Overall, there are two overriding customer needs: reducing cycle time and machine downtime. They want higher feed rates and depth of cut for greater metal removal.
“In the past these needs have been met with bigger tools, but the high cost of tungsten makes that impractical,” says Michael Gadzinski, national training manager, Iscar Metals (Arlington, TX). “We are looking at the physical size of tungsten-carbide tools. The soaring cost of tungsten is causing us to rethink and redesign the tools so a smaller piece of material can do the same work as the larger tools. For example, we are evaluating ways to orient the insert inside the pocket so it presents more cutting surface to the workpiece. We are doing a lot of work with milling and grooving tools. For example, you can mount an inset tangentially rather than laying it down flat as we have done for many years. In some cases, this can make the cutting edge up to three times thicker, but at the same weight as the earlier tool.”
More secure clamping is also a research area. Iscar researchers have found that many failures are due to inserts moving inside the pocket, prematurely wearing pockets out.
Although machine tool designs have changed, the design of insert clamps has been left untouched. Screw clamps have been the norm for years, but how many impacts can that screw or pocket take before something wears or breaks? “We are designing the pocket so the body of the holder takes more of the force on the insert than the clamping elements,” says Gadzinski. “This allows a heavier depth of cut or heavier feed rate, and that may reduce cycle time.” Another advance is the Jet-Cut clamping system that allows coolant up to 1000 psi (6900 kPa) to move through the insert.
Trends overall are quite good with aerospace and medical being especially strong markets, according to analysis by Sandvik Coromant Co. (Fair Lawn, NJ). “The US has a very good base for filling the needs of the medical industry, and currently is a world leader in that market,” says company president John Israelsson.
To meet that need, Sandvik has done a lot of work on small cutting tools and toolholders. “Small tool designs are often quite different than more conventional tools,” Israelsson explains. “For example, there is much more emphasis on sharp edges and corners, as well as lower cutting speeds. This, in turn, requires different coating formulations.”
There are different needs for PVD coatings and some CVD coatings adhere better to sharp edges than their predecessors.
Overall, Sandvik’s emphasis at IMTS will be to stress new products and how they can add value for customers, with emphasis on turning, milling, and drilling demonstrations.
“CVD coatings have been around for some time and are well established. But there is more potential in PVD,” explains Dennis Quinto, technical director, Balzers Inc, (Elgine, IL).
“Over the last 10 years, TiAlNi and TiCNi have been popular. Both are PVD coatings. Currently our Alcrona and Helica coatings, which are based on aluminum chromium nitride, have been doing well,” says Quinto. These formulations allow the company to put more aluminum into compositions. The result is higher temperature hardness and better chemical stability, and that translates to higher cutting speeds.
Both work well with difficult to cut aerospace materials such as the Inconels, stainless, and High-nickel allows.
Balzers offers a variety of coatings to meet very specific applications. “The coating must be tailored to the application,” says Quinto. “For example, Helica is best with drilling, milling, and turning.”
“At Carr Lane Manufacturing, (St. Louis) workholding is continuously evolving to meet the needs of new machining technologies,” says Roy Okolischan, vice president. “For example, a significant trend is the increased use of stainless steel tooling components for greater corrosion resistance, especially important with new machining techniques such as waterjet cutting. We are continually adding more stainless steel items to our product line.”
Schunk Inc. (Morrisville, NC) has experienced increased interest from the oil industry. And because the wells are operating at higher pressures, the accuracy of drill pipe, particularly the thread, is more critical. And therefore so is workholding. “Some of our chucks can take work 1 m or more in diam,” says Milton Guerry, vp and general manager.
“We use wireless sensing of the chuck to ensure proper holding of the pipe. It monitors the chuck’s condition, remotely telling the user gripping power and clamp position.”
Schunk also offers a spring-actuated mechanical chuck for greater process security.
Another area of advance is toolholding. “We use a new actuation technique in which plastic rings give concentric clamping compression of the tool in a linear action as opposed to drawing a collet into an angle,” says Guerry. This design works well for micro parts at high rpm. We can clamp items as small as 0.3 mm in diam.”
The upturn in machine tool consumption has caused De-Sta-Co Industries (Madison Heights, MI) to offer its customers’ workholding and automation products closely tailored to their operation needs. “Team De-Sta-Co represents our commitment to conducting business in a way that maximizes the amount of resources dedicated to serving our customers’ needs,” said Patrick Carroll, president, De-Sta-Co. “At its core, the concept involves sharing information across both product lines and geographic diversity, so as to capitalize on the full global scope of our business.”
During IMTS 2006, De-Sta-Co will show clamping, gripping, transfer, and robotic tooling solutions for workplace and automation needs, and highlight its 2000 series of horizontal hold-down clamps, which produce 60% more holding capacity than previous models. Also to be shown are new models of pneumatic clamps.
Sumitomo (Mt. Prospect, IL) continues to focus on the automotive industry as well as agriculture, construction, oil, aerospace, medical, job shop, and many other manufacturing industries.
Sumitomo has implemented a new turning system to decrease tooling costs and cost per part by adding the SumiTurn product line. The SumiTurn T-REX insert has six 55° cutting edges as compared to the four cutting edges on a 55° DNMG insert.
The SumiTurn X-Bar is an antivibration steel boring bar that reduces chatter in boring applications with extended overhang.
The coated carbide grade, YB100, will allow customers to increase their speeds due to the high wear-resistance and hardness of the carbide substrate. “Not only does the YB100 decrease production time, it also gives the option to use one insert grade for steels, stainless steels, and cast iron, as the YB100 machines all of these materials effectively,” explains supervisor Raul Ratzki.
For drilling, the SMD replaceable carbide tip drill uses a ground, serrated coupling system for an accurate and secure fit between head and body, reducing the possibility of scrapped parts. The SMD drill can accept up to five different diameter tips.
