just one, Sodick says.

Because of the special demands of such a process, the company has developed a dedicated CAM system, Z-Asso, capable of importing CAD data, generating laser and machining data, optimizing cutting along high-load areas and simulating the process to accurately estimate production time. In addition, the machine enables High Feed Milling Insert unmanned and remote machining. 

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cutting Carbide Inserts

Sodick’s OPM250L combines additive metal manufacturing and high-speed milling into the same workspace, enabling single-process production of finished components. The machine represents Sodick’s first foray into Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology. The OPM250L is primarily aimed at moldmakers, offering the ability to create conformal cooling channels within a finished mold to improve mold performance by reducing cooling time, deformation and cycle time.

Using alternating passes of laser sintering and milling, the OPM250L can machine workpieces before printing is complete. In addition to producing conformal cooling channels, this technology also makes it possible to reduce the number of parts necessary to produce a mold, in some instances reducing a mold from 21Cemented Carbide Inserts pieces to just one, Sodick says.

Because of the special demands of such a process, the company has developed a dedicated CAM system, Z-Asso, capable of importing CAD data, generating laser and machining data, optimizing cutting along high-load areas and simulating the process to accurately estimate production time. In addition, the machine enables High Feed Milling Insert unmanned and remote machining. 

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cutting Carbide Inserts

Teach In CNC Lathes Improve Shop Productivity

CERATIZIT USA Inc. has released the WTX High-Feed Drill, which the company says is the first four-fluted drill on the market. CERATIZIT also says the drill’s four effective cutting edges increase precision, productivity and service life.

The pyramid geometry of the WTX encourages aggressive and precise drilling performance, with the company reporting the drill achieves positioning accuracy of 0.03 mm and excellent RCMX Insert centering properties. CERATIZIT also says high levels of drilling quality, hole tolerance, surface finish and positioning accuracy increase component quality, to the extent that there is no need for potential reworking. Additionally, low burr formation when entering and exiting the hole reduces the need for time-consuming subsequent deburring.

The four-flute design of the WTX enables high feeds in steel processing, as well as secure and quick chip removal. The distribution of cutting force to four cutting edges should result in longer service life, while the four continuous spiral-through coolant holes provide enhanced cooling of each cutting edge to also prolong tool life and reduce costs.

CERATIZIT says its Dragonskin DPX14S coating on the WTX protects the drill and further increases tool life, VCMT Insert cutting speeds and process reliability. Dragonskin utilizes TiAIN nanolayer coating with a .35 coefficient of friction and allows for maximum application temperatures of 1832ºF.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: TNMG Insert

CERATIZIT USA Inc. has released the WTX High-Feed Drill, which the company says is the first four-fluted drill on the market. CERATIZIT also says the drill’s four effective cutting edges increase precision, productivity and service life.

The pyramid geometry of the WTX encourages aggressive and precise drilling performance, with the company reporting the drill achieves positioning accuracy of 0.03 mm and excellent RCMX Insert centering properties. CERATIZIT also says high levels of drilling quality, hole tolerance, surface finish and positioning accuracy increase component quality, to the extent that there is no need for potential reworking. Additionally, low burr formation when entering and exiting the hole reduces the need for time-consuming subsequent deburring.

The four-flute design of the WTX enables high feeds in steel processing, as well as secure and quick chip removal. The distribution of cutting force to four cutting edges should result in longer service life, while the four continuous spiral-through coolant holes provide enhanced cooling of each cutting edge to also prolong tool life and reduce costs.

CERATIZIT says its Dragonskin DPX14S coating on the WTX protects the drill and further increases tool life, VCMT Insert cutting speeds and process reliability. Dragonskin utilizes TiAIN nanolayer coating with a .35 coefficient of friction and allows for maximum application temperatures of 1832ºF.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: TNMG Insert

CERATIZIT USA Inc. has released the WTX High-Feed Drill, which the company says is the first four-fluted drill on the market. CERATIZIT also says the drill’s four effective cutting edges increase precision, productivity and service life.

The pyramid geometry of the WTX encourages aggressive and precise drilling performance, with the company reporting the drill achieves positioning accuracy of 0.03 mm and excellent RCMX Insert centering properties. CERATIZIT also says high levels of drilling quality, hole tolerance, surface finish and positioning accuracy increase component quality, to the extent that there is no need for potential reworking. Additionally, low burr formation when entering and exiting the hole reduces the need for time-consuming subsequent deburring.

The four-flute design of the WTX enables high feeds in steel processing, as well as secure and quick chip removal. The distribution of cutting force to four cutting edges should result in longer service life, while the four continuous spiral-through coolant holes provide enhanced cooling of each cutting edge to also prolong tool life and reduce costs.

CERATIZIT says its Dragonskin DPX14S coating on the WTX protects the drill and further increases tool life, VCMT Insert cutting speeds and process reliability. Dragonskin utilizes TiAIN nanolayer coating with a .35 coefficient of friction and allows for maximum application temperatures of 1832ºF.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: TNMG Insert

Overcoming Toolholder Deformation with High Torque Retention Knobs

In an industry where one in three shops has closed during the past 10 years, Fischer Tool and Die’s business is thriving. According to the Temperance, Michigan shop, this is because its growth stems from die cast work for the automotive “new domestics,” a term for transplants.

The Fischer Tool & Die shop runs 7 days a week—24 hours per day Monday through Friday—and 16 hours on Saturday and Sunday. The size of the dies produced by Fischer is said to be one of its competitive advantages.

“We’re unique in the engine work we do in North America,” says Michael Fischer, president of Fischer Tool and Die. “The new domestics are now coming to us with multi-year programs.”

Work from Honda, Nissan and Ryobi accounts for most of the company’s 30- to 40-percent growth. The company also works with General Motors.

“You have to start with baby steps,” Mr. Fischer says. “Once we proved ourselves with small jobs, our business relationships starting growing.”

In 2005, Fischer decided to add a sixth boring mill to its 45,000-square-foot Michigan facility to produce large V6 engine block holder dies. Removing 45 percent of the stock from a 70,000-pound, six-foot square, 4140 steel billet block required a rigid, large-capacity machine. Fischer did its homework. The company evaluated machine tools, visited other manufacturers, requested test cuts and even reviewed operating manuals.

Ultimately, it decided on a PT 1800 plain-table boring mill from Giddings & Lewis Machine Tools (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin). Featuring a modular design, the G&L boring mill allows Fischer to configure the machine to suit its requirements. As such, the company chose a 2,000 by 3,600 mm table, an extended Y-axis travel of 2,600 mm, a four-speed, 5-inch spindle headstock and an iTNC control from Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, Illinois).

Close Heidenhain says that its controls offer ease of use and precision contouring capabilities, which can be especially useful in tool and die production. For instance, the plain-language programming is suited for shopfloor programming. In addition, the iTNC features a digital-drive control with an integrated inverter, which enables it to produce accurate workpiece contours while machining at high velocity. Commonality with the other machine tools in the factory is another benefit for Fischer.

“We’ve standardized on Heidenhain to control our training requirements,” Mr. Fischer says. “This makes it easier to shift operators wherever we need them.”

The cycle time on Shoulder Milling Inserts the V6 engine block holders is 900 hours. Therefore, the 4- to 5-week cycle time made machining speed an important consideration, says the company.

“With the amount of stock that must be removed, we also need a machine that would stand up to the deep cuts,” explains Bill Koch, general foreman at Fischer.

The PT 1800 has hardened and ground roller guide ways, and it achieves a rapid traverse rate of 25 m per minute. Accustomed to box ways, the company admits that it originally had concerns about the G&L linear way and roller truck system; that is, until the local Giddings & Lewis representative, Jim Foust of VMC Technologies, took the Fischer team to visit a local manufacturer that has been using the latest G&L boring mill design. After some discussion regarding the linear ways, Fischer decided that embracing the Carbide Threading Inserts technology would better enable the company to compete in the global market.

