Machining

Fives says the new Cranfield Precision TTG machine is a radically new concept. While conventional machine tool platforms use stacked linear axes as the primary motion control system, the Cranfield Precision range coordinates two rotary axes and a short linear axis in a "twin-turret" design.

GenSwiss, Westfield, Mass., recently partnered with Louis Belet SA to become the exclusive North American representative for Louis Belet precision carbide cutting tools and PCD-tipped milling tools, according to a Feb. 17 news release from Genevieve Swiss Industries Inc.

Precision, power and versatility enable the Palmgren Combination Bench Lathe and Mill to handle a wide range of turning operations normally associated with larger machines, according to a recent company news release.

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Co., Hoffman Estates, Ill., recently introduced two new precision boring heads with a patented damping system to eliminate vibration in deep-hole finish boring, according to a company news release.

Sandvik Coromant recently introduced a new endmill for small diameters, the CoroMill 390 with size 07 inserts is said to be a versatile cutter ideal for shoulder milling, deep shoulder milling, edging, linear and helical ramping, plunge milling, slot milling and face milling, according to the company.

Seco, Troy, Mich., recently expanded the roughing and semi-finishing performance capabilities of its Secomax CS100 sialon ceramic grade inserts by adding inserts with T-style edge preparation to the line, according to a company news release. Featuring a free-cutting, sharp geometry, the new inserts are said to bring strength, stability and performance longevity to the machining of nickel-based superalloys in unstable conditions.

Designed for large lot-size machining of big aluminum wheels or similar parts, the You Ji YV-600E2T Vertical Turning Center (VTC) is described as a compact, high-precision, heavy-duty machine suitable as a stand-alone machining cell or integrated with other machines to form a complete flexible manufacturing system, according to a Feb.

Sensofar Metrology, Terrassa, Spain, recently introduced the S lynx, a compact, high-resolution, non-contact 3D surface profiler, according to a company news release issued Feb. 10. The new surface profiler features Sensofar's key 3-in-1 technology approach, namely the integration of confocal, interferometry and focus variation techniques into the same sensor head.

Tungaloy Corp. has introduced the AH8000 series of PVD grades and chipbreakers for turning heat resistant alloys. The new PVD grades feature impressive resistance to both wear and fracture due to the world's first nano-multi-layered AlTiN coating with high Al content and dramatically reduces notch wear, crater wear and built-up edge in machining heat resistant alloys.

Multiple machine tool builders offer equipment for machining the helicopter transmission components Northstar Aerospace Inc. produces at its Bedford Park, Ill., facility, but not all are equally efficient in handling the task.

Technological advances in cutting tools, machine tools and toolholders have allowed machinists and manufacturing engineers to increase holemaking efficiency by eliminating the number of tools required to produce accurate holes. High-performance drills are the best example of these technological advances. In the past, it was common for a machinist to spot-drill, drill and then ream to achieve accurate hole geometry.