Sumitomo will announce the new 90° shoulder cutting indexable end mill, WEX, at IMTS 2006. The new, hard-nickel-coated end mill is available in end mill and shell mill diameters, featuring a high positive insert design to reduce cutting forces. The WEX will be the first Sumitomo milling product to feature the new line of coated carbide milling grades.
With regard to CBN and PCD tools, coated CBN technology will be another focus of the Sumitomo booth. The coated CBN–SV chipbreaker is designed to eliminate bird nesting and promote chip flow when machining case-hardened material.
Lyndex-Nikken Inc. (Mundelein, IL) sees the state of the industry in a very positive light. “Business is good and all indications point to it staying that way,” states Preben Hansen, general manager. “Industries that are showing strong growth for Lyndex-Nikken include automotive, medical, oil patch, and aerospace. With today’s more complex machining demands, there is an increased need for special application solutions.” Lyndex-Nikken is expanding their offering of the latest technology in angle heads, high spinners, and live tools.
Lyndex-Nikken AngleHeads reduce the number of work setups needed for complex jobs by accessing previously unavailable planes. Reduced setups translate into increased productivity and precision. Right-angle-heads, fixed-angle heads and flex heads round out the company’s angle-head offerings.
Nikken’s NX HiSpinners increase tooling rpm up to 10 times (up to 40,000 rpm), enabling reduced cycle time. These HiSpinners allow some of the advantages of a high-speed-machining center on existing equipment.
The company has also expanded their line of live tools in either axial or radial configurations. A wide variety of shanks and collets are available.
US manufacturers are picking up on the idea of lighter, high-speed cuts which the Japanese and Europeans have favored for some time. Spindle speeds of 20,000–60,000 rpm require a different mindset when it comes to toolholding, tool design, and balancing. “If you are considering the least expensive product, you will have problems,” says Andreas S. Weber, president, Rego Fix (Indianapolis, IN).
For these conditions, this company offers the poweRgrip for high performance, fine machining. Instead of removing or adding spindle weight when balancing, the system has two eccentrically weighted rings. In the balancing operation, the rings are positioned to cancel out any imbalance.
This configuration minimizes TIR and provides a good surface finish. In the latest designs, a number of options have been added, including more tapers and narrow shanks. Size range is also greater with units ranging from 2 to 25 mm.
“Workholding has become increasingly important to the manufacturing process,” reports general manager Rick Henderson, Kurt Manufacturing Co. (Minneapolis). “Machinists, process planners, and engineers, through a variety of improvement programs, are continually upgrading workholding applications. The reason is that improved workholding provides an immediate enhancement to productivity and quality, and reduced manufacturing costs.
“There is also a major trend toward the machining of smaller parts made of very hard materials such as stainless and Inconel for aerospace and medical applications. The workholding needed to produce these kinds of parts must be more compact and rigid, with high damping and accuracy capabilities, often to 0.0001″ [0.003 mm] accuracies. Kurt’s new workholding offerings are machined of 80,000 psi [560 MPa] ductile iron that provides rigidity and stability in very-high-speed machining applications.”
Jergens Inc. (Cleveland) is working on two fronts: one to reduce the production costs of their established products, and second to try out new markets. Among the newer areas of activity, according to company spokesman Greg Arnold, is greater interest in hydraulics for workholding, so they are expanding their line in that area. For example, there is now a hydraulic version of their line of vises.
Products that can hold small parts are a growing market, particularly applications in the medical, aerospace, and electronic industries.
Their old standby Quick Lock is now available in a wider variety of sizes.
Kitagawa NorthTech Workholding Inc. (Schaumburg, IL) has seen an increase in the amount of interest in workholding for powder-metal parts. The advantage of using powder-metal parts is getting near-net-shape. So, the customer doesn’t have to take as much material off. The types of parts are mostly automotive, for example: automatic transmissions and clutch-pack assemblies. “The tricky part is that these parts are made of tough steel material that is difficult to hold and machine, because they tend to stress relieve, move around, and are never flat or round,” explains manager Bill Graham. “Distortion is really the big issue with these parts. Kitagawa combats and overcomes these issues with their specialty chucks and engineering expertise.” Industries that Kitagawa is involved with include automotive, heavy equipment, aerospace, agriculture, and high-volume turning.
At IMTS 2006, Kitagawa will feature their standard chucks and will also unveil an e-commerce site where customers can order chuck parts online.
Kitagawa will also feature their specialty chucks including:
“Education in the latest advances in tooling, materials, parts design, and CNC machining is vital to our industry,” says Peter Matysiak, president, Emuge Corp. (Northborough, MA). At Emuge Co., collaboration and education are focal points of the company’s newly opened Technology Center in West Boylston, MA. This facility is equipped with a Hermle five-axis CNC machining center and an adjoining classroom/auditorium equipped for seminars, demonstrations, and diagnostic sessions.”
At IMTS, several new cutting tools will be featured in live machining demonstrations on a Hermle five-axis CNC machining center.
Tapping demonstrations will include the “InnoForm” taps, a series of application-specific cold-forming taps. InnoForm taps feature geometric designs, coatings, and styles, and provide a highly efficient solution for the chipless production of internal threads in a wide range of specific material applications.
There will be demonstrations using their indexable insert thread mills, named Threads-All that are designed for the production of internal threads 1 1/8–M30 on CNC machining centers.
End mills to be demonstrated include the High-Productivity Cutting Tools line designed for challenging cutting applications. The new end mills join a line of solid carbide, PCD, and CBN products.
Emuge will also feature demonstrations of their Thriller product line, including the MoSysTool Holder system.
Command Tooling System’s (Ramsey, MN) high-speed machining demo will allow visitors to experience first-hand how much balance matters. Show attendees will see the difference between conventional toolholders and Command’s precision-balanced Thermolock holders, balanceable and unbalanceable boring heads, and boring and reaming.
Command’s new product demonstrations will cover a wide range of advanced machining capabilities—from fractional and metric sizes of Thermolock holders to a line of URMA reamers and the proven performance of Command’s URMA balanceable boring heads.
