The Phoenix has landed: General Industry Coverage

END USER: Kustom Machining LLC, (715) 258-2908, www.kustommachiningllc.com.
CHALLENGE: Improve productivity for a repeat job.
SOLUTION: A multifunctional, 90° indexable-insert shoulder cutter.
SOLUTION PROVIDER: OSG USA Inc., (800) 837-2223, www.osgtool.com.

When it comes to machining precision metal parts, a manufacturer’s competitive advantages in quality, performance and cost-efficiency play critical roles. Successful companies constantly look for ways to reduce costs while improving process efficiencies.

Kustom Machining LLC, Waupaca, Wis., wanted to achieve that for a repeat job that involved machining an idler bracket board feeder for the paper industry on a 25-hp Milltronics VMD 30/100 vertical milling machine. Founded 4 years ago by machining and fabrication veteran Kelly Much, the machine shop also produces parts for the agriculture, defense, aerospace, health care and aquatic industries.

The job requires removing 0.600 ” (15.24mm) of material from a 1020 steel workpiece to create the 7 “-long × 3 “-wide (177.8mm × 76.2mm) part. Much was applying a shoulder mill 1 ” (25.4mm) in diameter tooled with three inserts at a spindle speed of 2,500 rpm and a feed rate of 20 ipm (508 mm/min.), or 0.0027 ipt (0.0686 mm/tooth).

Kustom Machining produces 36 idler bracket board feeders for the paper industry each month. Image courtesy Kustom Machining.

“We were doing these parts over and over, and the cycle time seemed long,” Much said, adding that there had to be something that would speed up production.

He noted 1020 is a type of hot-rolled steel that is slightly gummy, so chip control can be an issue. In addition, Kustom was consuming six inserts to complete the job, which consists of 36 parts and repeats monthly.

Much consulted with Dustin Loschiavo, district manager for Glendale Heights, Ill.-based toolmaker OSG USA Inc. Loschiavo recommended the company’s Phoenix PSE 90°, 1 “-dia. shoulder cutter tooled with three inserts.