High Dynamic Turning With FreeTurn Tools

High Dynamic Turning, or HDT for short, from Ceratizit has turned conventional turning methods completely upside down. This new turning technology combined with the dynamic FreeTurn tooling, means that in the future it will be possible to carry out all traditional turning operations such as roughing, finishing, contour turning, face turning and longitudinal turning with just one tool. HDT is therefore an uncompromising method of turning.

For 100 years, new cutting materials, new chipbreakers and a few new tooling systems have been invented to optimize turning. However, the actual basic turning process has remained relatively unchanged. Even today, a contour is created with an indexable insert at a fixed angle to the workpiece. This has not changed even with the addition of controllable axes in modern turning/milling centers, machines which are intended to serve one purpose above all: to manufacture a component as completely as possible within a single machine. Ceratizit has taken advantage of the systematics of these turning/milling centers and developed the High Dynamic Turning system. The simple idea behind HDT: The tool approach and point of contact in the machine can be varied as opposed to conventional turning.

Instead of the classic, static position of the insert in the holder, the milling spindle is now used to produce the corresponding approach angle to the workpiece. The use of the spindle drive, in conjunction with the slim, axial tool design of the FreeTurn tools by Ceratizit creates a degree of freedom of 360° without the risk of collision, thus providing unprecedented flexibility. Due to the rotation around its own tool axis, the cutting-edge change can be done without interrupting the cutting process.

Additionally, the angle of approach, or lead angle, is freely variable at any time and can even be changed while cutting. This not only enables flexible machining of almost every workpiece contour, but also optimal chipbreaking, higher feed rates and an increase in tool life. Depending on the machine capabilities, the technology can be used functionally in all areas of turning operations. The approach of the milling spindle on the Y/Z axis on turning/milling centers is widespread. As a result, further possibilities can be achieved with HDT that seemed previously unachievable. For example, cutting from above and below is possible. Depending on the machining area and workpiece size, this freedom can be an important criterion.

In the future of High Dynamic Turning, the static turning tools of the past will be replaced by dynamic ones. One such dynamic tooling solution is FreeTurn by Ceratizit. The defining characteristic of FreeTurn tooling is its simple structure. The toolholder, together with its slim shank and axial concept which optimizes the direction of the cutting forces into the spindle, form a stable unit. At the front there is a multi-sided insert, which is simply screwed in place. The trick: The patent pending FreeTurn insert can consist of several cutting edges with different properties. This allows for different angle points, corner radii or chip breakers - even different coatings and cutting materials are conceivable. The tool can therefore be adapted to the machining requirements offering the advantage of replacing several tools. This in turn leads to significant savings in tool change times, tool magazine loadouts and tools themselves. One feature is making components with highly complex contours without limitation using only one FreeTurn tool. This flexibility ensures that complex component holding can be quickly and effectively adapted to the new machining situation.

With High Dynamic Turning and the FreeTurn tools, a new era in turning has arrived. In terms of efficiency, HDT exceeds the conventional turning process many times over and, as the experts from Ceratizit are convinced, will replace the classic approaches sooner rather than later. After all, the new turning technology will continue to open and reveal possibilities in the future to make turning processes faster and more precise.