In addition to the high-speed machining center, Command will also demonstrate its new line of balancing machines and four new styles of heat-shrink toolchangers.
“With the industry’s demand for increasingly faster spindle speeds, the importance of precise balance dramatically impacts throughput, spindle life, and finish quality,” states Bob Dunlap, vice president.
Command will exhibit four styles of Thermolock holders in a complete range of metric and fractional sizes—including HSK, BT, CT and DIN—and their expanded line of Thermolock extensions featuring a new smaller 3° nose.
Also at IMTS 2006, Command will show its new line of URMA reamers featuring throwaway wafer technology that eliminates regrinding while minimizing setup in high-speed holemaking operations. Visitors will see the difference in speed and finish quality between advanced reaming technology and single-point boring.
Command will also display its line of URMA balanceable boring heads, the VersaMax; the one-pass rough and finish IntraMax; and the microadjustable MicroMax.
Finally, Command will demonstrate their line of balance machines and four new heat-shrink toolchangers.
“There is greater use of manual clamping,” says Mark Gordon, Fixtureworks (Fraser, MI) company president. “This is particularly true for those companys involved with moderate production runs, and in those cases where the design is likely to be revised and require a change in fixturing.
At the same time, we find customers are willing to accept high-cost fixture items, and are moving away from throwaway tools, because they need quality to achieve their product specifications.”
One of the company’s newer items is a one-touch clamp which requires no bolting action. A single handle movement secures the clamp. Tooling is less costly and build time is less. Fixturing is also more flexible.
“We also offer a range of sizes to meet the need for smaller parts, such as those typical of the medical industry,” he concludes.
“With the changes in manufacturing there has been a steady increase of automation in the workplace,” explains Peter D. Knowles, president, Hirschmann Engineering USA Inc. (Buffalo Grove, IL). “The use of robotics integrated into the manufacturing process has lead to major changes in manufacturing. While this is not new, there is a greater recognition of what robots can do, especially when supported by software such as the company’s Cell Master 5.0 Software, which is a real-time Cell Management System for preparing, organizing, and executing work in an automated CNC machine environment for toolmaking, moldmaking, and job-shop machining.”
The new Fixturing System 9000 is a modular point-fixturing system for machine tools developed by Hirschmann. Developed for use with all machine tools, the 9000 is a universal design for all machine tools. Machines can be equipped with a single clamper or multiple Zero Point clampers. Workpieces and pallet-mounted fixtures can be changed quickly to maximize productivity. Starting a new job with the 9000 fixturing system installed takes about 2 min.
The 9000 offers faster machine cycles with higher flexibility. Pallets allow simultaneous loading of a job or workpiece while machining, and there isn’t any loss of accuracy when transferring jobs to another machine. — Robert Aronson
Light Activated Adhesive Gripping (LAAG) workholding employs a specially formulated adhesive for holding parts, which is activated by UV. Ceramic pins are fitted into a fixture plate at locations determined by the shape of the workpiece, and a meter-monitored syringe applies an adhesive to the tops of the pins. The part is loaded onto the fixture, and UV light is transmitted through the pins to cure the adhesive. After machining, the part is debonded with a mechanical break. System is said to be suitable for high and low-volume production.Master Work-Holding Inc., a subsidiary of Cogsdill Tool ProductsPh: (828) 437-0011
The 650 Series face mills use ONEG style inserts for the maximum of 16 cutting edges. The company’s ONEG style inserts have new coated grades for steel and ductile iron. This tooling has strong negative cutting geometry, and is used for roughing as well as semifinishing with its positive chip control inserts. Face mills are available from 3 to 8″ (76–203-mm) diam with medium or fine pitch, and larger diameters include adjustable wiper stations. All the inserts have 16 cutting edges, and are 0.250″ (6.4-mm) thick for longer tool life.Lovejoy Tool Company Inc.Ph: (800) 843-8376
The company’s Engineered Micro-Geometry (EMG) process provides an alternative for removing defects on CBN tool edges. While applying a T-Land may eliminate the defects, it also creates a negative cutting condition, increasing cutting pressure and decreasing tool performance. EMG radial edge preparation is said to produce lower cutting forces and less corresponding wear, yielding longer tool life. Company also offers CBN inserts, CBN mini tip inserts. PCDtipped inserts, full-top CBN and PCD tools, and special CBN tool geometries.The size of the edge preparation applied to these tools can be customized.Conicity TechnologiesPh: (877) 752-6132
These tool presetters are designated EZset400 (X=400, Z=400) and EZset600 (X=400, Z=600). EZclick is an intuitive menu operation: All functions of the ImageController1 vision system software are selected with this turn-pushbutton. Tool cutting edge and measuring menu are represented on a 6.5″ (165-mm) flat panel monitor. Automatic cutting-edge shape recognition and dynamic crosshairs ease presetting/measuring. Programs to determine concentricity, run out, and the highest cutting edge are integrated. Machine zero-pointmonitoring function avoids crashes. System offers 4 x 90° spindle indexing, 360° spindle brake, and integrated calibration edge on the toolholding fixture.EZset LLCPh: (734) 997-8870
The Demmeler modular fixturing system features accurate five-sided tables made of high tensile strength steel. Angles, spacer blocks, clamps, positioning and clamping bolts, and universal stops can be assembled into a ready-to-use welding fixture in hours. The system is well-suited for prototypes, spares, and other short-run jobs.BlucoPh: (800) 535-0135