A test cut performed at Giddings & Lewis further convinced the buying team that the PT 1800 and the 45 kW four-speed headstock they selected had the requisite rigidity and power. Large holes for lifting rings are machined into the engine block holders. These are cut with a two-inch tap that requires significant low-end torque. The low-end speed of the headstock is also important for sizing the pockets and achieving flat precise surfaces, the manufacturer says.

“The walls of a die must be straight and accurate,” Mr. Koch says. “To machine the deep die pockets, high speed mills are used. The standard through-the-spindle coolant supplied with G & L headstocks helps remove the large volume of chips produced.”

In the 7 months since the G&L boring mill was installed, the machine has been in operation nearly 4,500 hours. During that time, the machine has been taken out of service only 15 to 20 hours per week. Even running at this rate, the company had more work than it could handle.

“The new boring mill is achieving the desired results,” Mr. Koch says. “We’re experiencing a 20-percent increase in our metal removal rate with the PT 1800.”

These results contributed to the company’s decision to open a second plant, which will be closer to many of its customers in the South. One of the first machines to be installed will be a new Giddings & Lewis boring mill once Fischer determines the location of the plant.

“The PT 1800 has been a phenomenal machine—reliable, accurate and fast,” Mr. Fischer concludes. “It’s everything we want and need in a boring mill.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

In an industry where one in three shops has closed during the past 10 years, Fischer Tool and Die’s business is thriving. According to the Temperance, Michigan shop, this is because its growth stems from die cast work for the automotive “new domestics,” a term for transplants.

The Fischer Tool & Die shop runs 7 days a week—24 hours per day Monday through Friday—and 16 hours on Saturday and Sunday. The size of the dies produced by Fischer is said to be one of its competitive advantages.

“We’re unique in the engine work we do in North America,” says Michael Fischer, president of Fischer Tool and Die. “The new domestics are now coming to us with multi-year programs.”

Work from Honda, Nissan and Ryobi accounts for most of the company’s 30- to 40-percent growth. The company also works with General Motors.

“You have to start with baby steps,” Mr. Fischer says. “Once we proved ourselves with small jobs, our business relationships starting growing.”

In 2005, Fischer decided to add a sixth boring mill to its 45,000-square-foot Michigan facility to produce large V6 engine block holder dies. Removing 45 percent of the stock from a 70,000-pound, six-foot square, 4140 steel billet block required a rigid, large-capacity machine. Fischer did its homework. The company evaluated machine tools, visited other manufacturers, requested test cuts and even reviewed operating manuals.

Ultimately, it decided on a PT 1800 plain-table boring mill from Giddings & Lewis Machine Tools (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin). Featuring a modular design, the G&L boring mill allows Fischer to configure the machine to suit its requirements. As such, the company chose a 2,000 by 3,600 mm table, an extended Y-axis travel of 2,600 mm, a four-speed, 5-inch spindle headstock and an iTNC control from Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, Illinois).

Close Heidenhain says that its controls offer ease of use and precision contouring capabilities, which can be especially useful in tool and die production. For instance, the plain-language programming is suited for shopfloor programming. In addition, the iTNC features a digital-drive control with an integrated inverter, which enables it to produce accurate workpiece contours while machining at high velocity. Commonality with the other machine tools in the factory is another benefit for Fischer.

“We’ve standardized on Heidenhain to control our training requirements,” Mr. Fischer says. “This makes it easier to shift operators wherever we need them.”

The cycle time on Shoulder Milling Inserts the V6 engine block holders is 900 hours. Therefore, the 4- to 5-week cycle time made machining speed an important consideration, says the company.

“With the amount of stock that must be removed, we also need a machine that would stand up to the deep cuts,” explains Bill Koch, general foreman at Fischer.

The PT 1800 has hardened and ground roller guide ways, and it achieves a rapid traverse rate of 25 m per minute. Accustomed to box ways, the company admits that it originally had concerns about the G&L linear way and roller truck system; that is, until the local Giddings & Lewis representative, Jim Foust of VMC Technologies, took the Fischer team to visit a local manufacturer that has been using the latest G&L boring mill design. After some discussion regarding the linear ways, Fischer decided that embracing the Carbide Threading Inserts technology would better enable the company to compete in the global market.

A test cut performed at Giddings & Lewis further convinced the buying team that the PT 1800 and the 45 kW four-speed headstock they selected had the requisite rigidity and power. Large holes for lifting rings are machined into the engine block holders. These are cut with a two-inch tap that requires significant low-end torque. The low-end speed of the headstock is also important for sizing the pockets and achieving flat precise surfaces, the manufacturer says.

“The walls of a die must be straight and accurate,” Mr. Koch says. “To machine the deep die pockets, high speed mills are used. The standard through-the-spindle coolant supplied with G & L headstocks helps remove the large volume of chips produced.”

In the 7 months since the G&L boring mill was installed, the machine has been in operation nearly 4,500 hours. During that time, the machine has been taken out of service only 15 to 20 hours per week. Even running at this rate, the company had more work than it could handle.

“The new boring mill is achieving the desired results,” Mr. Koch says. “We’re experiencing a 20-percent increase in our metal removal rate with the PT 1800.”

These results contributed to the company’s decision to open a second plant, which will be closer to many of its customers in the South. One of the first machines to be installed will be a new Giddings & Lewis boring mill once Fischer determines the location of the plant.

“The PT 1800 has been a phenomenal machine—reliable, accurate and fast,” Mr. Fischer concludes. “It’s everything we want and need in a boring mill.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

In an industry where one in three shops has closed during the past 10 years, Fischer Tool and Die’s business is thriving. According to the Temperance, Michigan shop, this is because its growth stems from die cast work for the automotive “new domestics,” a term for transplants.

The Fischer Tool & Die shop runs 7 days a week—24 hours per day Monday through Friday—and 16 hours on Saturday and Sunday. The size of the dies produced by Fischer is said to be one of its competitive advantages.

“We’re unique in the engine work we do in North America,” says Michael Fischer, president of Fischer Tool and Die. “The new domestics are now coming to us with multi-year programs.”

Work from Honda, Nissan and Ryobi accounts for most of the company’s 30- to 40-percent growth. The company also works with General Motors.

“You have to start with baby steps,” Mr. Fischer says. “Once we proved ourselves with small jobs, our business relationships starting growing.”

In 2005, Fischer decided to add a sixth boring mill to its 45,000-square-foot Michigan facility to produce large V6 engine block holder dies. Removing 45 percent of the stock from a 70,000-pound, six-foot square, 4140 steel billet block required a rigid, large-capacity machine. Fischer did its homework. The company evaluated machine tools, visited other manufacturers, requested test cuts and even reviewed operating manuals.

Ultimately, it decided on a PT 1800 plain-table boring mill from Giddings & Lewis Machine Tools (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin). Featuring a modular design, the G&L boring mill allows Fischer to configure the machine to suit its requirements. As such, the company chose a 2,000 by 3,600 mm table, an extended Y-axis travel of 2,600 mm, a four-speed, 5-inch spindle headstock and an iTNC control from Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, Illinois).

Close Heidenhain says that its controls offer ease of use and precision contouring capabilities, which can be especially useful in tool and die production. For instance, the plain-language programming is suited for shopfloor programming. In addition, the iTNC features a digital-drive control with an integrated inverter, which enables it to produce accurate workpiece contours while machining at high velocity. Commonality with the other machine tools in the factory is another benefit for Fischer.

