Category: Cutting Tools

MAPAL: Milling Fibre-Reinforced Plastics

The High Requirements of Milling Fibre-Reinforced Plastics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Machining Task

The machining of CFRPs (carbon fibre reinforced plastics) places high requirements on the tools used, their geometries and coatings. Due to the abrasiveness of carbon fibres in relation to the cutting material, standard tools very rapidly become blunt and the end of tool life is reached after only a few parts. To be able to cut carbon fibres that are laid in a matrix form, increased performance at the cutting edge is required. This statement applies above all if the carbon fibre content is more than 60 %. On milling the peripheral contour on a 21 mm thick structural part for a sports car, the customer had a clear requirement to double the tool life from the previous 10 parts to 20.

The Challenge

The challenge is to keep the milling tool sharp and therefore to prevent delamination at the part edges produced. In this way expensive, manual re-work is saved. At the same time, the issue is to reduce the machining time and to realise long tool lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mapal Solution

The eight cutting edge, diamond coated solid carbide end milling cutter OptiMill-Composite-Speed has a high performance geometry with a serration. This serration makes possible improved chip removal and therefore an extremely high volume of chips in one machining step. As a result the machining is undertaken using only one tool in one step and the roughing step necessary previously is saved. With twice the feed and three times the material removal rate the tool life is increased fourfold and the quality requirements in relation to surface roughness reliably achieved. As a result the customer’s expectation in relation to tool life were exceeded by a further 20 parts.

The MAPAL Effect

  • Four times the tool life reduces the tool costs
  • Doubled feed halves the machining time
  • Only 1 machining step

 

 

 

Gear Machining Solutions with Horn Tools

Complete machining of a Cyclo-Palloid Gear with HORN Tooling:

Horn has developed highly efficient gear machining processes for the Gear Industry.  We showcase here an example of machining a Cyclo-Palloid Gear with a HORN tooling solution.  The wide profile is opened with a custom multi-row M279 milling cutter, then the flanks are alternately roughed. The root diameter is machined with a DS cutter, the flanks are finished with a DGVZ tool and the sharp edges are chamfered with a DS cutter.

 

 

We showcase below another example of Gear Cutting with Horn Tools, from the machining of the Cyclo-Palloid Gear Teeth to the machining of External and Internal Splines by Broaching and Power Skiving.

 

 

Click here for the full range of Horn Milling Solutions.

Please contact us for any information you would like to have on any of the products showcased in this video.

 

 

Horn Mini 108: Targeted Chip Breaking

We are pleased to showcase the HORN Mini system 108 with threading geometry suitable for turning ISO metric internal threads in partial and full profile. The chip breaker geometry enables the production of short chips, even with hard-to-cut and long-chipping materials. This reduces the risk of chip build-up and prevents swarf from becoming entangled around the tool holder, increasing process reliability. Targeted chip breaking also makes it easier to handle chips.

 

Click here for the full range of Horn Grooving Solutions.

Please contact us for any information you would like to have on any of the products showcased in this video.  Depending on your location, we have the possibility to offer a demo of Horn Tooling solutions.

 

Horn Circular Interpolation

In this showcase we show the Internal and External machining of components using Horn milling inserts by Circular Interpolation. In this example, we show the concepts using the Horn 328, 628, 313, 328, 632 and 932 Milling systems.

 

Click here for the full range of Horn Milling Solutions.

Please contact us for any information you would like to have on any of the products showcased in this video.  Depending on your location, we have the possibility to offer a demo of Horn Tooling solutions.

 

 

Long Tool Life and Greater Flexibility for the 64T Grooving System

 

Horn has developed the new IG35 coating for economical machining of Stainless Steels. Based on the latest technology, this new coating offers high hardness and a low coefficient of friction. Due to the thicker coating required when machining stainless steels, standard types based on aluminium titanium nitride (AlTiN) are not always the most economical solution. Use of state-of-the-art coating technologies increases the hardness and lowers the friction.

As a result, IG35 demonstrates significant advantages when machining stainless steels, reducing the risk of built-up edges and offering longer tool life. Compared with existing coatings, IG35 came out on top in wide-ranging tests, with tool life doubled or even tripled in some cases. A copper-coloured top layer helps to improve wear detection.

Horn is also expanding its existing tooling systems and is now offering new solutions for its S64T grooving system tool holders. In addition to square shanks in various designs, users can now also clamp the six-edged indexable insert in cartridges.

These are available from stock in a variety of cutting widths for the insert seat. The clamping cartridges are used in particular with HSK holders and the 960 modular system offered by Horn. The tried-and-tested S64T grooving system is available in a variety of cutting widths. The system can easily be adapted to different machining tasks using various standard chip breaker geometries. The insert is available with a variety of coatings including the new IG35 variety.

Please contact us for more information on the new IG35 Coating and S64T Cartridge System.