Milling

Iron's everywhere. The turbines in those big windmills popping up all over the place. Engine blocks, transmission cases, and turbocharger housings. The pumps that bring water to our faucets and the hydraulic manifolds that put the "move" into earthmoving machinery. Without iron, none of these would be possible.

A new, electric portable pipe machining tool that is a powerful alternative to pneumatic tools for end prepping boiler tubes and other pipe fabrication work has been introduced by Esco Tool. The ESCO MILLHOG Mini Electric Pipe Beveling Tool rigidly mounts to the tube or pipe ID and is suitable for end prepping heavy-wall stainless steel pipe and other highly alloyed metals when compressed air is not available.

The new MD133 Supreme milling cutter from Walter, designed specifically for dynamic milling, delivers increased process reliability, particularly during unmanned operation. It reportedly boosts productivity thanks to a higher metal-removal rate and a reduction in machining time.

DUO-LOCK from Kennametal Inc. is a modular endmill with the performance of solid carbide. It uses a proprietary, double-cone locating surface similar to that of Kennametal's KM or KM4X tooling design, assuring "not to exceed" radial runout values of 5 μm (.0002 in.) and Z-axis coupling repeatability of 10 μm (.0004 in.) or better.

Maintaining constant cutting forces provides a constant radial tool engagement throughout the entire cut, which eliminates spikes in the cutting forces. This approach allows the programmer to take a larger axial DOC while simultaneously maintaining a high feed rate and extending tool life.

Machining Inconel 718 and similar heat-resistant superalloys (HRSAs) at cutting speeds normally reserved for aluminum is not only possible but becoming an accepted practice at some aerospace OEMs.

Customers have been asking for a new carbide grade to machine titanium 6Al4V at higher cutting speeds compared to increasing feed rates or increasing depth of cuts in that result in increased cutting forces imposed on the workpiece, fixtures and machine spindles.

Knuth Machine Tools USA Inc. says its X.mill M 900 provides long life and has a 30-bar ICS system (inside coolant supply).

CHIRON introduces its new vertical twin-spindle 5-axis machining center, DZ08 FX Precision. The machine includes contact-free linear direct drives in the X. Y and Z axes. These drives bring the spindles faster to optimum feed rates and permit increased traverse rates.

Walter has introduced the Walter has introduced the M2471, a copy milling cutter with excellent cost efficiency thanks to its high metal-removal rate -- even on low performance machines, coupled with lower cutting material costs resulting from its eight cutting edges (four per side) per insert.

Entering the workpiece is an essential part of optimizing tool life and reducing vibrations. The roll-in method allows you to softly and smoothly enter the workpiece. Inserts are eased into the cut following the golden rule of milling: a thick chip on entry and a thin chip on exit.

If you have ever had parts or components CNC milled, you probably have a good understanding of the process. However, unless you have had custom products manufactured, you may not be aware of everything that goes hand-in-hand with custom CNC milling.