January 2011 Product Spotlight

New Solid Carbide Endmills Engineered for Effective Machining of Aerospace Materials

ATI Stellram introduces the new XE solid carbide endmill engineered specifically for machining exotic and difficult to machine materials.

The advanced geometric design featuring deep flutes and robust high helix cutting edges is the result of our continuous improvement program in aerospace machining. The tool is designed to run faster, run cooler and, with through tool coolant and deep flute design, evacuate chips more efficiently.

Stellram® XE endmills feature a longer shaft for maximum clamping and reach, and to help minimize vibration. XE endmills are manufactured from our toughest, most wear resistant submicron substrate, and are coated with PVD Nano TiAlN.

The design of the Stellram XE endmill enables the tool to slot and profile to higher radial and axial engagements and run at higher surface speeds and feeds in the most difficult to machine materials.

The net effect of all these enhancements is that the Stellram series of XE solid carbide endmills removes more material faster and lasts longer in difficult to machine materials.

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ATI Stellram

High Precision ER Collet Chuck Improves Clamping Force, Concentricity, Rigidity, and Balance

The total precision of the collet, nut, and body on Big Kaiser's Mega ER Grip shatters the common standard of ER collet chucks. BIG's Mega ER Grip is a high quality ER collet chuck that completely satisfies the 4 requirements for tool holders; clamping force, concentricity, rigidity, and balance for high spindle speeds.

Each part of the assembly combines high precision production technology and design creativity for collets, clamping nuts, and chuck bodies. When an inexpensive tool holder is selected based on a small cost saving, a waste in valuable time and money during production results in higher costs in the long term.

Features of the Mega ER Grip:

  • Available in BIG-Plus® CAT, HSK, and Capto®
  • Clamping range ø.075"-ø.787"
  • All collets inspected twice to guarantee runout accuracy
  • High precision nut with built-in thrust ball bearings
  • High rigidity body that increases the contact area of the collet
  • High precision pre-balanced body
  • Tool life extended 3x compared to conventional ER systems
  • Precise coolant supply to the cutting edge

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Big Kaiser

Small But Powerful Machining Center Drives Tools at Speeds Up to 8,000 rpm with 52 ft. lbs of Torque

Doosan Infracore introduces the DNM 400A vertical machining center, designed for high productivity with precision tolerances, and built to fit the most crowded shop floors - and all at a price below $70,000.

The DNM 400A’s rugged, one-piece casting is strategically ribbed to prevent distortion during heavy or interrupted cuts. Fine grain Meehanite is selected for its superior dampening characteristics and ability to dissipate heat. Widely spaced linear guideways give excellent support to the saddle in all locations, regardless of the table’s load distribution. Each guideway is induction hardened and precision ground. Rapid traverses are 1181 ipm along all three axes.

Powering the DNM 400A is a 15 Hp spindle motor that drives ISO#40 taper tools at speeds up to 8,000 rpm, while delivering 52 ft. lbs of torque. The cartridge-type spindle is supported by precision-class, permanently-lubricate bearings. A heavy-duty drive belt eliminates slippage, reduces vibration, and contributes to thermal stability.

A 20 station, double-arm ATC changes tools in a quick 1.3 seconds. The Big Plus dual-contact tooling system creates full contact along the spindle taper and the toolholder flange. This assures maximum rigidity for greater precision and longer tool life. Both Big Plus and standard tool holders can be mounted at any ATC station with no need for special adaptors.

The 86.7” x 87.2” footprint is perfect for buildings with standard 8’ x 8’ doors. Maximum part size is 25.0” x 17.1” x 20.1” and 881 lbs.

Additional features of the economical DNM 400A include rigid tapping capability, an auger-type chip conveyor, cooling and lubrication systems, a program and data protection key switch, and a portable manual pulse generator with movement in increments of x1, x10, and x100 to make fixture or part alignments quick and easy. The color controller is a Fanuc Oi-MD.

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Doosan

High Speed Punch Press Controls Increase Hit-Rates, Process More Parts, and Use Less Energy

FANUC FA America introduces the 30i/31i-P model B high-speed punch press controls capable of supporting new levels of punching and nibbling rates. The new 30i/31i-P model B CNCs have increased hit rates as a result of high-speed punch control cycles and an increased number of controllable axes: 32/20 max. controlled axes and 24/4 max. simultaneously controlled axes respectively. FANUC's new 30i/31i-P model B CNCs boast large part program management, high speed Ethernet interface, and minimal training and programming.

FANUC's CNCs provide up to 8MB of high-capacity, nonvolatile internal memory that is available to store as many as 4000 large nested part programs. Slots are provided for ATA or Compact Flash memory cards that can add an additional 2GB of part program storage. Any commercially available USB storage device may also be connected to store and transfer large programs. A Fast Data Server can also be installed in the CNC providing up to 4 GB of Flash memory and a 100-GBit Ethernet connection. A high-speed, error-immune fiber optic connection between the CNC and an integrated PC front-end allows the hard disk be used for part program storage.

