Fine Tune That Cutting Process

Seco Tools expanded its Highfeed series of indexable-insert milling cutters to include the Highfeed 2 and 4 cutters that feature new insert designs combined with more teeth per diameter to achieve high speeds and feeds when processing hard and tough workpiece materials. Highfeed 2 is perfect for applications that require a high ramping angle or superior plunging performance. It features LP05 single-sided inserts with two cutting edges for cutter bodies that range from 0.5 in to 0.75 in diameter. Available in three different geometries (ME, M and MD), these positive LP inserts easily handle sticky materials such as stainless steels, titanium and super alloys. Mounting types include Combimaster heads and cylindrical shanks.

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Highfeed 4 features LO06 double-sided inserts with four cutting edges for cutter bodies that range from 1.00 in to 2.50 in diameter. Available in four different insert geometries (ME, M, MD and D), these close-pitch and negative-pocket LP inserts cost effectively machine common workpiece materials. Mounting types include Combimaster heads, cylindrical shanks and shell ends.

Both Highfeed 2 and 4 cutters significantly reduce vibrations for smooth, stable cutting and increased productivity and efficiently evacuate chips for worry-free operation. They truly excel when processing challenging materials at high speeds on smaller machines with high-speed, low-torque spindles. In general, Highfeed series milling cutters permit up to three times faster machining than conventional methods. They provide shallow depths of cut with high feed per tooth rates to deliver greater metal removal rates for an overall boost in productivity.

Seco Tools also offers the double-sided Secomax™ CBN600 inserts in round, rhombic and square styles as a new universal option for rough turning grey cast iron, high chrome iron and high manganese steel. The CBN600 has 90 percent cubic boron nitride content, multi-modal grain size and Al ceramic binder comes together in an insert that offers great toughness, high wear resistance and thermal and force shock resistance for varying depths of cut conditions in a wide application window.

Following the success of its Steadyline milling holders, Seco Tools has added turning bars to this line of damped anti-vibration tooling that brings excellent productivity results to a wide variety of long overhang machining operations. The new patented GL connection on these turning tools makes it possible to perform static and rotating operations with the same bar. These highly rigid and stable turning bars effectively reduce unwanted vibrations in extreme cutting conditions. This is accomplished via a “dynamic passive system” inside the holder body where a heavy metal mass counter acts vibrations created by the holder’s flex during machining operations. Steadyline products can perform typical long overhang operations with higher productivity then traditional tools, reducing spindle stress as well as offering high metal-removal rates, smooth part surface finishes and long tool life.

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The extremely precise GL connection on these turning bars has a polylobe taper-interface with two 180 deg positions that orient the tool’s cutting edges either face up or face down for effective chip control. The connection also has a strong, fast locking capability that is made possible via a single integrated clamping ring that draws in the tool head for a secure, stable taper-face contact. Once a turning bar is set it becomes possible to mount and remount tooling heads without having to reset the system. While common traditional systems use several fastening screws and devices for exchanging tooling heads, the GL connection on the Steadyline turning bars requires only the use of a spanner wrench to loosen and tighten the tool heads.

Available in 6xD, 8xD and 10xD, a range of types, including Seco-Capto™ C4, C5 and C6, and a broad selection of turning heads for CN, DN, WN, CC, DC, TC, TN and RN inserts as well as heads for Snap-Tap® threading, these turning bars can handle a variety of applications and operations, including roughing, finishing, threading and grooving. In addition, these bars feature coolant supply channels for enhanced chip evacuation.

Seco Tools, LLC, 2805 Bellingham Drive, Troy, MI, 248-528-5444, lseidl@secotools.com, www.secotools.com/us.

TRUE 90 DEGREE SHOULDER MILLING
The new VSM490 double-sided shoulder milling platform from Widia Products Group (Fort Mill, SC) is a powerful advantage for achieving true 90 deg shoulders and floors with superior surface finish. Numerous precision parts in transportation, moldmaking, general engineering, and more require true 90 deg shoulders and floors with superior surface finish. Economic and competitive pressures require manufacturers of all parts to maximize metal removal and tool life. The new VSM490 double-sided shoulder milling platform is a powerful advantage for achieving all this and more.