“We’ve standardized on Heidenhain to control our training requirements,” Mr. Fischer says. “This makes it easier to shift operators wherever we need them.”

The cycle time on Shoulder Milling Inserts the V6 engine block holders is 900 hours. Therefore, the 4- to 5-week cycle time made machining speed an important consideration, says the company.

“With the amount of stock that must be removed, we also need a machine that would stand up to the deep cuts,” explains Bill Koch, general foreman at Fischer.

The PT 1800 has hardened and ground roller guide ways, and it achieves a rapid traverse rate of 25 m per minute. Accustomed to box ways, the company admits that it originally had concerns about the G&L linear way and roller truck system; that is, until the local Giddings & Lewis representative, Jim Foust of VMC Technologies, took the Fischer team to visit a local manufacturer that has been using the latest G&L boring mill design. After some discussion regarding the linear ways, Fischer decided that embracing the Carbide Threading Inserts technology would better enable the company to compete in the global market.

A test cut performed at Giddings & Lewis further convinced the buying team that the PT 1800 and the 45 kW four-speed headstock they selected had the requisite rigidity and power. Large holes for lifting rings are machined into the engine block holders. These are cut with a two-inch tap that requires significant low-end torque. The low-end speed of the headstock is also important for sizing the pockets and achieving flat precise surfaces, the manufacturer says.

“The walls of a die must be straight and accurate,” Mr. Koch says. “To machine the deep die pockets, high speed mills are used. The standard through-the-spindle coolant supplied with G & L headstocks helps remove the large volume of chips produced.”

In the 7 months since the G&L boring mill was installed, the machine has been in operation nearly 4,500 hours. During that time, the machine has been taken out of service only 15 to 20 hours per week. Even running at this rate, the company had more work than it could handle.

“The new boring mill is achieving the desired results,” Mr. Koch says. “We’re experiencing a 20-percent increase in our metal removal rate with the PT 1800.”

These results contributed to the company’s decision to open a second plant, which will be closer to many of its customers in the South. One of the first machines to be installed will be a new Giddings & Lewis boring mill once Fischer determines the location of the plant.

“The PT 1800 has been a phenomenal machine—reliable, accurate and fast,” Mr. Fischer concludes. “It’s everything we want and need in a boring mill.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

Precision CNC Supercharger Rotor Machining Means More Power

The Curvemax Machining Carbide Inserts curve-segment mill from Inovatools TCMT Insert features geometries that permit larger path distances and line jumps during pre-finishing and finishing. The tool is described as ideal for medical device and implants, which require reliable machining of undercuts, freeform surfaces and variable setting angles.

Although its working radius is larger than that of a traditional full-radius mill, the tool has the same diameter. This significantly reduces processing times, the company claims. Larger engagement width ensures the cutting edge does not suffer from wear at any single point. Combined with the smooth Varocon coating, this wear resistance helps to increase the tool’s service life. Additionally, the larger and flatter overlap reduces roughness, providing improved surface finishes compared to traditional full-radius mills, according to Inovatools.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

The Curvemax Machining Carbide Inserts curve-segment mill from Inovatools TCMT Insert features geometries that permit larger path distances and line jumps during pre-finishing and finishing. The tool is described as ideal for medical device and implants, which require reliable machining of undercuts, freeform surfaces and variable setting angles.

Although its working radius is larger than that of a traditional full-radius mill, the tool has the same diameter. This significantly reduces processing times, the company claims. Larger engagement width ensures the cutting edge does not suffer from wear at any single point. Combined with the smooth Varocon coating, this wear resistance helps to increase the tool’s service life. Additionally, the larger and flatter overlap reduces roughness, providing improved surface finishes compared to traditional full-radius mills, according to Inovatools.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

The Curvemax Machining Carbide Inserts curve-segment mill from Inovatools TCMT Insert features geometries that permit larger path distances and line jumps during pre-finishing and finishing. The tool is described as ideal for medical device and implants, which require reliable machining of undercuts, freeform surfaces and variable setting angles.

Although its working radius is larger than that of a traditional full-radius mill, the tool has the same diameter. This significantly reduces processing times, the company claims. Larger engagement width ensures the cutting edge does not suffer from wear at any single point. Combined with the smooth Varocon coating, this wear resistance helps to increase the tool’s service life. Additionally, the larger and flatter overlap reduces roughness, providing improved surface finishes compared to traditional full-radius mills, according to Inovatools.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Cemented Carbide Inserts

Tool Lifetime Management Software Supports Multi Functional Tools

Schupan & Sons Inc. is a family-owned metal recycling company that also manufactures products in-house at its 140,000-square-foot Kalamazoo shop, Schupan Aluminum. Over the past 10 years, Schupan has grown from 60 employees to 325.

“Our value-added manufacturing business is leading the way for a distribution business, cutting large blanks and shipping them, or cutting pieces for different machine shops,” says Kevin Roschek, director of manufacturing at Schupan Aluminum. The majority of the work is CNC machining, and in five years the shop added 27 CNC machines to its original 10 to keep up with demand. One of Schupan’s largest customer groups produces furniture, often office furniture or high-end outdoor furniture, with Schupan creating the complex internal electronic add-ins. The shop also has clients in the medical, automotive, marine and food industries.

As Schupan grew, it concluded that reducing cycle times was the best way to make production more efficient.

“Fixturing, historically, has been a huge problem for us,” says Joseph Proxmire, Schupan Aluminum’s lead manufacturing engineer. “We had a lot of parts that would certainly be three or four operations, and we had to design custom solutions to make those in one operation.”

In response to this issue, Schupan started using four- and five-axis machining to load multiple parts and cut multiple sides at once. To ensure fast, clean machining, the shop uses CAD/CAM software, specifically Mastercam. The software’s multiaxis toolpaths give the shop complete control over cut pattern, tool axis control and collision avoidance.

Proxmire was a crucial voice in Schupan’s decision on which software to use to expand its capabilities. He trusts in Mastercam due to past experience, and says, “It’s constantly being updated, and the developers are always advancing the software. Other CAM software that we’ve used before don’t have enough data to stay updated.”

One of Schupan’s more challenging projects was to produce several different complex aluminum shrouds. These are one of the interior furniture components for an airplane and, at first, held some daunting geometries.

“We needed advanced five-axis capabilities for deep pocketing, small-tool holding, and extended tool holder use,” Proxmire says. “We ended up with very good finishes because of these toolpaths. We used the Multiaxis Flow and Multiaxis Curve toolpaths to machine features that would’ve been much more difficult with three- or four-axis machining.”

Mastercam’s five-axis features enabled Schupan to complete the complicated tool positioning in a fraction of the time the shop would have needed without it. During the project, Schupan reached out to its certified Mastercam reseller, Axsys CAD/CAM Solutions Inc., for help with post-processing. Instead of simply walking the Schupan team through the post, account representative Mike Stevens developed the entire code for them. Between the support from Axsys and the advanced multiaxis functions, Schupan employees found the the stress and difficulty surrounding the shroud project all but eliminated.

Proxmire and his programmers call Axsys whenever they have questions or need help troubleshooting or optimizing their machining process, with Stevens either providing information over the phone or in person. Axsys also offers continued training for local Mastercam users, and frequently reaches out to companies like Schupan to explain the software’s latest features.

One such feature is the software’s Tool Manager. With it, users can import tool libraries from manufacturers like Sandvik Coromant, optimize the paths for each tool and then extrapolate the information.

“The ability to create TNMG Insert one cutter path and transfer it to multiple locations is huge,” Proxmire says. “I use that for programming one part and then transforming it down the line for 10 different parts. This software is very good with that as far as approaches and clearance planes and fine tuning the cutter path to make it as fast as it can be. We have old tool libraries and tool holder libraries for all of our shrink fit and CAT 40 tool holders. It makes it a lot easier for simulation.”

