Archive for the ‘CNC Tooling’ Category

Originally posted 2007-10-12 19:21:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

How To Use Diamond Tool To Cut Steel In Micro Machining?

The diamond tool is commonly used in micro-machining as it can withstand the micro hardening of the workpiece surface during micro-machining. This micro-hardening creates enough resistance to break the tool bit easily in micro milling, but not a diamond tool. Micro-machining using diamond tool could be performed at high speeds and generally fine speeds to produce good surface finish such as mirror surfaces and high dimensional accuracy in non-ferrous alloys and abrasive non-metallic materials.

However, if a diamond tool were to be used to cut steel, one of the most common engineering materials used in industries, the diamond tool will face severe tool wear. While diamond only softens at 1350 degree Celsius and melts at 3027 degree Celsius, and is also the hardest material in the world, it has a weakness. Diamond succumbs to graphitization, which means that it will change its crystal structure to graphite crystal structure at 200 degree Celsius in the presence of a catalyst metal such as carbon steel and alloys with titanium, nickel and cobalt.

There have been various attempts to improve the tool life of the diamond tool while cutting steel so as to improve the efficiency and profitability of this operation. Such processes include micro-cutting the steel workpiece in a carbon-rich gas chamber as well as a cryongenically cooled chamber. However, these methods require costly equipment modification and restrict direct supervision of the micro-cutting process.

The latest breakthrough came when the diamond tool was subject to ultrasonic vibration during micro-cutting. It has been shown that a diamond tool subject to ultrasonic vibration can cut the steel well enough to produce a mirror surface finish with acceptable tool life. The ultrasonic vibration at the diamond tool tip allows the tool face to cool down considerably during the cutting process and delays the chemical reaction between the diamond tool and the steel workpiece. As a result, the diamond tool life is increased by a few hundred times.

For example, a single crystal diamond tool with feedrate 5 micron/revolution, cutting speed zero to 5m/min and depth of cut 10 micron was attached to a ultrasonic vibration generator so that the diamond tool tip vibrated about 4 microns while it was used to cut stainless steel. The mirror surface finish of the cut steel surface was measured at 8 nm Ra!

With more and more machining companies moving into the niche micro machining field, such ultrasonic vibration assisted cutting can only help the progressive company to achieve process leadership and innovative differentiation.

Author Ken Yap is a director of Suwa Precision Engineering Pte Ltd in Singapore and represents metal stamping, precision machining, miniature precision balls and PCB manufacturers from Suwa, also called "The Oriental Switzerland" in Japan due to its Swiss resemblance for rich watch-making industry, its mountainous terrain and its precision component making industry.

About the Author

Ken Yap is a director of Suwa Precision Engineering in Singapore, and represents precision component manufacturers from Suwa, Japan. He is also a partner in Attisse Pte Ltd providing business consultancy and research services to Japanese investors.

Originally posted 2007-10-30 09:19:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Symposia : Machine Tools and Manufacturing Systems from Germany
On behalf of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW), the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce will organize Symposia under the topic “Machine Tools and Manufacturing Systems from Germany” in Bangalore (15th 16th November’07) and Pune (19th 20th November 07). 17 and 18 German companies (see list)…

KOMPAS-3D V9 – New Version Released
ASCON, one of the leading vendors of professional CAD/CAM/PLM solutions has released the New version of its award-winning product for Mechanical CAD – KOMPAS-3D V9.

Originally posted 2007-10-23 08:34:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Metris Releases 7-Axis Articulated Arm
Leuven:- Metris (MTRS, Euronext Brussels) announces the launch of the 7 axis MCA (manual coordinate measuring arm) for accurate and full freedom laser scanning. With this new 7 axis articulated arm, Metris offers a complete inspection and reverse engineering solution that can be used just as easily in the metrology…

Originally posted 2007-12-09 10:19:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Last week, the focus of this column was on developments in machining centres, as well as drilling, milling and turning machines. In this second contribution of emerging machine-tool industry trends I home in on some of the opinions expressed by those experts who compiled the ‘closing report’ for VDW (the Association of the German Machine Tool Manufacturers) for at the EMO Hannover 2007 concerning grinders, as well as metal-forming machines and sheet-metal machining centres.

GRINDERS
In years past, machine tool manufacturers focussed on optimising the actual machining process, namely on reducing peak times. For this reason, there are not expected to be great leaps forward expected, unless, that is, significant progress is made by component manufacturers.

Therefore, in order to minimise this dependency and achieve a competitive edge, a few machine-tool manufacturers have developed methods for specifically reducing nonproductive time.

In fact, one grinder manufacturer has implemented the objectives mentioned in a new CNC grinding centre by integrating a grinding disk changer and a pick-up loading unit into the working area, thus achieving a high degree of automation, which, in turn, raised both productivity and repeat accuracy.

