Technicut opts for Alicona technology in support of cutting tool R&D

Technicut provides innovative and high performance rotary tooling solutions to the aerospace and allied industries. As part of this, the company needs to understand fully the effect of edge geometry, edge prepping and surface finish on the standard and custom tools manufactured and has purchased the InfiniteFocus Edgemaster. Manufacturing director Warwick Spearing explains: "We've used optical 3D measurement to verify edge rounding for a number of years, but the Alicona system offers some significant advantages particularly for R&D and analysis of wear mechanisms. "The resolution, which now goes down to 20nm, allows the extreme detail of the cutting edge to be checked, including direct surface roughness measurement, even of polished surfaces. The software options are also very impressive and the 'Difference' module allows us to overlay new and used cutting edges for detailed analysis of wear. We are always working to improve tool performance in order to offer our customers the best possible value and the Alicona system in now an essential part of that process." The InfiniteFocus EdgeMaster is an optical 3D measurement device to automatically measure cutting tools, regardless of type, size, material or surface finish. Users can measure edge radii > 2 micron, as well as wedge and clearance angle of cutting edges and surface finish on all types of inserts and shaft tools.