When Proxmire simulates his parts, he uses the Verify and Backplot functions within the software. Verify and Backplot both display onscreen any and all portions of the machining process, which users can record if they need to. These functions detect collisions and errors before the parent material ever touches the machine, enabling operators to Carbide Turning Inserts work through projects faster and with greater confidence.

After simulating each part to check for problems, Proxmire’s focus is once again on reducing cycle times. Mastercam’s Dynamic Motion technology is a program within the software that continuously monitors the material during machining and changes tool motion in response. This accommodation for material movement means operators can run machines at their highest rates without endangering their material or cutting tools.

“The tool lasts quite a while longer now, especially when we’re machining harder materials like tool steel,” Proxmire says. “We found that Dynamic Milling gives us better tool life and definitely higher metal removal rates.” He estimates that when machining steel, Dynamic has made cycle times up to three times shorter.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Schupan & Sons Inc. is a family-owned metal recycling company that also manufactures products in-house at its 140,000-square-foot Kalamazoo shop, Schupan Aluminum. Over the past 10 years, Schupan has grown from 60 employees to 325.

“Our value-added manufacturing business is leading the way for a distribution business, cutting large blanks and shipping them, or cutting pieces for different machine shops,” says Kevin Roschek, director of manufacturing at Schupan Aluminum. The majority of the work is CNC machining, and in five years the shop added 27 CNC machines to its original 10 to keep up with demand. One of Schupan’s largest customer groups produces furniture, often office furniture or high-end outdoor furniture, with Schupan creating the complex internal electronic add-ins. The shop also has clients in the medical, automotive, marine and food industries.

As Schupan grew, it concluded that reducing cycle times was the best way to make production more efficient.

“Fixturing, historically, has been a huge problem for us,” says Joseph Proxmire, Schupan Aluminum’s lead manufacturing engineer. “We had a lot of parts that would certainly be three or four operations, and we had to design custom solutions to make those in one operation.”

In response to this issue, Schupan started using four- and five-axis machining to load multiple parts and cut multiple sides at once. To ensure fast, clean machining, the shop uses CAD/CAM software, specifically Mastercam. The software’s multiaxis toolpaths give the shop complete control over cut pattern, tool axis control and collision avoidance.

Proxmire was a crucial voice in Schupan’s decision on which software to use to expand its capabilities. He trusts in Mastercam due to past experience, and says, “It’s constantly being updated, and the developers are always advancing the software. Other CAM software that we’ve used before don’t have enough data to stay updated.”

One of Schupan’s more challenging projects was to produce several different complex aluminum shrouds. These are one of the interior furniture components for an airplane and, at first, held some daunting geometries.

“We needed advanced five-axis capabilities for deep pocketing, small-tool holding, and extended tool holder use,” Proxmire says. “We ended up with very good finishes because of these toolpaths. We used the Multiaxis Flow and Multiaxis Curve toolpaths to machine features that would’ve been much more difficult with three- or four-axis machining.”

Mastercam’s five-axis features enabled Schupan to complete the complicated tool positioning in a fraction of the time the shop would have needed without it. During the project, Schupan reached out to its certified Mastercam reseller, Axsys CAD/CAM Solutions Inc., for help with post-processing. Instead of simply walking the Schupan team through the post, account representative Mike Stevens developed the entire code for them. Between the support from Axsys and the advanced multiaxis functions, Schupan employees found the the stress and difficulty surrounding the shroud project all but eliminated.

Proxmire and his programmers call Axsys whenever they have questions or need help troubleshooting or optimizing their machining process, with Stevens either providing information over the phone or in person. Axsys also offers continued training for local Mastercam users, and frequently reaches out to companies like Schupan to explain the software’s latest features.

One such feature is the software’s Tool Manager. With it, users can import tool libraries from manufacturers like Sandvik Coromant, optimize the paths for each tool and then extrapolate the information.

“The ability to create TNMG Insert one cutter path and transfer it to multiple locations is huge,” Proxmire says. “I use that for programming one part and then transforming it down the line for 10 different parts. This software is very good with that as far as approaches and clearance planes and fine tuning the cutter path to make it as fast as it can be. We have old tool libraries and tool holder libraries for all of our shrink fit and CAT 40 tool holders. It makes it a lot easier for simulation.”

When Proxmire simulates his parts, he uses the Verify and Backplot functions within the software. Verify and Backplot both display onscreen any and all portions of the machining process, which users can record if they need to. These functions detect collisions and errors before the parent material ever touches the machine, enabling operators to Carbide Turning Inserts work through projects faster and with greater confidence.

After simulating each part to check for problems, Proxmire’s focus is once again on reducing cycle times. Mastercam’s Dynamic Motion technology is a program within the software that continuously monitors the material during machining and changes tool motion in response. This accommodation for material movement means operators can run machines at their highest rates without endangering their material or cutting tools.

“The tool lasts quite a while longer now, especially when we’re machining harder materials like tool steel,” Proxmire says. “We found that Dynamic Milling gives us better tool life and definitely higher metal removal rates.” He estimates that when machining steel, Dynamic has made cycle times up to three times shorter.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Schupan & Sons Inc. is a family-owned metal recycling company that also manufactures products in-house at its 140,000-square-foot Kalamazoo shop, Schupan Aluminum. Over the past 10 years, Schupan has grown from 60 employees to 325.

“Our value-added manufacturing business is leading the way for a distribution business, cutting large blanks and shipping them, or cutting pieces for different machine shops,” says Kevin Roschek, director of manufacturing at Schupan Aluminum. The majority of the work is CNC machining, and in five years the shop added 27 CNC machines to its original 10 to keep up with demand. One of Schupan’s largest customer groups produces furniture, often office furniture or high-end outdoor furniture, with Schupan creating the complex internal electronic add-ins. The shop also has clients in the medical, automotive, marine and food industries.

As Schupan grew, it concluded that reducing cycle times was the best way to make production more efficient.

“Fixturing, historically, has been a huge problem for us,” says Joseph Proxmire, Schupan Aluminum’s lead manufacturing engineer. “We had a lot of parts that would certainly be three or four operations, and we had to design custom solutions to make those in one operation.”

In response to this issue, Schupan started using four- and five-axis machining to load multiple parts and cut multiple sides at once. To ensure fast, clean machining, the shop uses CAD/CAM software, specifically Mastercam. The software’s multiaxis toolpaths give the shop complete control over cut pattern, tool axis control and collision avoidance.

Proxmire was a crucial voice in Schupan’s decision on which software to use to expand its capabilities. He trusts in Mastercam due to past experience, and says, “It’s constantly being updated, and the developers are always advancing the software. Other CAM software that we’ve used before don’t have enough data to stay updated.”

One of Schupan’s more challenging projects was to produce several different complex aluminum shrouds. These are one of the interior furniture components for an airplane and, at first, held some daunting geometries.

“We needed advanced five-axis capabilities for deep pocketing, small-tool holding, and extended tool holder use,” Proxmire says. “We ended up with very good finishes because of these toolpaths. We used the Multiaxis Flow and Multiaxis Curve toolpaths to machine features that would’ve been much more difficult with three- or four-axis machining.”

Mastercam’s five-axis features enabled Schupan to complete the complicated tool positioning in a fraction of the time the shop would have needed without it. During the project, Schupan reached out to its certified Mastercam reseller, Axsys CAD/CAM Solutions Inc., for help with post-processing. Instead of simply walking the Schupan team through the post, account representative Mike Stevens developed the entire code for them. Between the support from Axsys and the advanced multiaxis functions, Schupan employees found the the stress and difficulty surrounding the shroud project all but eliminated.