Base slides, block thrusters, thruster slides, grippers and other components from Robohand incorporate DirectConnect technology, which allows connectivity without the use of adapter plates. This technology provides for virtually any motion, using up to four axes. The DPW series of wide body parallel grippers will be among the DirectConnect products featured. The series was designed with a construction capable of withstanding over 10 million cycles. Jaws are supported throughout the length of the gripper body, making the new series well suited for long-finger applications.De-Sta-CoPh: 800-ROBOHAND
Complete line of hole-finishing tools includes: burnishing tools and machines; mechanical holedeburring tools; Shefcut precision reaming and boring tools; brazed diamond reaming and boring tools; automatic recessing tools, generating heads; precision chamfering tools; and ZXX modular boring, facing, and contouring systems.Cogsdill ToolPh: (803) 438-4000
ProHold Tip screw-holding tools include ballpoint hex T-handles, screwdrivers and L-wrenches, and star T-handles, screwdrivers, and L-wrenches. The tip of each tool has a nonmagnetic, corrosion-proof button that holds screws to the tool at any angle, eliminating dropped screws. This button is located on the flat of the hex tool. This is the first line of screw-holding hex tools available in a range of inch and metric hex sizes from 0.050 to 3/8″ and 1.27 through 10 mm.Bondhus Corp.Ph: (800) 328-8310
The STP-35 Basic and STP-35 EzVision Systems have an extended Z-axis height to accommodate tools to 20″ (508-mm) long. The system has display resolution of 0.001 mm. The EzVision system manages and displays tooling and cutting edges on the same monitor as the Speroni PC-based control. The system features 1 µm Heidenhein glass scales. Its thermobalanced and artificially aged pearlitic cast iron structure ensures that the equipment is fully isostatic, and will not deform or distort over time or temperature change. Digital tool sensing removes the potential for error inherent in manual measurement systems.BIG Kaiser Precision ToolingPh: (888) TOOL-PRO
PVD Tiger coating employs PVD technology applied to aluminiumoxide coating. It was first used on the Xtra-tec F4042 shoulder milling cutter. Plans are in effect to make this cutting material available for the following milling cutters, beginning June 2006: Xtra-tec shoulder milling cutter F4041; Xtra-tec face milling cutter F4033; octagonal milling cutter F2280; copy milling cutter F2334; copy finishing milling cutter F2139; and milling cutter F2330. The new models offer a choice between two cutting material grades, WSM35 and WSP45.Walter USAPh: (800) 945-5554
Company’s line of Groove ‘N Turn part-off inserts come with and without 7° cut-off lead angles, and can be purchased with either right or left-hand cutoff angles. Available groove widths are 0.025, 0.045, 0.062, 0.085, and 0.115″ (0.635, 1.1, 1.6, 2.2, and 2.9 mm), and can cut off a workpiece with a diam as large as 1.0″ (25.4 mm). All of the tools, with or without lead angles, are designed to fit into Groove ‘N Turn-style toolholders.Kaiser Tool Co. Inc.Ph: (260) 484-3620
Company introduces a new-style clamp to its range of ID Xpansion clamps. The Side-Loc Xpansion clamp is a way to hold parts on the bore when you cannot access the tapered screw. Turning a socket-head cam on the side of the clamp moves a tapered plunger to expand it. The locking ring provides accurate preset diameter and rigidity for machining. It has the company’s dead-length feature, and is designed in two styles: one for milling operations and one for lathe applications. The lathe version has 1″ (25.4 mm) straight mounting shanks.Mitee-Bite Products Inc.Ph: (800) 543-3580
Model 350 standard 3″ (76-mm) diam (0.0001″ or 0.003-mm TIR) three-jaw air chuck is mounted to a BT-30 toolholder and modified for springclamp/air-open. The chuck mounts in a standard BT-30 VMC, rotates at up to 4500 rpm, and is actuated via the coolant-through spindle passage. It allows a standard VMC to be used as a vertical lathe with a pallet on one side for automatic workpiece load/unload.Northfield Precision Instrument Corp.Ph: (800) 810-2482
Line of high-performance carbide drills is intended for drilling abrasive materials such as CGI (Compacted Graphite Iron) and ADI (Austempered Ductile Iron). Patent-pending radius point grind reportedly improves tool life over conventional carbide drills. The RT100 R drill has a full-radius point geometry that has been compared to that of a racon point. The new high-performance carbide drill is Firexcoated for additional heat and wear resistance, and coolant-fed for maximum chip evacuation rates. The RT100 R series #6501 is a 5xD design while the series #6502 is extra long for 7xD applications.Guhring Inc.Ph: (800) 776-6170
System uses the company’s A2-5 spindle. Various standard 16C or 3J spindle tooling will mount in or on the spindle without an adapter. The 16C and 3J indexing/rotary table system comes standard with a 6″ (152.4-mm) centerline to base, and a 1.625″ (41.27 mm) 16C, or a 1.750″ (44.45-mm) 3J through-hole capacity. Stroke is 0.625″ (15.87-mm). Using standard collets, the 16C model accepts round stock to 1 5/8″ (41.27 mm), hex to 1 13/32″ (35.71 mm), and square to 1 9/64″ (28.97 mm). The 3J model accepts 1 3/4″ (44.45 mm), 1 17/32″ (38.89 mm), and 1 1/4″ (31.75-mm) stock, respectively.Hardinge Inc., Workholding Div.Ph: (800) 510-3161
Intended for turning larger-diam workpieces, this master plate and segment system consists of an aluminum master plate, similar to a thin Pie Jaw, that is pre-drilled and keyed to accommodate the company’s standard, off-the-shelf segment rings. Plates come in various diams from 18 to 60″ (457–1524 mm), and can be mounted on 10–60″ (254–1524-mm) diam chucks, effectively increasing the holding capability of smaller chucks. Master plate can be custom machined to fit any model chuck. Switching from one job to the next simply requires bolting on a new size or configuration of segments.Abbott Workholding ProductsPh: (800) 528-6459
Company will show its line of ThermoLock toolholders, including fractional and metric, HSK, BT, CT, and DIN holders, in addition to new 3° nose extensions. Four new heatshrink toolchangers, an expanded line of balancing machines, URMA boring heads, and URMA reamers featuring throwaway wafer technology will also be shown. The throwaway wafer technology eliminates regrinding while minimizing setup time.Command Tooling SystemsPh: (800) 328-2197
