Emuge-Franken Wins ANCA’s Tool of the Year Award

ANCA named a multi-functional carbide tool designed by Emuge-Franken Group as Tool of the Year 2023 at the EMO Hannover trade show in Germany. The award ceremony celebrates excellence, innovation and diversity in the cutting tool industry, ANCA says.

"This year has been marked by exceptional enthusiasm, boasting an impressive array of entries and showing a remarkable complexity in the design of both real and simulated tools,” says Pat Boland, ANCA co-founder. “The competition was fierce, but Emuge-Franken, a globally renowned cutting tool manufacturer hailing from Germany, has truly set itself apart. Their combination of ceramic materials and tungsten carbide posed a significant manufacturing challenge, and effectively extended the performance and lifespan of the cutting tools.”

ANCA also announced Lena Risse from Risse Tool Technology GmbH as the winner of its inaugural Female Machinist of the Year award. This initiative aims to promote diversity in the cutting tool industry and provide positive role models for women and girls considering careers in this sector, the company says.

“We were honored to introduce the inaugural Female Machinist category at ANCA. Recognizing women who are choosing to enter our industry is paramount, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Lena, the deserving winner of this historic category,” says Boland.

The award winners described by ANCA are as follows:

• Winner: Emuge-Franken

• “Their winning entry was a complex, multi-functional cutting tool with edges consisting of carbide and ceramic material. Using iGrind to its fullest, this tool makes the most of the profile software’s flexibility, employing layers and segments to assign operations efficiently. Demonstrating exceptional precision in profile measurements and 3D edge radius measurements, the tool closely aligns with its intended specifications and stands out for its accuracy.”

• Second place: ARCH Cutting Tools
  • “ARCH Cutting Tools continues to create another outstanding multi-functional cutting tool with the required accuracy. Once again, it proves to be a functional tool to replace multiple processes, thanks to its use of profile software, segments and other iGrind operations during its creation. The cutting edges exhibit consistent 3D edge radius and good levels of profile accuracy.”
• Third place: TDM Cutting Tools
  • “This tool has been designed to replace multiple processes, and it's the result of combining profile software, segments and various iGrind operations. With its profile and edge radius meeting satisfactory standards, it's worth noting that this is a complex tool overall.”

Virtual Tool Category

• Winner: JG Group
  • “The head of this character was created using 24 different profiles. The process involved the strategic utilization of coolant holes on the initial blank, as well as helix correction, cross-sectional profiling, forming flutes from solid materials, and various profile operations. This is an example of how ANCA’s flexible software can be used—or misused.”
• Second place: Hengrui Precision Tools (Jiaxing)
  • “The tower was created with multiple fluting operations and cross section profile. What's noteworthy is the hollow section in the middle, which impressively forms a helical rib with a hollow interior. Overall, this simulated tool reflects a significant amount of dedication and creativity in its design and construction.”
• Third place: ZMK Kazimieruk

“This beer mug is perfectly timed for the lead-up to Oktoberfest! It showcases a creative approach of using cross-sectional profiles to craft the interior of the mug, a unique method to carve out the pocket in the handle, and profile software to create the distinctive indents around the mug. This attention to detail and innovative design makes it a standout piece.”