When creating a next-generation quantum computer or testing the characteristics of a never-before-created substance, there isn’t a “buy-it-now” button. That is part of what makes the partnership between Walter Tools USA and the University of Pittsburgh’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences unique.
The Dietrich School’s machine shop, which is one of three on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus, is equipped with eight CNC milling machines, several 3D printers, vertical and horizontal bandsaws, a sheet metal shear and brake, manual lathe and assorted hand tools. Qualified students and faculty have 24/7 access to the facility to work on a wide range of projects, including a mix of consulting, engineering, design and research initiatives.
“In industry shops, each of those is a separate position,” noted Shawn Artman, supervisor of the Dietrich School’s machine shop. Rather than simply carrying out instructions, Artman said his team works directly with researchers, learning their needs and figuring out the most efficient and cost-effective way to meet them. “We spend almost 50% of the time at our computers, designing and talking and doing our own research.”
Among the more unusual products the shop has built are:
As part of its mission, the Dietrich shop collaborates with key industry partners. At the top of the list are Walter Tools and its distributor Rite-Way Tool Co., a Pittsburgh-based industrial distributor for cutting tools, fixtures and abrasives.
“We are often called upon (remotely and in person) ... to try to help them (the shop team) improve their metal-cutting process and tool selection,” said Eric Dornan, senior technical field sales engineer for Walter Tools. “For the quantum computer chassis, we provided an inserted face mill with PCD inserts particularly to be able to achieve a better finish—and finish is vital for this process.”
Artman added: “The collaboration with Walter Tools and other knowledgeable partners allows us to produce customized tools that help researchers achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Founded in Germany in 1919, Walter AG is a global metalworking leader that provides a wide range of precision tools for milling, turning, drilling and threading applications. The company, which operates a regional headquarters in Greer, S.C., also is developing next-generation Industry 4.0 solutions.
Walter and Rite-Way have been working with the university machine shop for about 10 years. “We basically use Walter tooling on almost all of our machining jobs,” Artman said, citing a “wealth of information” from the toolmaker’s reps and online resources.
“The whole relationship is unique,” added Rob Ahlin, a Rite-Way sales engineer. “Every request you get is asking for a different application,” he said, noting that Rite-Way is well suited to handle the varying projects, materials, finishes, features and volumes.
Most recently, the partners collaborated on an aluminum chassis for a next-generation quantum computer for the university’s physics department. Several iterations of the component were made by the team from different kinds of aluminum with various finishing techniques, which can affect how well the computer functions.
Quantum computing research has accelerated in recent years, led by the launch of IBM’s first commercial model in 2019 and a separate partnership that year between Google, NASA and Oak Ridge National Laboratory that claimed to achieve “quantum supremacy.” The technology employs quantum mechanics to perform computations. Though current quantum computers are too small to outperform traditional computers for practical applications, larger versions may be capable of solving some highly specific, difficult computational problems.
For Pitt’s quantum computer chassis, Ahlin said, “Along with PCD tooling, we suggested using Walter F2481 and F2482 solid-carbide coolant thru reamers, which proved to be another great solution.”
Working together, the partners decided to implement “dynamic milling” for the project. The Dietrich machine shop, which already has been using dynamic milling for certain projects, hails the process as “the future of milling.”
The concept incorporates two different machining strategies, which the partners claim enable advantages not previously possible. These include improved material removal rates while being able to maintain process security compared with traditional milling strategies.
Radial chip thinning creates a smaller chip by engaging a small percentage of the tool diameter. When less than half the tool diameter is engaged in the cut, the average chip thickness is less than the advance per tooth—10-20% radial engagement of the tool diameter results in a significant reduction in average chip thickness, according to the partners.
If machining applications were only in a straight line, light radial depths of cut would be the only aspect to monitor. A better parameter to use is the Tool Engagement Angle (TEA), Walter Tools noted. This is the angle drawn from the point where the tool enters the material, through the center of the tool, and back to the point where the tool exits the cut.
By holding this engagement angle constant, the tool is always in a controlled situation with the same cutting condition. As a result, Walter said users can confidently rely on the radial chip thinning that allows them to feed at elevated cutting speed (sfm), depth of cut and feed rates, while using tools with a higher number of teeth and longer cutting-edge lengths.
The collaboration and expertise of Walter Tools and the Dietrich machine shop has enabled the creation of custom tools and innovative parts that are otherwise unavailable.
“A lot of the things we need are weird enough that they don’t exist as commercial objects,” Artman said. So he works with a team of senior machinists, including Bill Strang and Jeff Tomaszewski, to experiment with materials, finishes, machining techniques and binding substances to meet the exacting needs of the lab’s demanding projects.
The ability to provide customer solutions is largely because of Walter Tools’ continuous training and up-to-date developments, Ahlin added. “We sell products, but also work with the customer at their machine. ... We make sure that the tool works properly for how they want to (or need to) use it.”
The shop’s staff also works closely with students, who have their own perspectives and ideas. “Students bring their dreams to us and get to create them,” Tomaszewski said. He cited a project to create an aluminum octagon-shaped habitat for a type of desert spider. The habitat was customized—equipped with GoPro cameras and other technology—for the student researcher to monitor the spider’s behavior. “We put a brass rod in the middle of it, so every time the rod rotated, the spider would see its reflection and change color,” Tomaszewski explained.
Such projects keep things interesting and worthwhile for students and staff alike. With more than 10 years working at the Dietrich shop, both Tomaszewski and Artman still speak of their jobs with sincere enthusiasm. “There’s something new every day,” Tomaszewski enthused.
For more information about the University of Pittsburgh’s machine shop visit, researchservices.pitt.edu/facilities/machine-shop or call 412-624-8412. For more information about Walter Tools, visit www.walter-tools.com/en-us or call 800-945-5554.
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