tooling
Iscar’s Tang-Grip line
of parting inserts
Taegutec’s T-clamp
design tackles facing,
grooving and parting-off
WNT SX holder with
insert; and (right)
Horn’s Supermini range
www.coromant.sandvik.com
www.iscaruk.co.uk
www.lmt-tools.com
www.wnt.com
www.walter-tools.com
www.taegutec.com
www.phorn.co.uk
www.atistellram.com
instance, have already shown significant savings,
especially on difficult to machine materials. A prime
example is the parting-off of 20mm diameter Inconel
718 bar run at the same speed as the incumbent
supplier’s tool at 35m/min with a feed rate progressively
increasing from 0.02 to 0.05mm/rev. The LMT Easytec
tool produced 475 parts against 275 previously.
Class apart
Parting and grooving sets high demands on
accessibility since the inserts are often fed deep into the
material, thus selection of the correct insert holding
system is crucial. Here, WNT has extended its MSS-SX
‘highlight’ range of blade-type parting and grooving
tools with the addition of a series of 26mm blades, a
move that brings the functionality and handling of the
MSS-SX system to smaller machine tools, while
maintaining the maximum stability under cutting
conditions found with the larger blades. The new blades
will take inserts of 2, 3 and 4mm in width and can partoff
material up to 90mm diameter.
‘One of the key benefits is the presence of a laseretched
scaling on the blade, making adjustment a
relatively simple and accurate procedure, even while it
is still in the machine,’ says Adrian Fitts, WNT (UK)’s
business development manager. Aiding ease-of-use is a
newly developed key system used to change the inserts.
The cantilever design of the key opens up the insert seat
with minimal force being required. The design is such
that it can be used on either side of the blade to take
into account the differing machine turret designs.
Walter has also been working hard to simplify
operating procedures, introducing a special cutting-off
system designed to work small parts on Swiss-type
machines or standard lathes. The new system, which is
based on 16mm long double-edged grooving inserts
(with PVD Tiger coatings if required), is part of Walter’s
GX16 parting off monoblock toolholder range. With a
cutting tool holder in monoblock design having a
permanently integrated
screw clamp, the locking
screw has a 20˚ incline in
both radial and axial
directions for easy insert changeover.
Of course, the proof of any parting and grooving
system is in its successful application, and one company
that has found a solution to help manufacture its range
of hydraulic control valves, is Eaton, which has
introduced Taegutec’s multi-functional T-Clamp
cutting tools to its Takisawa and Traub turning centres.
The T-Clamp design allows facing, grooving and
parting-off with a single tool, resulting in reduced tool
changes and increased tooling carousel capacity and
capability. Working at the same machining parameters
as the previous insert, the T-Clamp cutter with TT8125
insert grade takes 2mm deep cuts on sleeve components.
It machines 60 parts compared with 25 using the
previous insert, with the cutting time per edge
increased from 150 to 600 minutes. According to
TaeguTec, the T-Clamp immediately saved 62% of
tooling costs at Eaton’s Havant Division.
The shape of things to come
With regard to profiling, Horn has developed an
innovative approach to applying chip-breaking
geometry to small bore tooling and PCD tools. The
latest addition to the Horn Supermini range is a Type
105 insert that offers significantly higher productivity
when machining in bore diameters of 4mm or greater.
The tooling incorporates newly developed ‘HV’
chipbreaker geometry that allows much higher feed
rates than hitherto. Chip control is a significant
limiting factor when machining in small diameter
bores. The HV chipbreaker form is designed to
minimise stress at the cutting edge while promoting
effective swarf evacuation. Combined with Supermini’s
existing through-tool coolant capability it offers the
opportunity to double feed rates to as much as 0.1mm
without risk of blockage and tool failure.
Elsewhere, ATI Stellram is set to launch two new
inserts aimed at profiling applications later this year.
The new geometries have been developed to overcome
problems such as low metal removal rates and shorter
tool life that are typically associated with difficult-tomachine
materials, in particular nickel-based alloys.
‘Correct edge preparation is assured as these inserts will
be produced in a new grade featuring a heavy-duty PVD
coating and high-quality micro-grain substrate.
Impressive results from a series of customer trials have
already shown that the new geometries achieve better
chip control, higher metal removal rates and
longer tool life during roughing and
finishing operations,’ concludes
Ivano Migliore, ATI Stellram’s
European turning
manager.
64 MWP march 2009
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