Sandvik Coromant to open Composites Centre in France

This move follows on from the co-operation agreement between the Swedish tooling company and Precorp Inc, which saw the creation of a joint solutions provider for composite machining. Together, the pair provide unique products using PCD vein technology and innovative carbide solutions, as well as application know-how for the composites industry. PCD vein technology sees a precision sintered slot of PCD incorporated onto the cutting edge, improving the quality and efficiency of the tool. Sandvik Coromant broke the news of its Composites Centre ahead of the Paris Air Show 2011 (20-26 June at Le Bourget Airport, Paris), where it will exhibit from a 60 sq m stand. The event will sees the cutting tool and tooling systems specialist to demonstrate its comprehensive range of tooling for machining all aerospace materials, including titanium alloys, HRSAs, aluminium and composites – the latter in co-operation with Precorp. The company will show it can offer optimised solutions for the machining of typical engine parts, such as turbine discs and casings, fan discs and casings, spools, shafts and blisks/impellors. The company can offer likewise for frame parts that include fuselage landing gear beams, wing boxes, wing pylon brackets, wing ribs, trailing edge carriages, flap/slat tracks and pylon thrust fittings. One area of special emphasis at the Paris Air Show will be the recently introduced new geometries for T-Max P inserts, which are designed specifically to turn challenging ISO S materials, such as titanium alloys and HRSAs. The geometries operate with low tool pressure to bring chip control in focus and meet calls from the aerospace industry for optimised performance, productivity, process security and surface finish. On composites, recent solutions coming out of its Aerospace Application Centre in the UK, says the company, include cemented carbide, diamond coated and PCD vein tools adapted for hole, edge and surface machining applications in composites.