The Series 30i/31i-P model B CNCs has an embedded Ethernet interface. This allows the user to integrate the CNC control system into a company network for data collection or for high-speed part program transfers. World-wide links can be set up via the Internet. This makes remote diagnosis and maintenance, including online training, possible. Because the integrated Ethernet interface does not use a public operating system, it is practically "hacker-free" and immune to viruses, providing a safe and worry free connection to business networks.

Minimal training and programming are needed with the new 30i/31i-P model B CNCs for operators that already use FANUC controls. Upward compatibility is guaranteed and older part programs will run smoothly on the new controls.

The 30i/31i-P model B CNCs for punching are combined with rugged, energy efficient, high-performance servo drive systems that are specifically designed to deliver the industry's leading reliability and performance - even in dusty, high-vibration environments of the most challenging fabricating shops. Punch presses with FANUC technology benefit from FANUC's world renowned reliability and energy efficiency. These punch presses will be available for production more often, process more parts and use less energy.

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FANUC

New Oil Dielectric Technology Increases Machining Speeds Up to 12% Over Water

Sodick, Inc., a manufacturer of EDM technology, has released the AP250L Wire EDM, which uses oil dielectric and still maintains incredible machining speeds.

The AP250L features Sodick’s all new Eco-Cut O Technology. Using Eco-Cut O Technology enables the EDM to reduce the time required to manufacture precision dies and parts. It also increases productivity and reduces energy consumption. When using oil dielectric, this new technology enables the EDM to machine parts faster than that of water dielectric, or standard oil dielectric. Oil Technology is nothing new to Sodick, Eco-Cut O Technology is. "Eco-Cut O Technology has enabled the use of oil dielectric at speeds of water dielectric, or faster,” said Tom Gilbert, Applications Manager.

With this new technology, users are now able to get the optimal surface finish of oil dielectric with the speeds of water dielectric. Using Eco-Cut O Technology, a user can increase machining speeds up to 12% over water dielectric and up to 25% over conventional oil dielectric.

The entire concept of EDMing using oil technology is nothing new to Sodick. Sodick has had this technology for over 25 years, 1981 to be exact. Water dielectric became the industry standard for many years mainly due to the speed factor when cutting in water. Oil was always presumed to be a slower alternative. “Oil dielectric doesn’t have to be slower than water dielectric. It depends on the application being used,” added Gilbert. "With our new Eco-Cut O Technology, oil dielectric actually speeds up the cutting process due to the accuracy and surface finish being obtained at a faster pace requiring less cuts to be made to the part.”

The AP250L is in Sodick’s AP Series of machines. The AP Series is a linear motor driven, high precision, high speed Wire EDM line. The AP250L features a bridge design which has vast improvements in positioning and machining accuracy. The AP250L has an X, Y, Z axes travel of 9.8” x 5.9” x 4.7”. It can accommodate a workpiece up to 15.7” x 10.6” x 3.9” (W x D x H). The AP250L features Sodick’s 10-Year Positioning Guarantee.

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Sodick

8-Spindle CNC Production Center Designed for Precision, High Reliability, and Thermal Stability With No Refrigerant Needed

ZPS America announces the new 8-spindle ZPS 867 CNC multispindle production center. The 867 can accommodate stock to 72 mm diameter.

Provided with a double Siemens 840 D CNC control, the European-built machine offers up to 72 CNC axes and can perform nearly any metalcutting operation on precision parts from drilling and tapping to milling, spline gears, broaching and hobbing. With a cast iron base and total weight of more than 20 tons, the 867 is extremely rigid. Combined with the highest spindle torque in the industry (191 NM), the stable 867 can handle difficult materials with great precision.

“This new multispindle offers for the first time high-precision CNC production capability with its 16+1 tool carriers to a range of part sizes that until now have been processed on transfer machines,” said Olaf Tessarzyk, Managing Partner and President of ZPS America.

The ZPS CNC Multi line offers very high processing flexibility and fast changeover with the ability to drop a variety of complex precision parts complete as either a bar-fed or chucker operation.

The machine’s versatility is provided through its standard features: 8 independent AC-driven CNC horizontal spindles, 8 independent compound slides (X and Z), 8 independent tool carriers with 8 12000-rpm driven tools, 5 backworking tools (3 driven), and a wide range of standard preset VDI tooling for quick changeover to increase flexibility.

However, it is the patented state-of-the-art designed spindle drive system that sets the ZPS machines apart. It is the key to the machine’s precision, thermal stability, and high reliability. According to tests performed at a technical university in Europe, the ZPS spindle drive system proved to be superior to other multispindle drive systems due to its mechanical precision and genuine simplicity.