Proxmire and his programmers call Axsys whenever they have questions or need help troubleshooting or optimizing their machining process, with Stevens either providing information over the phone or in person. Axsys also offers continued training for local Mastercam users, and frequently reaches out to companies like Schupan to explain the software’s latest features.

One such feature is the software’s Tool Manager. With it, users can import tool libraries from manufacturers like Sandvik Coromant, optimize the paths for each tool and then extrapolate the information.

“The ability to create TNMG Insert one cutter path and transfer it to multiple locations is huge,” Proxmire says. “I use that for programming one part and then transforming it down the line for 10 different parts. This software is very good with that as far as approaches and clearance planes and fine tuning the cutter path to make it as fast as it can be. We have old tool libraries and tool holder libraries for all of our shrink fit and CAT 40 tool holders. It makes it a lot easier for simulation.”

When Proxmire simulates his parts, he uses the Verify and Backplot functions within the software. Verify and Backplot both display onscreen any and all portions of the machining process, which users can record if they need to. These functions detect collisions and errors before the parent material ever touches the machine, enabling operators to Carbide Turning Inserts work through projects faster and with greater confidence.

After simulating each part to check for problems, Proxmire’s focus is once again on reducing cycle times. Mastercam’s Dynamic Motion technology is a program within the software that continuously monitors the material during machining and changes tool motion in response. This accommodation for material movement means operators can run machines at their highest rates without endangering their material or cutting tools.

“The tool lasts quite a while longer now, especially when we’re machining harder materials like tool steel,” Proxmire says. “We found that Dynamic Milling gives us better tool life and definitely higher metal removal rates.” He estimates that when machining steel, Dynamic has made cycle times up to three times shorter.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Sodick Partners with Hartwig to Deliver EDM, Milling and AM Products and Services

The CoroMill 357 from Sandvik Coromant is designed for increased insert security while roughing and cubing in steel and cast iron. The multi-edge face milling cutter is suited for applications such as rough face milling, cubing, intermittent component figurations, components with uneven stock or forgings, weldings and castings.

The multi-edge design features double-sided, thick pentagonal inserts housed in shim-protected tip seats. The mill’s secure cutter body features an insert clamping system designed for fast and easy insert indexing. Large support faces located radially, axially and on the base prevent deformation and ensure consistent performance. Suitable for ISO 50 and larger machines, the cutter achieves depths of cut as deep as 10 mm (0.394") with a feed-per-tooth ranging to 0.7 mm/z (0.0276"/z). Diameter sizes CNMG Insert ranging from 100 to 315 mm (4" to 10") are Coated Inserts available.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: DNMG Insert

The CoroMill 357 from Sandvik Coromant is designed for increased insert security while roughing and cubing in steel and cast iron. The multi-edge face milling cutter is suited for applications such as rough face milling, cubing, intermittent component figurations, components with uneven stock or forgings, weldings and castings.

The multi-edge design features double-sided, thick pentagonal inserts housed in shim-protected tip seats. The mill’s secure cutter body features an insert clamping system designed for fast and easy insert indexing. Large support faces located radially, axially and on the base prevent deformation and ensure consistent performance. Suitable for ISO 50 and larger machines, the cutter achieves depths of cut as deep as 10 mm (0.394") with a feed-per-tooth ranging to 0.7 mm/z (0.0276"/z). Diameter sizes CNMG Insert ranging from 100 to 315 mm (4" to 10") are Coated Inserts available.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: DNMG Insert

The CoroMill 357 from Sandvik Coromant is designed for increased insert security while roughing and cubing in steel and cast iron. The multi-edge face milling cutter is suited for applications such as rough face milling, cubing, intermittent component figurations, components with uneven stock or forgings, weldings and castings.

The multi-edge design features double-sided, thick pentagonal inserts housed in shim-protected tip seats. The mill’s secure cutter body features an insert clamping system designed for fast and easy insert indexing. Large support faces located radially, axially and on the base prevent deformation and ensure consistent performance. Suitable for ISO 50 and larger machines, the cutter achieves depths of cut as deep as 10 mm (0.394") with a feed-per-tooth ranging to 0.7 mm/z (0.0276"/z). Diameter sizes CNMG Insert ranging from 100 to 315 mm (4" to 10") are Coated Inserts available.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: DNMG Insert

Multitasking Turning Center Offers 18 Chuck, Heavy Duty Machining

Although carbide inserts are proven performers in virtually all types of CNC machining, aerospace alloy finishing presents a particularly good opportunity to start exploring alternatives. In recent testing, a new type of cubic boron nitride (CBN) finish-turning insert ran three times faster, lasted three times longer and removed nine times the material as cemented carbide in titanium 6AL-4V, all on the same cutting edge. “Consistent chip control and a long-lasting edge make this a great candidate to replace current stable finishing processes using carbide,” the researchers wrote.

The primary difference between this CBN and other inserts is not what it contains, but what it lacks: a binder to hold the sintered material together. Rather, the nanoparticles are fused directly to one another to form a virtually solid, continuous cutting surface. This construction enables taking full advantage of CBN’s extreme hardness and thermal conductivity in a material that is notorious for work hardening.

The higher-temperature, higher-pressure sintering process that makes binderless construction possible is significant for more than just machining performance. Cobalt, a critical ingredient in the “cement” that holds cemented tungsten carbide together, is increasingly rare and costly. The case is the same for tungsten, Niobium and other elements of these inserts. Eliminating the need for these materials in a cutting tool eliminates the need to pull them from the Earth, thus preserving precious resources while benefitting the environment as well as people directly affected by the mining.

The extent of these broader benefits depends on the extent to which performance benefits and economies of scale drive the expansion of binderless CBN (and perhaps other varieties of binderless insert) into new applications and materials. Meanwhile, the new NCB100 binderless CBN offering provides a ready alternative for work that otherwise would require redundant tooling and/or accounting for insert changes, wear-offset entry and the risk of tool breakage during lengthy, automated machining cycles.

The finish-turning tests were conducted at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC), a nonprofit collaborative research organization near Portland, at the request of the inserts’ developer, Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. OMIC ran three NCB100 binderless CBN turning inserts against the AC51015S cemented carbide grade that Sumitomo would otherwise have recommended for the application. As expected, the carbide performed well in repeated tests, exhibiting 0.00208 inch of tip wear after 45 minutes in the cut. “There were no anomalies to note during these trials,” reads an OMIC report on the tests. “The insert showed even and predictable wear over time, creating a great baseline to compare from.”

Two of the CBN inserts, one with a low Helical Milling Inserts rake angle and one with a high rake angle, experienced similar levels of tip wear after 45 minutes (0.0024 inch for both CBN geometries). At this point, the carbide insert required indexing to maintain chip control. However, both CBN inserts continued to produce short, tightly curled chips. A third binderless CBN insert, this one with a medium rake angle, performed even better, wearing only half as much (0.0012 inch) at the 45-minute mark.

The biggest difference was speed. In repeated testing, all three CBN geometries ran at 400 sfm, versus only 200 sfm for the cemented carbide. Nonetheless, OMIC was not finished. Researchers pushed the highest-performing CBN insert (with the medium rake angle) well past the 45-minute mark, and they extended periodic wear measurements from 15- to 30-minute intervals. After 230 minutes, chips Carbide Turning Inserts were virtually indistinguishable from those generated at the 45-minute mark. In contrast, the carbide insert had worn twice as much, was removing only half the material, and was leaving a rougher surface.