Kitagawa X and MR Series rotary tables feature a wormgear module that provides a large area of contact between the worm and wheel gear. A cross roller bearing prevents displacement under load. Accuracy is guaranteed within 15 or 20 sec in most models. For maximum clamping force, X-Series tables feature a builtin air booster that provides a clamping torque of 1918 lb-ft (2600 N//pd//m) at 71 psi (49 kPa) for the 320 size (for example). Full range of rotary tables includes tilting models with built-in rotary joints.Tecnara Tooling Systems Inc.Ph: (562) 941-2000
Perfetta modular bull nose live centers are used for heavy turning in the oil field. Tools are manufactured from chromium-molybdenum alloy with RC 62 hardness. Perfetta centers can sustain radial and axial thrust load to 6600 lb (2994 kg) and support workpiece weight to 19,800 lb (8981 lb). Capacity range is from 1 7/8 to 23 5/8″ (47.6–600 mm), and they are available in 3, 4, 5, and 6 Morse taper sizes.Dorian Tool InternationalPh: (800) 627-0266
Tang grip system provides rigid clamping in a tangentially oriented pocket which increases pocket life. It also enables machining at high feed rates, provides straightness and surface finish, and provides a solution to the problem of inserts being pulled out during retraction. Machining forces are supported by a long, rigid rear wall. Pocket wear, which occurs during machining and insert indexing in the conventional system reduces clamping force. This does not happen with the Tang-Grip. Design also offers a free, unobstructed chip flow that is important in deep grooving, since there is no upper jaw to interfere as in the other clamping systems.IscarPh: (314) 646-1850
Multi-Vise system, available in 8, 16, or 32 2″ (50-mm) wide vises in a compact design. All vises are clamped or unclamped with a flip of one lever. Each clamp is capable of up to 3000 lb (26,700 kN) of pressure. A 4″ (102-mm) jaw marries two vises to offer 4, 8, or 16 vises.Paws WorkholdingPh: (866) 686-7297 ext. 218
Company’s Toolex 4 and 6″ (102 and 152-mm) double-station and eight-station vises are now available with hydraulics. An internalized hydraulic segment provides up to 4000 lb (17,800 N) at 3500 psi (24 MPa) in the 4″ vise, and 12,000 lb (53,800 N) at 3500 psi in the 6″ vise. Segments have a total maximum stroke of 3/8″ (9.5 mm), and a maximum jaw opening of 3/16″ (4.8 mm) per side. Both double-station and eight-station vises use the SnapLock jaw system for quick changeover between hard and soft jaw setups.Te-CoPh: (800) 543-4071
Indexable cutting tools designated IASR/ASR Multi feature inserts coated with the new JX Coating, a PVD coating that incorporates particles with enhanced self-lubricating characteristics. Coating reportedly improves efficiency/life for high-speed, high-feed-rate roughing and semiroughing of general and prehardened steels, and has superior lubricity, hardness, and chipping resistance. Featuring a mill design with straight shank, modular, and face mill styles, the tools range from 3/8 to 2 1/2″ in inch sizes and 16 to 66 mm in metric sizes. One insert fits all diameters/styles. Tools perform well at feed rates exceeding 20 m/min.Hitachi Metals America Ltd., Cutting Tools GroupPh: (800) 333-1514
HDL double-station vises and ClusterTowers have machinable quick-change jaws for fast setup. They provide repeatable clamping to 0.001″ (0.03 mm). Both manual vises and towers deliver up to 6316 lb (28 kN) of clamping force at 70 lb (7.9 Nm) of torque. They feature ductile-iron bodies with machined steel components, and are available with quick-change machinable aluminum, cast iron, and hard jaws.Kurt ManufacturingPh: (800) 328-2565
Company will display fixturing, positioning, clamping, and various gripping components. The display will include products from Imao clamps, Kipp mechanical accessory components, OK-Vise fixturing clamps, Mitee-Bite clamps, and Fairlane positioning and workholding components.FixtureworksPh: (888) 794-8687
Indexable form-milling platform is suitable for involute splines, spur gears, V-shaped gears, and various rack forms. Tool produces the appropriate custom form on standard insert blanks ground in-house. Unit is available in roughing and finishing forms on the insert. Company offers a threetooth form that further enhances throughput over a conventional single-tooth involute hob cutter.Advent Tool & ManufacturingPh: (800) 847-3234
A solid-carbide, externally cooled drill, the Alpha 2 Plus Micro has a TiNAl Micro Line coating. Smaller diameters are achieved by eliminating the cooling channels. The range offers more than 80 dimensions and is available from 0.5 to 2.9 mm in diam. Tools come in two designs for drilling depths to 5x D and 8x D. Drilling depths of 8x D can reportedly be achieved in numerous materials— despite the external cooling— without pecking. All tools have a standard shank in accordance with DIN 6535 form HA and a diam of 3 mm.Titex(800) 945-5554 Ext. 170
New 4 and 5-mm Cofa deburring tools uses cutting blade for deburring elliptical holes and irregular parts as well as round holes and flat parts. These tools create a true radial break edge on through holes, allowing for better assembly and 100% burr removal. The TiN-coated carbide blade can reach down to hole diameters from 0.158 to 4″ (4–102 mm).Heule Tool Corp.Ph: (513) 860-9991 ext. 17
The self-adjustable pod is the latest addition to the APod Permanent Electro Modular Magnetic workholding line for milling, drill, and tapping. The adjustable pod enables user to hold nonflat material in its original state without deflecting or deforming it and allow the user to machine the part flat and parallel. The modular APod line can be used on a variety of part sizes from 4″ (101.6 mm) square to over 40′ (12.1 m) square.Alpha Workholding SolutionsPh: (262) 367-3812
Genius 3 and Genius 3 Micro inspection machines will be shown. The latter was especially developed for tools with a measuring area of just 0.1 mm x 0.1 mm on the tool surface— both are fully automatic fiveaxis-CNC-driven. Cutting-edge preparation functionality analyzes the complete cutting edge for drills and milling cutters in a touchless procedure. They offer visual representation with 200x or an optional 500x magnification. Machines have magazine and automatic loaders.Zoller Inc.Ph: (734) 332-4851