A particularly efficient solution for reducing nonproductive time unveiled at EMO Hannover 2007 was the incorporation of nozzle elements for injection pumps, used by motor-vehicle manufacturers, into a new grinding machine. The machine has been so constructed that the required cooling jet does not just fulfil its actual function, but is also used for transporting the work pieces. In this way, the time taken for changing work pieces has been reduced by over 50%, to 0,9 s. Since the grinding process for these nozzle elements only takes a few seconds, the whole machining process duration was considerably reduced.

METAL-FORMING AND SHEET-METAL MACHINING
For metal forming machines and sheet-metal machining centres, too, the trend towards shortening nonproductive time is a major theme, with technical challenges arising in this area being solved by EMO Hannover 2007 exhibitors in very different ways.

A further and very important topic for manufacturers and users of metal-forming machines and sheet-metal machining centres is the reduction of manufacturing costs.

In order to meet both requirements, manufacturers showed the results of their optimisation attempts and of their machines that had been improved in terms of construction details.

In sheet-metal machining, the requirement for laser-welding equipment is increasing, since the demand for accuracy, particularly for tailored blanks and profile sections, is increasing. In previous years, great progress had been made in this area, and these tasks had in the meantime been converted into standard procedures in the machining units.

In order now to reduce costs, it appears that laser machining and machining centres will now become more compact and flexible. Over and above this, they will be offered with integrated automation. For example, a directly-linked loading and unloading unit, making the hitherto employed pallet-changer superfluous. This should reduce the footprint, which in turn will be able to be used to best advantage for tasks to be carried out.

The operating speed for the latest laser-machining devices is limited by the mass of the work piece to be moved. Here, the so-called flying optic (laser head) is the optimisation device, which is moved using highly dynamic motion sequences at speeds of up to 200 m/min and acceleration of up to 20 m/s. In order to achieve this mass reduction by lighter and more stable structures, various types of lightweight construction are employed in these machines.

Cold massive forming was likewise exhibited at the trade fair and focussed on shorter processing times. Through innovation, high-tensile materials can be rolled, using optimised thread rolling machines, economically and with maximum precision, even for short runs.

Along with thread making, gear cogs, worm gears and other profile sections are also cold-rolled. For instance, a machine concept was presented, which is able to complete gear cogs within 46 s.

Originally posted 2008-02-12 16:17:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2007-10-17 23:04:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

As every one knows, chips are formed during the machining of workpieces. The side of the chip in contact with the cutting tool is normally shiny, flat and smooth while the other side, which is the free workpiece surface, is jagged due to shear.

It is important to study the formation of chips during the machining process as the former affects the surface finish, cutting forces, temperature, tool life and dimensional tolerance. Understanding the chip formation during the machining process for the specific materials will allow us to determine the machining speeds, feed rates and depth of cuts for efficient machining and increased tool life in the specific actual machining operation. During the machining process, three basic types of chips are formed. They are discontinuous chips, continuous chips, and continuous chips with built-up edge.

Discontinuous chip formation normally occurs during machining of brittle work material. This type of chips also occus in machining operation with small rake angles on cutting tools, coarse machining feeds, low cutting speeds. Discontinuous chip formation results in poor workpiece surface finish.

During continuous chip formation, a continuous "ribbon" of metal flows up the chip-tool zone. This is considered to be the ideal condition for efficient cutting action.

Continuous chip with built-up edge formation is basically the same process as continuous chip formation, except that as the metal flows up the chip-tool zone, small particles of the metal begin to adhere or weld themselves to the edge of the cutting tool. As the particles continue to weld to the tool, it affects the cutting action of the tool.

This type of chip formation is common in machining of softer non-ferrous metals and low carbon steels. Common problems are the built-up edges breaking off and being embedded in the workpiece during machining, decrease in tool-life and final poor surface finish of the workpiece.

Studies on the built-up edges have shown that the chip material is welded, deformed and then deposited onto the rake face of the tool layer by layer. It is thus possible to observe the presence of built-up edges by studying the back face of the chip during the machining process. This is normally used in micro or ultra precision machining operation.

To reduce built-up edges, improve the lubrication conditions, use sharp tools and better surface finish tool and also apply ultrasonic vibration during the machining process.

About the Author

Author Ken Yap is a director of Suwa Precision Engineering Pte Ltd in Singapore and represents precision metal stamping, swiss screw machining, miniature precision balls and printed circuit boards manufacturers from Suwa, Japan.

Originally posted 2007-10-04 15:33:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

To meet increasing demand for tooling regrinds from aerospace companies, a UK specialist tooling manufacturer has added on another CNC tool and cutter grinder for its consistency

Specialist tooling manufacturer and supplier, Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), has added another Helitronic 5-axis tool grinder. It complements seven other Walter CNC tool grinders and a Walter Heli Toolcheck tool measuring machine and represents a strategic investment by the company to meet increasing demand for tooling regrinds from aerospace OEMs such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

ITC has bought the Helitronic to extend its capacity for high-precision drill and reamer regrinds.