Testing continued. Pushed to 600 sfm – three times the speed of carbide – the binderless CBN lasted more than 400 minutes before exhibiting the same level of flank wear as the carbide insert at 45 minutes (although with CBN, surface roughness had reached nearly 65 Ra by the 400-minute mark). At the 435-minute mark, chips began to become progressively long and stringy. Finally, at 555 minutes, the insert tip wore into a crescent shape, “much like sanding a block of wood down on a belt sander,” says Cody Apple, machining solutions researcher at OMIC. “This was predictable and easy to detect when it occurred.”  

Urmaze Naterwalla, OMIC head of R&D, analogizes traditional, “bindered” inserts to a road, with the individual particles embedded in the surface representing the cutting material (CBN in this case) and the tar representing the binding material. The binding material is softer, so it breaks down first as the surface deteriorates. It tears away in chunks to leave potholes. Without the tar, the particles are fused directly to one another. There are no potholes because the surface wears away at a relatively constant and predictable rate, resulting in two parallel divets carved from the wheels of passing traffic.

Yet, binder can do more than just hold insert material together. Jason Miller, a national applications engineer with Sumitomo at the time of this writing, says it also acts much like an automobile suspension, which employs springs and other shock absorbers to smooth the ride. In fact, specially formulated binders help other CBN inserts withstand the forces associated with gear machining and other interrupted-cutting applications that are hard on tooling. Applying the new binderless inserts for such work would be “akin to applying a drag car to drive over a mountain,” he says. “It doesn’t work.”

Nonetheless, a drag car is ideal for rocketing down a perfectly smooth road. And for binderless CBN, the continuous surfaces of titanium aerospace parts like the ones machined at OMIC are essentially racetracks. Interruptions are rare, and cutting depths are shallow, recommended at only 0.020 inch in titanium.

This is not to suggest that titanium turning is the only potential application of binderless CBN, nor that milling or other interrupted cutting is out of the question. On the contrary, Sumitomo reports that the inserts have been applied successfully in interrupted cuts in both powder metal and cast iron, as well as hardened steel milling in certain conditions. Meanwhile, development continues on different edge geometries and CBN particle-size formulations that add strength and toughness. The tools have also been been applied to turn medical parts from such materials as cemented carbide and cobalt chrome (Co Cr).

Research also continues into other binderless formulations. In fact, Sumitomo first applied its new direct conversion sintering process for binderless polycrystalline diamond (PCD), which is useful for machining tungsten carbide drawing dies and wear plates as well as ceramic materials. The company expects applications for these tools, and potentially others, to expand along with demand for new, highly durable yet difficult-to-machine materials for spacecraft, aircraft, automobiles, medical and electronic components and more. “We should recognize that there’s going to be an evolution, just like there was with carbide,” Mr. Naterwalla says. “The more we adapt to what this is capable of, the more that evolution will move forward.”

Meanwhile, the advance of additive manufacturing could intensify focus on finishing and semi-finishing over roughing. Compared to carving out solid billets or blocks of material, machining 3D-printed, near-net-shapes requires different techniques and different cutting tools. “This means shifting to cutters that require less radial engagement but will move with more speed,” Mr. Apple says.  

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Although carbide inserts are proven performers in virtually all types of CNC machining, aerospace alloy finishing presents a particularly good opportunity to start exploring alternatives. In recent testing, a new type of cubic boron nitride (CBN) finish-turning insert ran three times faster, lasted three times longer and removed nine times the material as cemented carbide in titanium 6AL-4V, all on the same cutting edge. “Consistent chip control and a long-lasting edge make this a great candidate to replace current stable finishing processes using carbide,” the researchers wrote.

The primary difference between this CBN and other inserts is not what it contains, but what it lacks: a binder to hold the sintered material together. Rather, the nanoparticles are fused directly to one another to form a virtually solid, continuous cutting surface. This construction enables taking full advantage of CBN’s extreme hardness and thermal conductivity in a material that is notorious for work hardening.

The higher-temperature, higher-pressure sintering process that makes binderless construction possible is significant for more than just machining performance. Cobalt, a critical ingredient in the “cement” that holds cemented tungsten carbide together, is increasingly rare and costly. The case is the same for tungsten, Niobium and other elements of these inserts. Eliminating the need for these materials in a cutting tool eliminates the need to pull them from the Earth, thus preserving precious resources while benefitting the environment as well as people directly affected by the mining.

The extent of these broader benefits depends on the extent to which performance benefits and economies of scale drive the expansion of binderless CBN (and perhaps other varieties of binderless insert) into new applications and materials. Meanwhile, the new NCB100 binderless CBN offering provides a ready alternative for work that otherwise would require redundant tooling and/or accounting for insert changes, wear-offset entry and the risk of tool breakage during lengthy, automated machining cycles.

The finish-turning tests were conducted at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC), a nonprofit collaborative research organization near Portland, at the request of the inserts’ developer, Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. OMIC ran three NCB100 binderless CBN turning inserts against the AC51015S cemented carbide grade that Sumitomo would otherwise have recommended for the application. As expected, the carbide performed well in repeated tests, exhibiting 0.00208 inch of tip wear after 45 minutes in the cut. “There were no anomalies to note during these trials,” reads an OMIC report on the tests. “The insert showed even and predictable wear over time, creating a great baseline to compare from.”

Two of the CBN inserts, one with a low Helical Milling Inserts rake angle and one with a high rake angle, experienced similar levels of tip wear after 45 minutes (0.0024 inch for both CBN geometries). At this point, the carbide insert required indexing to maintain chip control. However, both CBN inserts continued to produce short, tightly curled chips. A third binderless CBN insert, this one with a medium rake angle, performed even better, wearing only half as much (0.0012 inch) at the 45-minute mark.

The biggest difference was speed. In repeated testing, all three CBN geometries ran at 400 sfm, versus only 200 sfm for the cemented carbide. Nonetheless, OMIC was not finished. Researchers pushed the highest-performing CBN insert (with the medium rake angle) well past the 45-minute mark, and they extended periodic wear measurements from 15- to 30-minute intervals. After 230 minutes, chips Carbide Turning Inserts were virtually indistinguishable from those generated at the 45-minute mark. In contrast, the carbide insert had worn twice as much, was removing only half the material, and was leaving a rougher surface.

Testing continued. Pushed to 600 sfm – three times the speed of carbide – the binderless CBN lasted more than 400 minutes before exhibiting the same level of flank wear as the carbide insert at 45 minutes (although with CBN, surface roughness had reached nearly 65 Ra by the 400-minute mark). At the 435-minute mark, chips began to become progressively long and stringy. Finally, at 555 minutes, the insert tip wore into a crescent shape, “much like sanding a block of wood down on a belt sander,” says Cody Apple, machining solutions researcher at OMIC. “This was predictable and easy to detect when it occurred.”  

Urmaze Naterwalla, OMIC head of R&D, analogizes traditional, “bindered” inserts to a road, with the individual particles embedded in the surface representing the cutting material (CBN in this case) and the tar representing the binding material. The binding material is softer, so it breaks down first as the surface deteriorates. It tears away in chunks to leave potholes. Without the tar, the particles are fused directly to one another. There are no potholes because the surface wears away at a relatively constant and predictable rate, resulting in two parallel divets carved from the wheels of passing traffic.

Yet, binder can do more than just hold insert material together. Jason Miller, a national applications engineer with Sumitomo at the time of this writing, says it also acts much like an automobile suspension, which employs springs and other shock absorbers to smooth the ride. In fact, specially formulated binders help other CBN inserts withstand the forces associated with gear machining and other interrupted-cutting applications that are hard on tooling. Applying the new binderless inserts for such work would be “akin to applying a drag car to drive over a mountain,” he says. “It doesn’t work.”

Nonetheless, a drag car is ideal for rocketing down a perfectly smooth road. And for binderless CBN, the continuous surfaces of titanium aerospace parts like the ones machined at OMIC are essentially racetracks. Interruptions are rare, and cutting depths are shallow, recommended at only 0.020 inch in titanium.

