Ceratizit EcoCut multifunction tool
EcoCut combines the various tools required to machine internal and external profiles as well as to drill holes. There are two types available: ‘Classic’ insert tools and ‘Mini’ in solid carbide. EcoCut drills diameters from 4 to 32mm.
New to ‘EcoCut Classic’ are three coated high-performance multi-purpose grades, covering all ISO material groups. In the process of improving the ‘EcoCut Mini’, Ceratizit developed another two new carbides: uncoated and sharp-edged for aluminium and non-ferrous metals, and coated for other materials. The new generation of submicron types is particularly tough and heat resistant, and is also resistant to chipping.
Guhring Cast solid carbide reamer for GGG
Guhring’s HR 500 ‘Cast’ high-performance solid carbide reamer now has a special version for machining grey cast iron, achieving surface finishes below Ra 1.2. High rigidity and stiffness against torsional and radial forces contributes long tool life, helped by the hard Guhring Signum coating to avoid built-up edges and premature circular land abrasion.
Cutting speeds are 120-250 m/min and feed rates approximately 0.15mm per cutting edge.
Iscar Sumocham drill heads
ISCAR expanded its Sumocham drilling head options with an unusual geometry, concave cutting edges to enhance self-centring capability. The new HCP-IQ drill heads permit up to 12×D long drills without a pilot hole. The new drilling heads are available in 8 to 25.7 mm diameters, in 0.5 mm increments. By eliminating the need for a pilot hole, the new heads shorten machining cycle time and the number of tools required for the drilling operation. This substantially reduces the cost.
Deep drilling with ISCAR’s Sumogun
The new Sumogun line for deep drilling applications covers a diameter range of 12-25mm and total length of 1500 mm. The drills feature two straight flutes with a standard Sumocham head. The head’s effective design enables the Sumogun drill to run at higher table feeds in comparison to other gundrills on the market. The drills have the ability to clamp different heads according to material and application type. Mitsubishi MVX high performance insert drill
To cope with the differing surface speeds, stresses and wear conditions, Mitsubishi employ two different inserts in this drill, the outer CVD coated and the similar-design inner having a black PVD coating. This combination means improved reliability and fewer changes of insert for increased levels of productivity. The SOMX type inserts each have 4 cutting edges and a unique wavy chipbreaker design for improved chip control. The peripheral edge also has wiper type geometry.
A new CVD coated grade MC1020 on the outer cutting edge is formulated for machining steels and stainless steels. For cast iron drilling, a different CVD grade, MC5020 is used for the outer insert. The inner insert uses a VP15TF grade, with a PVD coating based on Mitsubishi’s established Miracle type. VP15TF has a micrograin substrate for strength and good resistance to chip welding. These properties also allow it to be used to replace the outer insert when necessary. Safety indexable-insert drills
Sandvik’s French subsidiary Safety has launched a range of drills with XPET and SCET inserts made from the oddly named Up!Grade hardmetals. The assortment consists of 2D, 3D, 4D and 5D types. The new tools enable not only simple drilling, but also enlarging the holes using helical interpolation or even for vertical milling and milling with high feeds. Optimised geometry improves rigidity and thus reduces vibration, improves stability and eases chip evacuation. XPET grades are used as centre-drilling inserts, made from new Up!Grade D8345 with PVD coating. SCET inserts are positioned peripherally and come in two further new Up!Grades – D8330 with PVD coating and D9335 with MT-CVD coating. D8330 features are very similar to D8345 – it is the first choice for unstable cutting conditions. D9335 has an applied MT-CVD coating. Main features of D9335 are high wear resistance for achieving higher cutting speeds and good resistance for machining of hardened steels.
Other PM materials and insert designs
Greenleaf’s coated SiAlON ceramic Sialox
Greenleaf’s newest addition to its range of cutting ceramics is a CVD-coated SiAlON (silicon aluminium oxynitride) called Sialox. During the development of Sialox, Greenleaf focused on creating a new ceramic grade that could take the abuse related to machining rough forgings and castings of high-strength alloy materials. A special high-strength class of high-temperature ceramic materials, the inserts offer improved tool life when removing scale or in interrupted machining of Waspaloy and newer exotic materials such as Inconel 718 Plus.