Company will showcase high-performance carbide end mills. Featured will be aluminum-cutting end mills. Tool geometry allows high chip loads and feed rates, particularly for slotting and profile milling. The line includes two and three-flute, standardand-long length, as well as a two-flute stub length.Melin Tool Co.Ph: (800) 521-1078
Setup times can be reduced by presetting tools off the machine using Preci-Flex adapters. They are available for standard mill/drill operations, end milling, tapping, and shell mills. Collet chucks can be adapted to reduce overhang and tool interference. Basic adapters accept standard collets in ER 25, ER 32, or ER-40 pocket configuration. Adapters fit into the pocket of basic holder in an axial or radial configuration for fixed and live tools.Exsys Tool Inc.Ph: (800) 397-9748
SPL SafeHold Permanent Lifting Magnets allow users to lift either round materials to 1600 lb (725.7 kg) or flat materials to 2400 lb (1088.6 kg). Typical applications include lifting and transferring steel and iron without slings, hook, or cables. Made from Erium 3000 rare-earth magnet material, no electricity is required for the XPL series, eliminating the potential of a power failure interrupting operation. Once the magnet is turned off, there isn’t any costly DC power supply or need to charge or replace batteries.Eriez MagneticsPh: (814) 835-6000
AC610M and AC630M inserts turn stainless steel and steel with high accuracy. Both have Al2O3 and TiCN coatings for longer tool life and increased productivity. The AC630M offers peeling and notch-wear resistance for general cutting of stainless. The AC61M has good plastic deformation and control wear resistance for high-speed applications. Both are available with positive or negative geometry.Sumitomo ElectricPh: (800) 880-0619
Model VC toolholder operates at up to 40,000 rpm, and produces runout within 0.00012″ (305-mm) at 4x D. Smooth profile eliminates noise related to high-speed rotation, while it reduces the air current created by the hex nuts and slots on the periphery of most toolholders. Dampening of microharmonic vibrations is achieved with the use of a groove under the nut. A thicker wall at the base of the VC, and its short gage length, allow for greater rigidity and static stiffness. High-pressure coolant-through is available. The design features a TiN bearing nut that makes greater torque possible. An 8° collet design further contributes to rigidity and gripping torque, which is available in 30, 40, and 50 tapers, as well as HSK and Nikken 3-Lock models.Lyndex-Nikken Inc.Ph: (800) 543-6237
SR Point (smooth radius) spade drill insert geometry increases drill stability, reduces forces, and produces straighter more accurate holes and increase speeds and feed rates. SR Point inserts are available in carbide 3/8–1 7/8″ (9.5–47.6 mm), T-15 super cobalt 3/8–4 1/2″ (9.5–114.3 mm). Both have nano TiAlN coatings that improve toughness and hardness while also increasing thermal and chemical resistance.YG-1 Tool Co.Ph: (800) 765-8665
Called the TechnoShrink Ultra, unit is said to perform fast tool changes without the high cost historically associated with shrink-machine investment. According to the manufacturer, it’s safer to use than other machines because the toolholder’s hot area is covered by the induction head, and cooling begins automatically at the end of the heat cycle. Thus the operator does not have to move hot tools to a cooling station. It changes tools in 6–10 sec, is straightforward to program for carbide and HSS, and can be used for large and small-diam shank sizes.Techniks Inc.Ph: (800) 597-3921
Designed for optimal performance in plastics micromachining applications, this line of micro tools includes micro drills, end mills, engraving tools, router bits, ID tools and more. Engineers with micro-diameter experience will be at the booth. The new plastics micromachining line complements the company’s existing line of carbide products. The company is able to manufacture precision rotary cutting tools in diameters from 0.0015 to 0.250″ (0.038–6.4 mm).Kyocera Micro ToolsPh: (888) 848-8449
Tools are balanced as required by ISO 1940 specifications in one or two correction planes. Tables with main data and tolerances of a toolholder can be created. It measures residual unbalance of a tool or toolholder and indicates corrections needed, then will indicate the maximum allowable rpm for each ISO quality grade, and print a report. Unit needs no special foundation.Balance Systems Corp.Ph: (517) 586-6010
Intended to simplify the task of choosing the optimal workholding solution for a CNC machining center, these packages are specially designed to maximize the utility of each machine’s envelope. Workholding packages include several options for each specific machining center. All packages come complete and ready to install with all necessary mounting hardware included. A customer-care team is available to help customers choose the optimal package, or design a new custom package.Chick Workholding Solutions Inc.Ph: (724) 772-1644
Type 316 stainless compression springs are offered in wire sizes 0.006–0.072″ (0.15–0.33 mm), augmenting their existing range of Music Wire and Type 302 stainless spring designs. Springs are made from enhanced alloy for improved corrosion resistance and superior cleanliness. All standard stainless springs feature squared and ground ends.Lee SpringPh: 888-SPRINGS
MC-series Mini Clamp Vises are intended for multiface machining with a single clamping operation. The design allows clear tool access to five-out-of-six workpiece sides, and is good for machining complicated workpieces in a single clamping operation, such as in moldmaking. Manual and hydraulic versions come with a 60-mm jaw width and a maximum clamping force of 3400 lb (24 MPa). The concentric type comes in jaw widths of 60, 100, and 125-mm, and provides clamping forces from 3400 to 7800 lb (24–55 MPa).Carr Lane RoemheldPh: (800) 827-2526
The BTA line of deep-hole drills includes indexable, cartridge, and brazed styles from 0.5 to 9.6″ (13–244-mm) diam. BTA reamers are available for applications up to 100:1 L:D ratios. The positive-geometry inserts are made from IN2005. Inserts can achieve a hole tolerance of H7, finish of 32 RMS, and straightness of 0.001″ per foot. Pressure heads, CNC coolant adapters, or complete coolant systems are available.Ingersoll Cutting ToolsPh: (815) 387-6923
