MACH 2014 - NCMT tooling preview

While two stands will focus on machine tools, tooling will be displayed on Stand 5058, in Hall 5 including: Kaiser precision boring bars; BIG Daishowa toolholders, cutting tools and accessories; a Speroni tool presetter; Xebec deburring tools; and Techni-Grip workholding products. A first for NCMT at MACH will be the presentation of the company's sole agency range of modular boring bars from 0.4 mm to 3 m in diameter manufactured by Kaiser Precision Tooling. The Swiss company recently introduced digital boring head options and these will be prominent at the show. All of the heads are geometrically similar to their analogue counterparts, so they can be exchanged without reprogramming. The digital versions offer greater precision and consistency of adjustment after measurement of the first hole, reducing the need for multiple corrections. Existing Kaiser accessories such as shanks, extensions, reductions, slides, boring bars and insert holders are compatible with the new digital tools. Additional features shared across the digital line-up include an IP 69K seal rating, the highest possible, and a coated body to ensure resistance to contamination and corrosion. The heads have through-spindle coolant capability with directional coolant ports. For ease of use, a single button operates the digital readout and the large, high contrast display shows diameter corrections to a resolution of 1 micron. The tool carrier's measuring system shows the movement of the cutting edge and permits diameter corrections in both directions. All of the electronic components in the digital boring heads have been developed and produced in-house, which Kaiser claims is unique in this industry. The new range of slim profile, hydraulic toolholders from BIG Daishowa will also be on display. There is a choice of BBT 30, 40 or 50 BIG Plus face-and-taper-contact back ends (compatible with BT spindle machines), or the HSK-A63 taper. Of slim design, the toolholders are suitable for machining precision features in restricted areas on components. Tool nose diameter ranges from 21 mm down to just 14 mm. Run-out accuracy is industry-leading, according to NCMT, at less than 3 micron when measured at 4D (a linear distance of four times shank diameter from the point of clamping). Each tool is pre-balanced. Across the range, cylindrical-shank cutters of 6 to 12 mm in diameter may be clamped and unclamped rapidly using a single screw and wrench, minimising production downtime. Repeatability of eccentricity is better than 1.5 micron. Maximum rotational speed is 35,000 rpm, making BIG Daishowa's slim hydraulic toolholders suited to finish milling, grinding, precision drilling and reaming applications in the aerospace, medical and mould and die industries. Elsewhere on the stand, a new face milling cutter will be introduced by BIG Daishowa for high speed finishing of cast iron, aluminium and other non-ferrous metals. Called Speed Finisher, it has inserts that are adjustable to within 1 micron of each other, resulting in a mirror-like machined finish using spindle speeds up to 20,000 rpm, it is claimed. In trials, an ADC12 aluminium die-cast crankcase was machined with coolant at 4,000 m/min cutting speed, 9,550 mm/min feed rate and 2.5 mm depth of cut to a mean roughness depth of Rz 0.55 micron. It allowed roughing and finishing to be combined into a single operation. When dry cutting an FC250 grey cast iron machine tool bed at 1,500 m/min surface speed, 3,600 mm/min feed rate and 2.0 mm depth of cut, an Rz of 0.67 micron was achieved together with 1-2 micron surface flatness. Rapid cutting height adjustment ensures minimum downtime. After clamping the insert, a finely-pitched screw raises or lowers it directly and precisely by turning a nut at the side. A bespoke presetter is available to reduce adjustment time to less than 15 seconds and improve accuracy further. The insert grade is either high density sintered DA2200 PCD for aluminium and non-ferrous metals, or CBN for cast iron. The low profile cutter body enhances the cutter's rigidity while reducing vibration and distortion and hence minimising the height differences in the machined surface. Low mass translates into light weight, allowing exceptional performance, even on small machine tools with 30-taper spindles, says NCMT. Speed Finisher comes in three diameters: 50, 63 and 80 mm. Another feature of the NCMT stand will be the Speroni STP Futura tool presetter with CNC control over the 50-taper vertical spindle as well as the X and Z axes, with fine linear adjustment completed by hand-wheels. Of rigid construction and designed for shop floor use, it incorporates a novel taper adaptor and a claw system that accommodates all pull stud designs, allowing changeover for setting different tool tapers in just eight seconds. Repeatability of positioning is to within 1 micron. As with all Speroni tool presetters, the thermo-balanced structure is made of artificially aged, pearlitic cast iron to ensure the equipment is fully isostatic and will not deform or distort over time or as the temperature changes. Unlike most presetter designs, the homogeneous structure avoids the drawbacks of systems that use light alloys and/or granite, which have different and unstable reactions to changes in temperature and the environment, says NCMT. There is consequently no need for frequent recalibrations during a shift due to temperature changes. The modular design and large number of configurations offer solutions tailored to almost every application, with potential to upgrade in the future. Both hardware and software are developed and produced in-house by Speroni, while peripheral equipment includes Schneeberger linear guideways, Heidenhain encoders, Sony CCD camera and Festo pneumatics. Made from heavy duty aluminium oxide (alumina) fibres, the range of abrasive brushes for the removal of heavy burrs from Xebec Technology, Japan, will make another appearance at MACH. The latest brushes, for aggressive deburring applications, are characterised by their blue colour. New this year is a range of tools for cross-hole deburring, allowing processing of inner walls of holes in all materials, even stainless steel and other difficult-to-cut metals. The brushes are made from multiple rods with self-sharpening tips, each rod consisting of 500 alumina fibre filaments containing 70% alumina by weight and measuring 25 micron in diameter. The tools are used on static platforms such as machining centres, mills, drilling machines and special-purpose machine tools, but are equally suitable for mounting on industrial robots. Versions are also available for hand-held power tools. Dozens or hundreds of parallel rods, depending on tool size, go to make up the hollow, cylindrical tool rather like an elongated cup. The rods are prevented from splaying under centrifugal force by a metal sleeve featuring an ID that is approximately the same as the OD of the tool. Tools are from 6 to 100 mm in diameter. The thicker blue fibres enable burrs of 1 mm to be tackled, such as those produced during hobbing or pressworking. On flat surfaces, processing performance is said to be four times higher. Despite the fast metal removal rate, the tools wear slowly due to their high alumina content and resistance to high temperatures. They are also tolerant of water- and oil-based coolants, although the brushes are equally capable of cutting dry. Another agency agreement signed by NCMT since the last MACH show allows it to sell exclusively in the UK the patented workholding systems manufactured in the US by Techni-Grip. These products will therefore also be new at the show. An alternative to the traditional machine vice for component clamping during CNC metalworking, the system provides secure clamping for single or multiple parts and can reduce the number of operations required for machining components, especially those of more complex design, says NCMT. The patented, repeatable workholding system is based on a pin-and-hole design for consistent, positive location combined with a dovetail cut for gripping strength. The holes and dovetail are machined into each billet in a short preparatory cycle before clamping. Techni-Grip claims numerous advantages for its workholding system. The concept is to increase profitability by standardising billet preparation and set-up, and to reduce the number of fixtures needed by up to 80%. According to Techni-Grip, further benefits include easy workpiece set-up and removal, and a reduction in excess material required for clamping while eliminating dimensional distortion caused by conventional vice pressure. By locating on two pins and holding on to just 2.5 to 3.0 mm of material, Techni-Grip units allow a cutter virtually unrestricted access to the component being machined. No clamps, vice handles or other fixture accessories are needed. The system allows the programmer and setter/operator to use fixed workpiece datums, reducing set-up and cycle times, sometimes dramatically, says NCMT.