The machine, a Walter Helitronic Power, supplied by Korber Schleifring UK of Honiley near Kenilworth, is part of ITC’s ’substantial’ investment process during 2008.

Sales director at ITC, Roy Talbot, commenting on ITC’s continual programme, said: ‘is evidence of our commitment to the desire to always stay ahead of the competition through guaranteed high-quality output and responsive service.’ He added that the ITC-Walter machine association had extended over the past eight years and is based on good delivery and service back-up as much as it is on cost-effective machines that are fit for purpose.

ITC designs, manufacture and regrinds of a wide range of HSS and carbide tooling for customers in the aerospace, motor sport (Formula One) and die and mouldmaking sectors in the UK and overseas.

The company is also UK stockist of Hanita (Israel) and Metal Removal (USA) products.

As well as the speed and accuracy of the five-axis CNC Walter Helitronic tool grinders, the added consistency that the Walter Heli Toolcheck tool measuring machine has brought to quality control is proving the ideal complement to enable ITC to extend its successful supply relationship with customers like Airbus and Rolls-Royce, said Koerber Schleifring to manufacturingtalk.com.

A variety of power generation form tools, drills and reamers, for example, are supplied to these companies, and manufacturing certification and traceability are essential.

‘We know that the Helitronic Power effectively restores tooling back to original geometry, and the Toolcheck allows us to illustrate that,’ commented ITC technical director, Peter Graves.

He said how Walter’s ‘ancillary’ technologies play a particularly beneficial role at the company.

He gave the example of a previously-installed Helitronic Power tool grinder with a Production Loader accommodates and randomly processes 280 tools of up 32mm diameter and 220mm long.

ITC also uses five other auto loading systems on Walter machines and therefore extends the company’s commitment to ‘lights-out’, unmanned production.

This system complements the seven day shift operators who manage ITC’s total machine park of 17 tool grinders.

* Software saves time – the Walter Cyber grinding tool grinding software offers savings in cutting tool design and production by allowing non-standard new tools to be designed and ‘manufactured’ off-line.

Cyber Grinding eliminates time-consuming and costly prototypes, test batch work and interruptions to production, said ITC.

‘Customers increasingly want cost-effective, high-quality tooling delivered promptly and backed up by a high level of problem-solving technical engineering expertise in extremely short delivery times,’ concludesd Talbot.

‘We make sure we are in a position to respond, hence our continual investment in Walter technology.’

Originally posted 2008-01-11 21:59:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Builder of medium to heavy duty CNC milling/boring machines, Unisign, reported more than double the number of enquiries from EMO 2007, when compared with th 2006 show

Builder of medium to heavy duty CNC milling/boring machines, Unisign in The Netherlands, reported The EMO 2007 had exceeded all of its expectations and that not only was the quality of enquiries better than earlier years but more than double the amount of new enquiries was received on its EMO stand.

Unisign told manufacturingtalk.com that visitors wanted new technologies.

Of special interest to visitors was the Unipent UNIPENT 4000 5-axis portal machining centre.

The new Uniport 4000 CNC portal machining centre drew much interest because of its multi-tasking features.

Unisign has again shown that with the Unipent 4000 and Uniport 4000 it has two machines ithat will take a top position in their market segments.

Unisign also exhibited its Uniport 6000 portal machining centre in gantry configuration and its smaller Univers 4000.

The very successful Unicom 6000 was too large to exhibit but drew a large amount of enquiries.

Unisign said it is very confident about a successful future and is establishing an ever growing prominent position in the market of vertical CNC machining centres.

• Unisign: contact details and other news

Originally posted 2007-11-11 17:35:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Producer of low volume reaction injection moulded parts and polyurethane castings uses five vertical machining centres to cut master pattern equipment from polyurethane tooling board

The Midas Pattern Company specialises in the production of low volume, high quality reaction injection moulded (RIM) parts and polyurethane castings (PuR). The company intends to dramatically shorten the time and cost for a designer to move from a CAD model to a fully functioning prototype/finished usable component.

The production material has to validate design and produce a saleable product.

Midas uses five Haas CNC vertical machining centres (VMC) – typically to cut the master pattern equipment from polyurethane tooling board.

Midas said that one of the main reasons for choosing Haas CNC machine tools was reliability and user-friendliness.

Based in Bedfordshire, UK, the Midas Pattern Company was established in 1989 as a precision foundry toolmaking company.

The company has developed into a substantial business integrating CADCAM and CNC toolmaking techniques with traditional pattern and mould making skills.