Metalworking tooling includes burnishing tools, single-blade reamers, internal recessing tools, PCD-tipping round tools, special toolholders and adapters, and solid carbide form tools. Company is exclusive worldwide marketing agent for Elliott Tool Technologies metalworking products.Monaghan Advanced Tooling Technology GroupPh: (800) 732-4565
Company will display a variety of products including: taps, combination drill and tap-threading dies, Quik-Change hex drive drill and tap, Tru-Flo thread-forming taps, Carb-I-Sert, metric taps, and coolant-fed taps.North American Tool Corp.Ph: (815) 389-2300
TMLR (Long Reach Thread Milling Tools) are manufactured from a micrograin solid carbide substrate. This design is aimed at providing a stable, highquality thread-milling tool for small thread-milling applications. Starting at a 2-56 internal thread and going up to ½-20, these tools will enable users to thread-mill holes previously deemed difficult or impossible by conventional methods. The helical design allows the tools to be free cutting—an advantage when threading small holes with extreme diam:length ratios. Threads with 2 and 3 times diameter in demanding materials can be successfully thread-milled.Scientific Cutting ToolsPh: (800) 383-2244
The MTC SLS (Serrated Locking System) cartridge system consists of a toolholder and a cartridge. Both have serrations or interlocking ridges on the inner sides. These serrations create a tight fit between the cartridge and the toolholder. Once the toolholder and cartridge are locked together, the MTC SLS provides stability comparable to that of an integral shank tool. The MTC Cartridge accommodates any of the MTC double-ended, double-V design inserts, which are designed to perform cutoff, plunge-and-turn, plunge-and-contour, and face-grooving operations.Manchester Tool Co.Ph: (330) 644-8853
Long-stroke, self-centering vise clamps workpieces from 20 to 80-mm diam with a maximum stroke of 25 mm per jaw. The unit generates 1400 lb (6227 N) of clamping force with an accuracy of 10µm repeatability. The company will also be introducing magnetic workholding, quickchange swing clamp arms, and high-speed indexers.Pascal Engineering Inc.Ph: (847) 427-1234
Intended for high-accuracy milling applications, these toolholders include the Mini-Shrink 3° draft-angle shrink fit chucks and Power Clamp MINI shrink-fit machine. All products are intended to help achieve lightsout machining. Other products shown will include balancing machines, tool presetters, 3-D sensors, and anti-vibration Power-Shrink chucks.Haimer USAPh: (630) 833-1500
Two new product series, the 10P and 11P, are mainly for grooving, and allow for greater radial depth of cut (Tmax) in relation to bore diameter. The 10P has a minimum bore of 9 mm and allows for Tmax of up to 3.1 mm, while the 11P has a minimum bore of 10.5 mm and allows for a Tmax up to 3.7 mm.Horn USAPh: (615) 771-4150
This 39-piece set consists of the company’s most popular end mill holders, ER collet chucks, and ultra-precision ER collets. Features include shanks ground to AT-3 tolerance, collet chucks balanced to G2.5 at 18,000 rpm, and central through-coolant passages on all toolholders.Royal ProductsPh: (800) 645-4174
GEN3SYS advanced drilling system is engineered to provide improved chip formation, increased penetration rates, and longer tool life. Two proprietary types of carbide coated with AM200 coating are offered. GEN3SYS holders are available with a helical flute and flanged shank. Also being exhibited are AccuThread 856 helically fluted solid carbide threading system and AMEC T-A drill inserts in seven types of substrates, three HSS and four carbide.Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.Ph: (330) 343-4283
Display features Flex-Hone product line for bores as small as 4 mm. Tool consists of abrasive globules laminated onto flexible nylon filament. Tool is self-centering and self-compensating, and can develop a plateau of over 60% while producing an oil-retaining crosshatch. It also removes burrs from cross-drilled holes.Brush Research Mfg. Co.Ph: (323) 261-2193
Exocarb Aero SUS End Mills are designed to machine stainless steels, titanium alloys and high-temperature alloys, making them suitable for the aerospace and medical industries. The SUS end mills optimize metal removal rates through deeper and faster milling. An antivibration flute design is incorporated to reduce vibration and improve surface finishes, and a TiAlN coating is applied to enhance tool life through increased heat resistance. End mills are stocked in stub and regular lengths for maximum rigidity, as well as square and corner-radii styles.OSG Tap and DiePh: (800) 837-2223
Claimed to be the first full series of application-specific cold-forming taps, InnoForm taps come in many designs. The tools’ polygon shape and various forming wedges produce a thread profile to suit the workpiece. Thirty tap designs are available to thread seven material groups, including regular steel, soft steels, hardened steels, wrought aluminum alloys and nonferrous metals, cast aluminum, stainless, and materials with restricted ductile properties. Taps come in metric sizes from coarse thread DIN 13 M3 through M16 and fine thread DIN 13 MF 8×1 through 16×1.5. (Inch sizes will be available later in 2006.)EmugePh: (800) 323-3013
New milling-grade inserts, designated GC1030 and GC4240, are designed to boost productivity through improved performance in steel milling. They are optimized for shoulder milling, but provide reliable and secure performance in other milling operations. Grade GC1030 is intended for machining difficult materials or working in unstable conditions, such as applications with long overhangs. A PVD coating improves wear resistance. Grade GC4240 has a new substrate and CVD coating. It’s adaptable to all milling operations.Sandvik CoromantPh: (201) 794-5223