This is not to suggest that titanium turning is the only potential application of binderless CBN, nor that milling or other interrupted cutting is out of the question. On the contrary, Sumitomo reports that the inserts have been applied successfully in interrupted cuts in both powder metal and cast iron, as well as hardened steel milling in certain conditions. Meanwhile, development continues on different edge geometries and CBN particle-size formulations that add strength and toughness. The tools have also been been applied to turn medical parts from such materials as cemented carbide and cobalt chrome (Co Cr).

Research also continues into other binderless formulations. In fact, Sumitomo first applied its new direct conversion sintering process for binderless polycrystalline diamond (PCD), which is useful for machining tungsten carbide drawing dies and wear plates as well as ceramic materials. The company expects applications for these tools, and potentially others, to expand along with demand for new, highly durable yet difficult-to-machine materials for spacecraft, aircraft, automobiles, medical and electronic components and more. “We should recognize that there’s going to be an evolution, just like there was with carbide,” Mr. Naterwalla says. “The more we adapt to what this is capable of, the more that evolution will move forward.”

Meanwhile, the advance of additive manufacturing could intensify focus on finishing and semi-finishing over roughing. Compared to carving out solid billets or blocks of material, machining 3D-printed, near-net-shapes requires different techniques and different cutting tools. “This means shifting to cutters that require less radial engagement but will move with more speed,” Mr. Apple says.  

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Although carbide inserts are proven performers in virtually all types of CNC machining, aerospace alloy finishing presents a particularly good opportunity to start exploring alternatives. In recent testing, a new type of cubic boron nitride (CBN) finish-turning insert ran three times faster, lasted three times longer and removed nine times the material as cemented carbide in titanium 6AL-4V, all on the same cutting edge. “Consistent chip control and a long-lasting edge make this a great candidate to replace current stable finishing processes using carbide,” the researchers wrote.

The primary difference between this CBN and other inserts is not what it contains, but what it lacks: a binder to hold the sintered material together. Rather, the nanoparticles are fused directly to one another to form a virtually solid, continuous cutting surface. This construction enables taking full advantage of CBN’s extreme hardness and thermal conductivity in a material that is notorious for work hardening.

The higher-temperature, higher-pressure sintering process that makes binderless construction possible is significant for more than just machining performance. Cobalt, a critical ingredient in the “cement” that holds cemented tungsten carbide together, is increasingly rare and costly. The case is the same for tungsten, Niobium and other elements of these inserts. Eliminating the need for these materials in a cutting tool eliminates the need to pull them from the Earth, thus preserving precious resources while benefitting the environment as well as people directly affected by the mining.

The extent of these broader benefits depends on the extent to which performance benefits and economies of scale drive the expansion of binderless CBN (and perhaps other varieties of binderless insert) into new applications and materials. Meanwhile, the new NCB100 binderless CBN offering provides a ready alternative for work that otherwise would require redundant tooling and/or accounting for insert changes, wear-offset entry and the risk of tool breakage during lengthy, automated machining cycles.

The finish-turning tests were conducted at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC), a nonprofit collaborative research organization near Portland, at the request of the inserts’ developer, Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. OMIC ran three NCB100 binderless CBN turning inserts against the AC51015S cemented carbide grade that Sumitomo would otherwise have recommended for the application. As expected, the carbide performed well in repeated tests, exhibiting 0.00208 inch of tip wear after 45 minutes in the cut. “There were no anomalies to note during these trials,” reads an OMIC report on the tests. “The insert showed even and predictable wear over time, creating a great baseline to compare from.”

Two of the CBN inserts, one with a low Helical Milling Inserts rake angle and one with a high rake angle, experienced similar levels of tip wear after 45 minutes (0.0024 inch for both CBN geometries). At this point, the carbide insert required indexing to maintain chip control. However, both CBN inserts continued to produce short, tightly curled chips. A third binderless CBN insert, this one with a medium rake angle, performed even better, wearing only half as much (0.0012 inch) at the 45-minute mark.

The biggest difference was speed. In repeated testing, all three CBN geometries ran at 400 sfm, versus only 200 sfm for the cemented carbide. Nonetheless, OMIC was not finished. Researchers pushed the highest-performing CBN insert (with the medium rake angle) well past the 45-minute mark, and they extended periodic wear measurements from 15- to 30-minute intervals. After 230 minutes, chips Carbide Turning Inserts were virtually indistinguishable from those generated at the 45-minute mark. In contrast, the carbide insert had worn twice as much, was removing only half the material, and was leaving a rougher surface.

Testing continued. Pushed to 600 sfm – three times the speed of carbide – the binderless CBN lasted more than 400 minutes before exhibiting the same level of flank wear as the carbide insert at 45 minutes (although with CBN, surface roughness had reached nearly 65 Ra by the 400-minute mark). At the 435-minute mark, chips began to become progressively long and stringy. Finally, at 555 minutes, the insert tip wore into a crescent shape, “much like sanding a block of wood down on a belt sander,” says Cody Apple, machining solutions researcher at OMIC. “This was predictable and easy to detect when it occurred.”  

Urmaze Naterwalla, OMIC head of R&D, analogizes traditional, “bindered” inserts to a road, with the individual particles embedded in the surface representing the cutting material (CBN in this case) and the tar representing the binding material. The binding material is softer, so it breaks down first as the surface deteriorates. It tears away in chunks to leave potholes. Without the tar, the particles are fused directly to one another. There are no potholes because the surface wears away at a relatively constant and predictable rate, resulting in two parallel divets carved from the wheels of passing traffic.

Yet, binder can do more than just hold insert material together. Jason Miller, a national applications engineer with Sumitomo at the time of this writing, says it also acts much like an automobile suspension, which employs springs and other shock absorbers to smooth the ride. In fact, specially formulated binders help other CBN inserts withstand the forces associated with gear machining and other interrupted-cutting applications that are hard on tooling. Applying the new binderless inserts for such work would be “akin to applying a drag car to drive over a mountain,” he says. “It doesn’t work.”

Nonetheless, a drag car is ideal for rocketing down a perfectly smooth road. And for binderless CBN, the continuous surfaces of titanium aerospace parts like the ones machined at OMIC are essentially racetracks. Interruptions are rare, and cutting depths are shallow, recommended at only 0.020 inch in titanium.

This is not to suggest that titanium turning is the only potential application of binderless CBN, nor that milling or other interrupted cutting is out of the question. On the contrary, Sumitomo reports that the inserts have been applied successfully in interrupted cuts in both powder metal and cast iron, as well as hardened steel milling in certain conditions. Meanwhile, development continues on different edge geometries and CBN particle-size formulations that add strength and toughness. The tools have also been been applied to turn medical parts from such materials as cemented carbide and cobalt chrome (Co Cr).

Research also continues into other binderless formulations. In fact, Sumitomo first applied its new direct conversion sintering process for binderless polycrystalline diamond (PCD), which is useful for machining tungsten carbide drawing dies and wear plates as well as ceramic materials. The company expects applications for these tools, and potentially others, to expand along with demand for new, highly durable yet difficult-to-machine materials for spacecraft, aircraft, automobiles, medical and electronic components and more. “We should recognize that there’s going to be an evolution, just like there was with carbide,” Mr. Naterwalla says. “The more we adapt to what this is capable of, the more that evolution will move forward.”

Meanwhile, the advance of additive manufacturing could intensify focus on finishing and semi-finishing over roughing. Compared to carving out solid billets or blocks of material, machining 3D-printed, near-net-shapes requires different techniques and different cutting tools. “This means shifting to cutters that require less radial engagement but will move with more speed,” Mr. Apple says.  

