Moldmaking processes require innovative cutting tool technologies capable of delivering the highest degree of precision, flexibility and efficiency. With its latest line of endmills, NS Tool equips manufacturers with capabilities for boosting productivity and maximizing output in high-performance hard milling, according to distributor Single Source Technologies.

"NS Tool specializes in very high-precision, small-diameter tools," said Darrell Johnson, product manager milling consumables at SST. "Their intense focus on the tiniest detail in creating their product translates into products that perform consistently. The fine details of quality are so precise that one must magnify the cutting edge thousands of times to see how flawless each cutting surface is."

Endmills from NS Tool feature a variety of coatings and flute designs, offering a solution for any modern mold-making challenge. Many of them have NS Tool's patented MUGEN premium coating, which features a hardness of 3,600HV for longer and more stable tool life in the machining of hardened steel (48 to 65 HRC) applications. MUGEN premium coating is widely known for its excellent heat resistance, making it ideal for dry, high-speed-cutting operations. Although originally designed to cut hardened steels, MUGEN premium coating has proven to provide excellent wear resistance to machine steels in the lower hardness range. Tools with this coating are designed to reportedly deliver superior levels of accuracy and finish.

Combining NS Tool's attention to quality with advanced coating technology equips the MUGEN premium coating with outstanding characteristics. These high-precision, small-diameter tools can consistently create the tiniest details for excellent finishing capability.

The MSBH230 ball endmill features a 2-flute, 30-degree helix design with MUGEN premium coating. This tool is capable of producing superior surface finishes in hardened materials ranging from 48 to 65 HRc. Its unique cutting-edge design reduces chatter and increases strength to eliminate possibility of chipping.

The MRBH230 long-neck ball endmill also has MUGEN premium coating, and it is ideal for machining rib features in hardened materials ranging from 48 to 65 HRC. Similar to the MSBH230, this model features a unique 2-flute, 30-degree helix design that reduces chatter and increase cutting-edge strength to eliminate possibility of chipping.

The MSB345H is a 3-flute ballnose endmill. Its spiral shape, coupled with unequal flute spacing, reduces chatter and yields stable cutting at increased feedrates. The additional flute enables increased productivity without sacrificing finish. MUGEN premium coating supplies the wear resistance and toughness to machine steels and other materials with hardness up to 65 HRC.

The MRBTNH345 is a 3-flute, long-neck ballnose endmill. The additional flute enables increased productivity without sacrificing finish. With unequal flute spacing and spiral design, chatter is greatly reduced while stable cutting at increased feed rates is achieved. MUGEN premium coating provides the wear resistance and toughness to machine steels and other materials with hardness up to 65HRC.

The variable helix angles and pitched flute design of the MSXH440R micrograin solid-carbide corner radius endmill has the ability to suppress chatter for stable milling conditions in a variety of applications. The 40- and 42-degree helix angles of this MUGEN-coated tool deliver excellent performance in alloy steels, stainless steels, titanium and other heat-resistant materials.

The MSZ345 is a MUGEN-coated square endmill with Z-axis plunging capability. Its ability to center cut, drill and side mill in the same tool makes the MSZ345 an ideal solution for opening up pockets. The tool has a three-flute, 45-degree helix design with chipbreaker in the end that provides efficient cutting in steels, stainless steels and prehardened steels.