These face-grooving tools, the VHM series, can facegroove any diameter above 15 mm, and can deliver maximum groove depths to 30 mm. Made of micrograin carbide, the AK-40 grade has strong edge stability and high toughness. The AL-40 grade has a high-temperature coating. Through-insert cooling provides coolant directed at the cutting edge and assists chip evacuation. These Rouse-Arno tools are available in either 2.5 or 3-mm widths, and in coated and uncoated versions. Usable in the user’s collets or in the company’s holders, which are available in 3/4″ (19-mm) shanks.H.B. Rouse & Co.Ph: (815) 943-4426
Chucks offer high clamping forces, good runout, and 30,000-rpm speed capability, while allowing use of standard-length tooling. The chucks’ slim and rigid design makes them suitable for hard-to-reach drilling, boring, and reaming applications, where existing drill Lx D ratios do not meet clearance requirements. The design also allows use of standard-length drills, which can considerably reduce tooling costs compared with extended-length carbide drills. Improved runout gives longer tool life and increased hole accuracy. The system’s high clamping forces allow greater chip loads than standard hydraulic chucks. Prebalanced chucks accept tool diam from ¼ to ¾” (6–20 mm), and can handle tools as small as 1/8″ (3-mm) diam with standard reducer sleeves. They are available in KM modular tooling systems as well as the industry-standard HSK63A and HSK100A, DV40 and 50, BT40 and 50, and CV 40 and 50 spindle connections.KennametalPh: (724) 539-5000
Range of HSS-cobalt powdered metal tools for rigid tapping reportedly offers longer tool life and greater consistency of results. With rigid tapping the tool is guided completely by the machine tool. By reducing the guide portion of the tool less friction is created, lower cutting edge temperatures are reached, and greater speeds are possible. The special TiAlN coating of the blind-hole taps is said to guarantee a reliable production process. All Syncrospeed taps with the THL coating are well suited for applications in stainless.PrototypPh: (800) 945-5554 Ext. 170
Company offers tools for Swisstype machines and a VMC featuring SRM2, APX and WStar 8X D drill applications. Three-edge AJX mill is designed to machine steels, stainless and cast iron. The BXD mill is a cutter for high performance machining of aluminum alloys at speeds up to 38,000 rpm. A QX drill/mill is a tool that can handle any end mill application from slotting to drilling. Miracle WStar 8X D drill is available in diameters from 0.125 to 0.500″ (3–13 mm).Mitsubishi Materials USA CorpPh: (800) 523-0800
Clamping system locates and clamps pallets to machine quickly within a few microns. The same machining centers can be used with only changes to fixtures, programming, or robot end-of-arm tooling. Setup time is reduced from about an hour to just a few seconds. The VS pallet clamp eliminates accuracy inspection and manual bolting when loading a fixture, reducing downtime during part loading and unloading.Kosmek USA Ltd.Ph: (708) 598-5772
Tribos-RM.toolholder is suitable for cutting speeds up to 50,000 rpm while offering a run-out of less than 3µm. The clamping is based on the elastic forces of material to clamp the tool shank. The clamping is done within 30 sec using either the manual or the automatic version of this device. Basic counter balance of less than 4 g/mm is guaranteed. Tribos RM is available with the interfaces HSK-E 25, HSK-E 32, and HSK-E 40. Cutting tools can be clamped down to a shank diameter of 3 mm.Schunk Inc.Ph: (919) 572-2705
CT-S Super Tite-Lock milling chucks incorporate dual-stage clamping for improved performance in both heavy milling and finish milling. The milling chucks are also designed to work with high-pressure coolant-through spindles and able to handle 1100 psi (7.58 MPa) pressure. They are available in CT, BT, and HSK tapers in a wide variety of bore sizes and gage lengths.NT USA Corp.Ph: (615) 771-1899
QuattroMill 45° lead face mills include new 15-mm inserts (called -15), and a range of fixed-pocket and cassette-style cutter bodies. The inserts and corresponding cutter bodies extend the machining range, and permit DOC to 0.295″ (7.5 mm) and feed rates of 0.020″ (0.5 mm) per tooth. The -15 comes in several grades and geometries for applications in steel, stainless, cast iron, and exotic and high-temperature alloy materials. Cutter bodies for the -15 are available in coarse, normal, and closepitch versions, and range in diam from 2.50 to 20″ (63–500 mm).Seco-CarboloyPh: (800) 832-8326
Black Widow line of cutting tools are designed for high-performance machining of aluminum and other nonferrous materials. They’ve been optimized to be coated with HCC-C-100 coating, which contains a mixture of diamond and graphite. These two materials are mixed on the nanomolecular scale, and therefore form a nanophase amorphous material that offers high hardness and low friction. These properties reportedly decrease built-up edge and extend tool life by 2–3 times when compared to an uncoated tool.Crystallume, a division of Robbjack Corp.Ph: (800) 789-4322
Company will showcase powRgrip, its next-generation collet system, which uses a toolholder and collet that allow clamping forces equal to or greater than shrink-fit-style holders. System takes less than 10 sec to press in a tool or remove it from the holder. By avoiding processes relying on high heat levels, the system allows tools to be handled immediately after a tool change. Unlike systems that use heat or hydraulics, this equipment uses mechanical properties of the holder material to generate gripping force. Run-out is below 0.0001″ (0.003 mm).Rego-FixPh: (800) REGO-FIX
Drill is a carbide cutting tool with a tool life 4–5x longer than standard twist drills, and up to 20x higher drilling speeds than the best available small drills. It comes in progressive diameter measurements of 0.00197″ (0.05 mm), and in two drill lengths 4x D and 7x D.Mikron Corp.Ph: (203) 261-3100 ext. 326
Forged steel bench vises come with CNC-machined double dovetails. Vises are forged from EN-8 having a hardness of RC 25. All parts of the vise are interchangeable and they come in three different sizes, 100, 125, and 150-mm jaw widths. Rear-jaw sliding bench vises have dove tail guide ways, forged nut, rolled screws, and hardened and ground jaws. They come in five sizes, 75, 100, 125, 150, and 200-mm jaw widths.Orcan Engineering Products Ltd.Ph: 91-129-4020223 (India)
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