Mitsubishi’s Solid & Full Face PCBN
Traditional PCBN (polycrystalline cubic boron nitride) grades operate exceptionally well, but within the restrictions of a narrow band dictated strictly by the material being machined, small depths of cut and very precise cutting parameters. Advancements in materials, coatings and manufacturing methods have combined with increased knowledge of edge honing styles and chipbreakers to provide new Mitsubishi grades with much wider application.
Mitsubishi claims that its ‘PASM’ (Particle Activated Sintering Method) strengthens the bond between the constituent particles, creating a more reliable and stronger cutting edge than previous grades. This permits interrupted cutting without compromising tool life for high-speed continuous operations on steels up to 60HRC. In addition, high crater wear resistance makes it possible to use larger depths of cut than were formerly possible.
These advancements led to the introduction of 2 new grades, full face laminated MB4020 with carbide backing and solid PCBN MBS140, both of which may have centre clamping holes.
Increased CBN particle content and bond strength make MB4020 suitable for machining sintered materials, helped by a reduction in workpiece welding. Full face geometry allows for greater depths of cut and chamfering where conventional brazed tips are not suitable.
MBS140 100% PCBN is said to allow the high speed and efficiency of finishing to be applied to roughing applications. A balance of wear and fracture resistance in conjunction with through-hole clamping permits larger depths of cut and reduces vibration even under high cutting loads. MBS140 is suitable for machining materials from cast iron through high speed steels to cemented carbide.
Mitsubishi’s new turning grades
In introducing two new turning grades, Mitsubishi follows the industry custom of describing their properties in glowing but general terms, accompanied by very little ‘hard’ information.
The new turning grades for cast iron, MC5005 and MC5015, incorporate an improved CVD coating and an updated carbide substrate. The substrate, apparently a functional gradient type, offers high resistance to plastic deformation near the surface but also the required overall toughness in the core to prevent insert breakage under heavier loads and during interrupted cutting.
MC5005 was found to give good results against existing coated carbide grades and ceramics during continuous turning of grey cast iron. MC5015 was additionally tested in a tough interrupted cutting application on ductile cast iron, resulting in longer tool life than expected.
Sandvik GC4325 new generation for steel turning
There was some real technical information on GC4325, Sandvik’s new-generation coated cemented-carbide grade for steel turning. It’s claimed to provide potential for increased cutting speeds and longer, more predictable tool life with very high reliability, over an extended ISO P25 application area.
Predictability is increasingly important in today’s machining, but a major challenge is the breadth of the P25 application area, which includes several very different materials, from ductile low-carbon steels to high-alloy hard steels, bar material to forgings, castings to pre-machined parts. Sandvik considers that advances with the new grade will help users resist holding back on cutting-data levels.
The insert substrate and coating of GC4325 have been developed to withstand high temperatures better. This translates into higher cutting speeds with added security through more predictable, longer tool life. Average productivity increases of 30% from today’s levels could be available.
A high-strength multilayer coating combines alumina with ‘Inveio’ unidirectional crystal orientation, in which the strongest facets are directed towards cutting zone for increased wear resistance, deposited on hard and wear-resistant columnar MT-TiCN. A bright yellow TiN topcoat on the insert flank simplifies wear detection. A cobalt-enriched substrate surface improves coating adhesion.
Seco’s PCBN for hard turning
The machining of demanding workpiece materials with superhard cutting grades on increasingly complicated jobs is a major focus of the metal cutting industry. Adding to its comprehensive existing range, the highly productive Secomax CBN010 is Seco‘s new universal PCBN grade for hard turning operations in steel. CBN010 is described as offering a unique combination of wear resistance and toughness, with high resistance to edge chipping due to uniform microstructure. Inserts are mainly carbide with small PCBN inserts at the cutting corners.
When machining components with hardness greater than 50 HRC, long ribbon chips can complicate the operation. Secomax PCBN inserts with (sintered carbide?) chipbreakers are recommended if, for example, the case-hardened surface layer has to be removed completely or if, during internal operations, chip jamming has to be resolved. Chipbreakers also ensure higher surface quality at the machined surface.
Previously: Milling products on show.