Each of the machine’s eight spindles is linked by a composite shaft to its own motor into the spindle drum, which employs a precise Hirth coupling. This makes it unnecessary to reverse-index the drum at the end of each 360° cycle, connect, and disconnect the motors to the spindles with each indexing and cool the drum to dissipate the heat generated by the spindle motors. The result is greater precision and reliability across high duty cycles. Spindle indexing takes only 1 second, not only saving time, but reduces energy and cost. In addition, this system allows for the strongest and most adjustable clamping power in the industry.

The mechanical rigidity and thermal stability are the reason for the built-in accuracy of the machine. Therefore, the use of refrigerant is not needed, which is what makes the ZPS machine so interesting to users. Even without spindle compensation this machine tops the precision of its competitors. Using the built-in mechanical compensation allows for a new dimension of accuracy in CNC multispindle machines. Because hydraulics and refrigeration are eliminated through innovative design in the spindle drum, the machine has a significantly higher uptime, has greater thermal stability, and as a result provides higher precision and efficiency than other CNC multispindles on the market.

The innovative, patented technical solution developed by ZPS allows the independent control of the speed and C-Axis of each spindle and the power of each AC spindle motor according to the requirements of specific machining operations performed by each customer.

The machine is provided complete with all options and includes capabilities that make it effective on today’s precision machining floors: quick changeover; simple, intuitive programming; single-point preset driven tooling; and teaching software as well as a standard CAM programming software.

A range of optional equipment includes a CNC pick-up spindle with up to 5 tools (3 driven) for backworking, attachments for radial and axial drilling and milling operations from cut-off slide, parts handling gripper or ejection slide, parts conveyor, bar stock feeding and high-pressure tool coolant system.

ZPS customer support for the series of multispindles includes complete setup of part and turnkey at the ZPS headquarters in Indianapolis and optional real-time Internet monitoring of installed machines.

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ZPS America

Easy Handling Deep Parting & Grooving Blades Feature an Extremely Stable Clamping Effect

The new G1042 deep parting & grooving blades in the Walter Cut System feature an innovative enhancement: grooving inserts are retained by an efficient self-clamping arrangement. The new solution combines cost efficiency, easy handling, flexibility and process reliability.

It's the detail of the new G1042 deep parting & grooving blades that's the most striking: a self-gripping, double-jointed top clamp. The articulation produces a four-point clamping effect on the grooving inserts, which keeps them pressed firmly into their double-V seat. Microvibrations are avoided, and tool life is increased. This type of clamping arrangement cannot be made any more stable.

This highly reliable clamping effect is also quite easy to handle: the inserts are indexed using the FS1494 spanner wrench. In the applied position, it opens up the top clamp to enable easy fitting and removal of the grooving insert. On releasing the wrench, the toe dog's spring force comes back into effect. An insert change therefore takes just a few seconds and can even be done single-handed. And with their universal design and 1.26 inch (32 mm) blade height, the blades are compatible with all standard tool blocks on the market.

The machinist has two choices when selecting an insert: the first is to opt for maximum cost efficiency, the second is to give preference to maximum cutting depth. In the first case, the choice is double-sided GX style inserts. Here, the maximum cutting depth is 0.90 inch (23mm).

For applications that demand even deeper cuts, Walter Valenite has expanded its range with a single-edge parting/grooving insert in the GX system. These single-edge inserts maintain the reliability of the G1042 clamping while significantly extending the cutting depth. Fitted to a G1042 deep parting & grooving blade, cutting depths as deep as 2.36 inch (60mm) can be achieved.

These single-edged GX parting/grooving inserts are also available in the same Tiger•tec® cutting tool materials as the double-edged styles. Parting-off operations require particularly tough cutting edges. The PVD-Tiger•tec® WSM33 and WSP43 grades are the first choice in this case.

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Walter

New Rollerball Deburr™ Tool Eliminates Burrs During the Punching Process

Mate’s new Rollerball Deburr™ tool eliminates burrs and secondary operations. It’s the ideal solution for eliminating time consuming burr removal on punched parts. Designed to deburr mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum sheet material in any thickness, the Rollerball Deburr tool does the burr removal automatically and quickly as part of the punching process. No off-line, manual burr removal or special off-line tools are needed.

Mate’s Rollerball Deburr is designed for Thick Turret and Trumpf Style applications. The new tool incorporates Mate’s proprietary Rollerball technology that uses the extended programming capabilities of punch presses operating in the x and y axis with the ram down. Using a special ball in both the upper and lower part of the tool, the Rollerball Deburr pushes the burr away creating a slight radius on the punched edge. Smooth to the touch, the deburred edge is consistent and has a finished, esthetically pleasing appearance.

All part contours can be processed with the Rollerball Deburr tool, including small, tight corners. Available for thick turret or Trumpf Style press applications, RollerBall Deburr comes as a complete set, including springs for adjusting tension appropriate for the material being punched. “The Rollerball Deburr tool delivers exceptional value to the punching process,” reports John Galich, Mate marketing manager. “It’s fast and eliminates manual operations by allowing the punch press to do the work. Rollerball Deburr is yet another innovative Mate product that helps fabricators lower their operating costs and improve their piece part quality.

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Mate