Cutting Tools & Tooling

Manufacturers, especially job shops, know better than most the pressures of ever-increasing customer demands and the equally demanding requirements to control costs. Multi-purpose tools have been one method many shops use to bridge the gap — excellent in certain materials and "good enough" in others to get the job done. Field tests are confirming the WIDIA VariTap delivers the best of both worlds: superior tapping performance in multiple work materials without sacrificing part quality or tool life.

Job shops around the world may have business and customer requirements unique to each company, but concerns on how to improve costs and secure more business are common to all. "Shops want more performance options, and at the same time don't want multiple, job- or material-specific tooling solutions tying up their inventory," says Mark Filosemi, global product manager, threading, grooving, and cut-off for WIDIA. "Where productivity is concerned, particularly in grooving, and cut-off, you have to have a versatile system to be serious. That's where the WIDIA WMT platform is a proven winner, because shops can do more with it."

A new electric O.D. clamping end prep tool for use on both thin-wall and heavy-wall tubes with a high percentage of chrome, especially in high purity applications, is being introduced by ESCO Tool.

When it comes to tool holding, value is all about precision and reliability that will transmit to the finished part. Hardinge says its toolholder collets, bushings and tool holders are designed and engineered for quality and durability.

Due to increased accuracy demands for angle encoders exceeding an inside diameter of 100mm, HEIDENHAIN has developed the EIB 1500 External Interface Box.

The chatter or vibration in metal cutting poses an eternal challenge for manufacturers. The ISCAR products of the latest HIGH QLINE family of cutting tools offer an interesting solution: Indexable Milling Insert with an asymmetric shape.

NAP Gladu is introducing a new line of disposable saw blades to the metal market.

In parting, or cut-off, operations, the objective is to efficiently and securely separate one part of the workpiece from the other. To achieve this, a straight cut is made to a depth that equals the radius of a bar, or workpiece.

Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. has introduced the uncoated BN7500 CBN Grade for high precision and high efficiency machining of powdered metal.

Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. adds MESI Chipbreaker for Swiss-style turning and small parts machining.

Sandvik Coromant Co. has expanded the CoroMill 176 range of full profile hobs for spur gears, helical gears and splines to incorporate module 3-10 applications.

Rigibore announced that it is entering the small-hole boring market.