Managing director of Midas, Alan Rance, said: ‘We aim to dramatically shorten the time and cost for a designer to move from a CAD model to a fully functioning example of a new product – not just a prototype, but a finished part, made from production material that not only validates design but is truly saleable in the market place’.

Midas uses a novel composite tooling system, MRIM, which offers a production moulding technique that can produce quantities from 1 to 5000-off.

Midas said it is ideally suited for making large parts or components with multiple assemblies and complex features.

Rance said: ‘We make parts in the production intent polymers that enable our customers to produce low volume examples of new and prototype products without incurring the very high cost of metal tooling or the compromises in functionality and mechanical properties you expect with traditional RP techniques’.

Based on RIM and PuR, the company’s FASTrim service offers a competitive alternative to SLLS/Silicon and VAC casting.

FASTrim can provide finished parts in as little as 10-15 working days, using cast PuR and soft tooling CNC machined directly from 3D CAD data.

Typical customers include medical technology companies building low-volume, high value instrumentation – machines that can cost hundreds of thousands of Pounds each but are usually built in low numbers.

* About RIM – Rachel Collier, Midas’ technical sales manager, said that reaction injection moulding, utilising MRIM tooling is ideal for the instrumentation industry.

She said: ‘Customers may only want to produce between, say, 10 and 20 finished products a year.

For example, if a customer designs and builds a new mass spectrometry machine costing many thousands of Pounds, it wouldn’t make sense to lay down metal tooling suitable for thousands of parts when you only need a few’.

Many of today’s medical equipment manufacturing companies are relatively small – often founded by individuals departing larger organisations – and perhaps only aiming at niche markets.

As recently as 20 years ago, such companies probably wouldn’t have existed without the patronage of a corporate benefactor – a large, well-financed parent organisation, for example – or some other significant investor.

Developing a new product was hugely and prohibitively expensive.

These days, even small firms can use the services of companies like Midas Pattern to get their products to market at a fraction of the traditional cost and to compete head-on with the big, well-funded players.

‘We’re not a typical plastics company so we’re not obsessed with high-volumes,’ said Collier.

‘We’ve taken all of the techniques and the principles we’ve learnt in the very specialised foundry pattern-making sector and applied them to making high quality plastic parts in small numbers’.

The Midas process starts by building tooling models within CAD (Computer Aided Design).

From these CAD models complex CAM (Computer Aided Machining) software is used to generate cutter paths.

The code for these paths can then be downloaded to one of the company’s five Haas CNC VMCs.

The VMCs include a 12,000 rev/min spindle VF-4SS, a VF-6 with a 4th axis Haas rotary table.

There is a a large 2m x 1m VF9.

The machines typically cut master pattern equipment from polyurethane tooling board.

‘Once we have the master pattern equipment we then use it to produce a composite metallised resin injection mould tool – MRIM,’ said Collier.

‘That’s about as much as I can tell you.

The detail of the process is a closely guarded secret’.

She added that the skill – the ‘Midas touch’, one could say – is being able to make a good quality tool from the master pattern.

Each of the company’s CAD engineers is also a machine setter, programmer and operator, so when it came to choosing a CNC machine tool, said Haas to manufacturingtalk.com, top of the list of essential criteria were reliability and user-friendliness.

Thanks in part to the precision of the master pattern equipment, Midas MRIM Tooling is guaranteed to produce up to 5000 parts, which is usually far more than a customer needs but does allow them to be used for intermediate production volumes.

A typical mould is around a 1m3 in size, which in the world of mainstream injection moulding would be considered extremely large.

Collier made the point: ‘If you made a hard tool for a part of that size it would cost around 10 times more than one of our composite moulds.

We can also achieve the complexity but without having expensive mechanical movements’.

* Pattern making – pattern making is a labour intensive process, so Midas still relies on its own knowledge workers – skilled pattern and toolmakers – as well as its state-of-the-art machines.

To keep them all busy, the company supplements its core business with a range of other activities.

The Bedford factory, spread across two adjacent sites, is essentially a tool making facility, which produces foundry patterns, jigs and fixtures, rotational mould tools, inspection fixtures and exhibition models.

It also houses a number of Low Pressure RIM moulding machines producing low-runs of finished parts.

‘What all Midas products have in common,’ concluded Collier, ‘Is that they all start with CNC machining, which means that every time Midas delivers a tool or a finished part odds are it started life on a Haas CNC machine tool’.

* About Haas Automation – Haas said that CNC machine tool companies have led the ‘democratisation’ (or freeing up – Ed) of manufacturing production, perhaps none more so than Haas Automation itself, which claimed to be the original low-cost, high-specification machine tool builder.

Founded just twenty years ago in California, USA, but already with more than 85,000 of its products in operation around the world, Haas said it has certainly played an important part in getting affordable, reliable tools in the hands of the ‘industrious and the ingenious’, helping companies like Midas Pattern Company to ‘turn bright ideas into gold’.