Machining

As new composite materials are developed, parts manufacturers face new challenges when routing them. Fortunately, cutting tool manufacturers continually develop new solutions so parts manufacturers are not forced to cut tomorrow's composites with outdated routers.

Invited to join a 3-year academic project, a grinding wheel manufacturer turned to the Grinding Doc to determine whether such projects are worth the money and, more importantly, the time. For its part, the company is interested in evaluating its bond formulations.

Most folks who run an engine lathe often work on the ends of long shafts, or rods, that protrude unsupported out of the headstock. Depending on the shaft diameter and how much unsupported length sticks out, this operation can be dangerous because of the high potential for shaft whip.

Machine tool builder Zimmermann Inc., Wixom, Mich., the U.S. arm of Neuhausen, Germany-headquartered Zimmermann GmbH, specializes in very large machine tool installations. The company offers milling machines with working ranges from 2.5m to 30m (8.2' to 98.4') along the X-axis and from 3m to 6m (9.8' to 19.7') along the Y-axis.

Job shops commonly receive corrupted or "dirty" CAD files from their customers. These files must be cleaned or repaired before toolpaths for machining the workpiece can be created. Software solutions like SpaceClaim, developed by ANSYS Inc., can fix dirty models, with the end goal of creating "watertight" solids ready for machining.

GE Power opened its "Factory of the Future," the 125,000-sq.-ft. Advanced Manufacturing Works (AMW) facility in Greenville, S.C., with great fanfare in April 2016. So, what's futuristic about the place?

Seco Tools has expanded its family of PCBN insert grades to cover the entire spectrum of hard turning applications. Using a new bimodal substrate and nanolaminate coating process, these new inserts extend tool life and increase productivity in a broader range of applications.

Walter Surface Technologies announces the introduction of SST (Super Speed Tip) drill bits in the United States.

The ultrafine filtration of grinding oils and cooling lubricants is a specialized "discipline" in the overall process of the tool manufacturing. With their efficient and reliable technology, the German filtration specialist VOMAT says it has earned an excellent reputation in the metalworking industry.

CNC Software Inc., developers of Mastercam, in partnership with Sandvik Coromant, announces the integration of Sandvik Coromant CoroPlus ToolLibrary into the new release of Mastercam 2018. The integration of the CoroPlus ToolLibrary allows Mastercam customers to save significant time searching for desired tools and building 3D tool assemblies that can be brought directly into Mastercam via the ISO 13399 data format.

The increasing complexity of modern tool, die, mold and medical part designs call for a new level of 5-axis machine performance. The Makino D200Z 5-axis vertical machining center reportedly answers these challenges by combining the quickness of machine movements and accuracies with the latest software developments for high-precision, high-speed motion control.

Kitagawa NorthTech Inc. introduces a new series of grinding steady rests. The grinding steady rests feature two models supported with turnkey design, build and installation capabilities dedicated to grinding applications. The new fully retracting KRGU steady rests and GHS steady rests are suitable for grinding camshafts, crankshafts and other cylindrical applications where accuracy and repeatability are essential.