The Cemented Carbide Blog: CNC Carbide Inserts

Indexable Mills Speed Cavity Cutting

Alro Steel has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Access Metals in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 30, 2022. Founded in 2006 by Yolanda Drenner, Access Metals is a service center specializing in small orders with quick and competitive service to customers in manufacturing, machining and fabricating. This purchase is expected to enable Alro to grow its customer base in the eastern United States while providing improved service for cut-to-size metals.

Drenner says, “I’m pleased to announce that, effective September 30, 2022, TCMT Insert ownership of Access Metals will transfer to Alro Steel. It’s a well-established, family-owned business, founded in 1948. Alro shares my philosophy to exceed customer expectations through superior service SPMT Insert and teamwork.”

Randy Glick, CEO of Alro Steel, adds, “We are excited to welcome Access Metals to the Alro family. Access Metals has a reputation for superior customer service with a strong base of manufacturing customers in Maryland.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Lathe Inserts

Alro Steel has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Access Metals in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 30, 2022. Founded in 2006 by Yolanda Drenner, Access Metals is a service center specializing in small orders with quick and competitive service to customers in manufacturing, machining and fabricating. This purchase is expected to enable Alro to grow its customer base in the eastern United States while providing improved service for cut-to-size metals.

Drenner says, “I’m pleased to announce that, effective September 30, 2022, TCMT Insert ownership of Access Metals will transfer to Alro Steel. It’s a well-established, family-owned business, founded in 1948. Alro shares my philosophy to exceed customer expectations through superior service SPMT Insert and teamwork.”

Randy Glick, CEO of Alro Steel, adds, “We are excited to welcome Access Metals to the Alro family. Access Metals has a reputation for superior customer service with a strong base of manufacturing customers in Maryland.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Lathe Inserts

Alro Steel has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Access Metals in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 30, 2022. Founded in 2006 by Yolanda Drenner, Access Metals is a service center specializing in small orders with quick and competitive service to customers in manufacturing, machining and fabricating. This purchase is expected to enable Alro to grow its customer base in the eastern United States while providing improved service for cut-to-size metals.

Drenner says, “I’m pleased to announce that, effective September 30, 2022, TCMT Insert ownership of Access Metals will transfer to Alro Steel. It’s a well-established, family-owned business, founded in 1948. Alro shares my philosophy to exceed customer expectations through superior service SPMT Insert and teamwork.”

Randy Glick, CEO of Alro Steel, adds, “We are excited to welcome Access Metals to the Alro family. Access Metals has a reputation for superior customer service with a strong base of manufacturing customers in Maryland.”

The Cemented Carbide Blog: Lathe Inserts

The Importance of Properly Maintained Grinding Oils

Kitamura Machinery’s Mycenter-HX300iG/400 expands the company’s small-footprint HMC offering, providing heavy-duty cutting, accuracy and reliability. For its size, the machine is still designed with a large work envelope, with a maximum workpiece diameter of 500 mm (19.7"), a maximum workpiece height of 745 mm (29.3"), and XYZ axes measuring 460 × 510 × 560 mm (18.1" × 20.1" × 22"), respectively. A 400-mm table option offers additional workholding possibilities. 

The 30-hp, 15,000-rpm, 40-taper, direct-drive, dual-contact spindle is said to be capable of handling a variety VNMG Insert of exotic materials. A 20,000-rpm dual contact spindle is also available.

The fully integrated fourth-axis rotary table, equipped with an integral drive motor, enables rapid indexing speeds of 150 rpm (54,000 degrees per min.) reducing out-of-cut time, eliminating backlash and providing positioning accuracy of ±2 arcseconds.    

An expandable 50-tool automatic toolchanger allows for the addition of up to 200 tools as needs change. The ATC is fixed-pot, which ensures that tools are always returned to the same pot and that the next tool to be used is kept in a stand-by pot) A 1.3-sec. tool-change time contributes to the reduction in overall cycle time made possible by the machine, the company says. 

The Mycenter-HX300iG/400 provides positioning accuracy of ±0.002 BDMT Insert mm (±0.000079") with 67-million-pulse encoder technology for better finish accuracy. To accommodate a variety of metal cutting requirements, the machine offers rapid traverse rates of 60 m/min. (2,362 ipm), ballscrew cooling, and 10-nm optical linear scale feedback in the linear axes.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: VCMT Insert

Kitamura Machinery’s Mycenter-HX300iG/400 expands the company’s small-footprint HMC offering, providing heavy-duty cutting, accuracy and reliability. For its size, the machine is still designed with a large work envelope, with a maximum workpiece diameter of 500 mm (19.7"), a maximum workpiece height of 745 mm (29.3"), and XYZ axes measuring 460 × 510 × 560 mm (18.1" × 20.1" × 22"), respectively. A 400-mm table option offers additional workholding possibilities. 

The 30-hp, 15,000-rpm, 40-taper, direct-drive, dual-contact spindle is said to be capable of handling a variety VNMG Insert of exotic materials. A 20,000-rpm dual contact spindle is also available.

The fully integrated fourth-axis rotary table, equipped with an integral drive motor, enables rapid indexing speeds of 150 rpm (54,000 degrees per min.) reducing out-of-cut time, eliminating backlash and providing positioning accuracy of ±2 arcseconds.    

An expandable 50-tool automatic toolchanger allows for the addition of up to 200 tools as needs change. The ATC is fixed-pot, which ensures that tools are always returned to the same pot and that the next tool to be used is kept in a stand-by pot) A 1.3-sec. tool-change time contributes to the reduction in overall cycle time made possible by the machine, the company says. 

The Mycenter-HX300iG/400 provides positioning accuracy of ±0.002 BDMT Insert mm (±0.000079") with 67-million-pulse encoder technology for better finish accuracy. To accommodate a variety of metal cutting requirements, the machine offers rapid traverse rates of 60 m/min. (2,362 ipm), ballscrew cooling, and 10-nm optical linear scale feedback in the linear axes.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: VCMT Insert

Kitamura Machinery’s Mycenter-HX300iG/400 expands the company’s small-footprint HMC offering, providing heavy-duty cutting, accuracy and reliability. For its size, the machine is still designed with a large work envelope, with a maximum workpiece diameter of 500 mm (19.7"), a maximum workpiece height of 745 mm (29.3"), and XYZ axes measuring 460 × 510 × 560 mm (18.1" × 20.1" × 22"), respectively. A 400-mm table option offers additional workholding possibilities. 

The 30-hp, 15,000-rpm, 40-taper, direct-drive, dual-contact spindle is said to be capable of handling a variety VNMG Insert of exotic materials. A 20,000-rpm dual contact spindle is also available.

The fully integrated fourth-axis rotary table, equipped with an integral drive motor, enables rapid indexing speeds of 150 rpm (54,000 degrees per min.) reducing out-of-cut time, eliminating backlash and providing positioning accuracy of ±2 arcseconds.    

An expandable 50-tool automatic toolchanger allows for the addition of up to 200 tools as needs change. The ATC is fixed-pot, which ensures that tools are always returned to the same pot and that the next tool to be used is kept in a stand-by pot) A 1.3-sec. tool-change time contributes to the reduction in overall cycle time made possible by the machine, the company says. 

The Mycenter-HX300iG/400 provides positioning accuracy of ±0.002 BDMT Insert mm (±0.000079") with 67-million-pulse encoder technology for better finish accuracy. To accommodate a variety of metal cutting requirements, the machine offers rapid traverse rates of 60 m/min. (2,362 ipm), ballscrew cooling, and 10-nm optical linear scale feedback in the linear axes.

The Cemented Carbide Blog: VCMT Insert