Consider live tooling when purchasing a machine

When shops purchase new machinery, a common error some make is accepting the standard live tooling package from the builder without considering other options. This is not a criticism of those packages, but end users should do as much evaluation of their processes when determining the proper tooling package as they do when evaluating machine tools. This examination can range from the simple, such as external vs. internal coolant, to the sublime, such as adjustable vs. extended tooling configurations, to the truly exotic.

A large, deep-pocket tool, such as this one from Heimatec, might initially seem too expensive, but a machining test can prove otherwise. Image courtesy Heimatec.

Live tooling is driven by the CNC, the spindle turret and powered subspindle config-urations on CNC lathes to perform various operations while the workpiece remains oriented to the main spindle. As opposed to static tools applied when turning, these devices, whether with BMT (base mount tooling) or VDI (German acronym for the Association of German Engineers) connections, are also called driven tools and are usually customized for a particular machine tool builder’s turret assembly.

Live tooling is generally offered in standard straight and 90º con-figurations with various tool output clamping systems, including col-let chuck, arbor, Weldon, Capto, whistle notch, hydraulic, HSK, CAT and ABS.

The types of live tooling appro-priate for shops depend on the jobs they machine. Two seemingly iden-tical job shops can have vastly differ-ent tooling needs because, for ex-ample, one serves the automotive industry and the other serves medical, or one specializes in low-volume work while the other predominantly sees long part runs.

Bearing construction and the re-sulting spindle concentricity drive the life of any live tool. Even in-vesting just 10 to 15 percent more to obtain a better design can sig-nificantly extend cutter life and im-part consistently finer surface fin-ishes. For example, roller bearings are consistently superior to spindle bearings in live tooling applications.