“Go ahead and get aggressive with feed rates,” says global product manager Juan Seculi. “Not only will you see the depth of cut is much bigger (up to 15 mm or 0.590 in), scallop or stepdown marks are barely noticeable. Poor surface quality means additional operations and higher cycle times. Take the performance upgrade and add that double-sided inserts deliver a sizeable cost benefit over single-sided tools and the advantages become compelling.” Designed for low horsepower draw and free machining, the VSM490 delivers an effective one-two punch of reduced horsepower at the machine and higher speed and feed rates that get jobs done faster and/or with an improved surface quality.

With four cutting edges and multiple corner nose radii available, the robust VSM490-15 inserts provide added stability and reliability in addition to delivering true 90 deg shoulders and floors. Two insert geometries are available: MM (universal), making it the first choice for a range of work materials; and ML (light) with sharper cutting edges resulting in lower cutting forces for mild steels and stainless. VSM490 cutter bodies made with tight tolerances to ensure minimum run-out have an integral chip gash design for excellent chip evacuation along with hardened-steel construction and hardened pocket seats for improved resistance to deformation. They are available in shell, screw on, cylindrical shank, and Weldon shank models with internal air and coolant capability.

“The VSM490 portfolio is engineered for multiple applications in multiple materials, making it a go-to milling tool,” adds Seculi. “Users should expect true 90 deg shoulders and floors, superior surface finish on both, and higher metal-removal rates at lower horsepower for savings all around.” Moreover, VSM490 is available through the NOVO^TM digital process knowledge application. With powerful process knowledge available on iPad^TM and other digital devices, NOVO helps users define machining features, such as shoulder milling in specific work materials, and then immediately reduces the product set to those like VSM490 that can do the job, taking into account constraint requirements such as material, tolerance, and machining sequence for both single tools and multi-tools. NOVO then ranks the results — based on knowledge-based rules — to best meet the challenges of the application as defined by the customer´s operating environment and user preferences. This provides far more useful process knowledge than any online catalog alone, all obtained in a fraction of the time.

VSM490 Starter Kits in both metric and inch, including cutter bodies, end mills, and Widia Victory^TM grade inserts covering a variety of applications are available by contacting your Widia distributor.

Widia Products Group, 1662 MacMillan Park Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707, 800-979-4342, na.techsupport@widia.com, www.widia.com.

INDEXABLE TOOLING FOR GENERAL MACHINING
The new line of indexable tooling from Dormer Pramet North America (Elgin, IL) is now available to all North American customers. A new catalog showcases the assortment of indexable products – branded Pramet – suitable for a wide range of general machining applications. Dispatched from Dormer Pramet’s distribution center in Hebron, KY, the versatile, multi-application program consists of turning, milling and drilling inserts and holders. By combining this with a market-leading comprehensive round tool program through their Precision Twist Drill, Union Butterfield and Dormer brands, Dormer Pramet becomes a full-line cutting tool ‘One-Stop-Shop.’

The Pramet range includes tooling for external and internal turning – such as heavy roughing operations, recessing, parting-off and copy turning – milling cutters and indexable drills with carbide inserts. All are covered in the 506-page catalog that has been printed in English with French and Spanish versions in the works. Offering a detailed overview of tool geometries and insert grades, as well as providing technical advice and tips, the catalog will become the go-to publication when choosing and using Dormer Pramet’s indexable products.

“Over more than 100 years we have established a reputation for providing customers with versatile products and services in a reliable and dependable way,” said Andrew Hunter, the president of Dormer Pramet North America. “To now have a well-proven indexable tooling offer alongside our rotary range is fantastic news for the market. We can offer customers a wide range of solid and indexable cutting tools to firmly establish ourselves as the only ‘one-stop-shop’ available today to meet their every need. Our Product Selector and web-based self-learning software, along with our technical handbooks and digital apps, allow us to support our customers in simplifying and optimizing their daily operations. The new catalog continues this practice.” A downloadable pdf version of the catalog is also available to offer convenience and flexibility for users.

Dormer Pramet North America, 2511 Technology Drive, Suite 113/114, Elgin, IL 60124, 847-783-5700, Fax: 847-783-5760, www.dormerpramet.com.