FIT TO KILL

When Innovative Technologies Plus (IT+) (Menomonee Falls, WI) was getting started as part of the MGS Mfg. Group in January 2008, founders Michael Webb and Nicholas Quartuccio wanted to bring in the latest technology that would allow them to offer the highest-quality results for their demanding high-tech customers, in the leanest possible manner.

With customers in the energy, transportation, aerospace and tool and die industries, IT+ uses high-speed, high-accuracy machining centers and specialized cutting tools on graphite and some of the toughest material available, including 15/15 HS stainless steel, inconel and hardened steel. Protecting the spindles on its 18,000-rpm Hermle C30 U Dynamic and DMG V75 five-axis machining centers was a priority, as was extending the life of the expensive cutting tools it gets from many different suppliers.

To ensure high-accuracy from its machines and extend the life of its high-end cutting tools, IT+ elected to use tool holders and a power clamp shrink fit machine from Haimer USA. "We were buying high-precision, five-axis machines with nearly 20,000 rpm on the spindles," says Webb, IT+'s lead applications engineer. "We decided to go with a reputation for quality, because all of the tooling we have is high-precision tooling that we'd want to use with a shrink-fit system."

There were alternative shrink-fitting systems, notes Quartuccio, the sales and operations manager, but meshing these tool holders with the shrink fit machines "made perfect sense. We wanted to get something in here that would help the holders last longer," states Quartuccio. "The best solution, after evaluating all the options, was the speed and the ease of use, no matter what setting or size. It provides consistent heating and cooling and a wide range of capabilities from small to very large holders."

These shrink-fit systems use high frequency and high power to quickly heat the tool holder for quick tool removal and insertion. Using an intelligent coil, the system adapts to the chuck, distributes heat more evenly and only heats the collet area of the holder, which decreases the time it takes to cool down and is gentler on the tool.

The results are paying off, according to Webb. By partnering the shrink fit system with the holders, IT+ has been able to lower their cycle time for tool changes. In about two minutes, a holder can be heated to release the tool and chilled back to room temperature. Multiple presets provide the ease of use and prevent guesswork and damage to the holders. "The combination of these tool holders and the shrink fit machine minimizes tool run out, which makes them extremely accurate and extends spindle life and tool life," explains Webb.

"When the machine operators are using them, they're always very happy with the fact that they're dealing with quality equipment," adds Quartuccio. "We've had other holders in house and you can see the difference." He also likes the holder's ability to run coolant through the tool holder as well as the equipment's flexibility. "We use a number of different suppliers for tools, depending on the application," he says. "No matter what, we've put in these holders and had great success."

That success has come by utilizing simultaneous five-axis cutting solutions to machine a wide range of parts. Energy industry customers rely on IT+ for high-pressure drill bit heads that start holes in rock during trenchless drilling operations. Tool and die customers call on IT+ to do core and cavity machining from hardened steel. "One area of focus is the aviation industry," says Quartuccio. IT+ produces multi-blade turbines, twisted blades, impellers and jet engine housings for this very exacting industry. "These tools were chosen because of their ability to produce the accuracy we were looking for – down to 0.0002 in."

IT+ uses tapered cutters to give their machining centers the maximum range of motion provided by its five-axis spindles and the ability to get in closer to the part using angles that keep the tool in the best cutting position (usually 90 deg). According to Webb and Quartuccio, the better angles and accuracy made possible by the new equipment means they can use shorter, more-rigid cutters, get superior finishes and open up some unique operations. "We have a ¾-in end mill that has stayed in its power shrink fit holder and never moved," says Quartuccio. "Once they're in there, they're in there. We don't have to worry about them slipping, especially with some of the nasty materials we've been working with."

To further improve the operational accuracy of its cutting systems and increase the operational efficiencies provided by the tool holders and shrink-fit system, IT+ is investigating new tool balancing machines. "As we work to check the balance on the tool holders, the logical solution was a new balancing system, which would allow us to hang on to even smaller-diameter tools while extending tool life," states Webb. "With the investment in these machines, we want to make sure that we can guarantee the accuracy we promise. [Having a balancing machine] will also benefit other parts of our enterprise by further extending tool and spindle life."

Innovative Technologies Plus, W146 N9362 Held Drive, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051, 262-993-6484, nickq@innovtechplus.com, www.innovtechplus.com.

MGS Mfg. Group, W188 N11707 Maple Road, Germantown, WI  53022, 262-255-5790, Fax: 262-255-7206,  contact@mgstech.com, www.mgstech.com.

Haimer USA, LLC, 134 East Hill Street, Villa Park, IL 60181, 630-833-1500, Fax: 630-833-1507, www.haimer-usa.com.