Here come the cool jets

Applying high-pressure coolant when Swiss-style turning is effective at clearing chips to prevent them from welding to the workpiece or wrapping around the cutting tool. However, steering the coolant as close as possible to the cutting edge is tricky.

To remedy the situation while not pigeonholing the end user into one brand of cutting tool, Genevieve Swiss Industries Inc. offers the Multidec-Lube through-coolant tool clamp from Utilis AG, Müllheim, Switzerland. The patented system incorporates a coolant or oil delivery passage in the tool clamp to ensure a repeatable jet flow within a few millimeters of the tool/workpiece interface even after multiple tool changes, setups or teardowns, according to GenSwiss. It replaces the original gang slide tool clamps that come with a machine, allowing use of conventional, non-through-coolant, square-shank toolholders as if they were through-coolant holders because the coolant travels through the Multidec-Lube clamp.

Courtesy of GenSwiss

With GenSwiss’ Multidec-Lube tool clamp system, a square-shank, Swiss-style toolholder installs against the Multidec clamping wedge.

“Most Swiss turning centers have four to eight turning stations, and you can equip each one of those with one of these clamps and permanently run high-pressure lines,” said Scott Laprade, marketing manager for GenSwiss, noting the system didn’t leak when tested at 2,000 psi. “I don’t know anyone running anything higher.”