ANCA’s global fact-finding tour delivers new grinding enhancements

The improvements include: Variable Helix allows customers to create tools that are stronger, are less likely to experience chatter and maintain excellent chip flow. The helix is variable not only along the length of the tool, but also on the land and the relief angle. Chisel Edge Ballnose feature offers the ability to design ballnose endmills with a specified chisel angle and web thickness, while still maintaining a true ball shape on the cutter. The ball centre will not only be strong and more accurate, but also will have better cutting properties than a conventional ballnose. Constant Helix Ballnose extends the helix across the ball giving a longer cutting edge than a traditional ballnose cutter. This extends tool life, increases material removal and allows for faster cutting speeds. Fluting operation enhancements will allow different infeed per pass and variable feedrate along the length of the flute. This will optimize material removal, which reduces both the grinding cycle time and wheel wear, and therefore lowers the cost of the finished tool. iView users see the addition of user-set tolerance bands on the tool profile which will make visual inspection of tool profile much quicker. Also, the ability to create (Adobe) PDF format tool measurement reports is added. ANCA’s patented 3D CIMulator program too has had a number of important new features added to the newest Version 5.0. Collision Detection, which highlights where elements other than the desired grinding wheel are hitting the tool or machine - further reducing setup time and cost associated with scrap parts. Cycle Time Estimator allows customers to more quickly optimize grinding cycle setup while off line and helps in production planning. Tool Edge DXF Output will facilitate the use of actual tool models in 2D CAD tool drawings commonly used by tool manufacturers. Side, end face and cross-sectional views can now easily be obtained using this feature.