SiC Chip Demand Surges - heavy chip carbide insert

One of the major improvements in HSS drills has come from an evolving design. According to Garud, a wider flute design allows for better chip evacuation and helps with flood (external) coolant as well as pecking.

Developments in the local manufacturing sector have led to the demand for automatic machine tools and growth in the CNC machine tools market in the years ahead. Developing industries require high-precision and complex parts, driving the demand for sophisticated CNC machines capable of intricate designs and tight tolerances.

FANUC South Africa will be launching the new α-D28LiB5 ADV Plus Y500, with 28 tool turret, and extended Y axis travel up to 500mm. The company will also demonstrate its full range of products, including the FANUC Robodrill, a compact machining centre that offers high speed with high reliability and the FANUC Robocut, a wire EDM, with the latest CNC for easy operation and high precision cutting.

Under certain conditions, particularly when the operator with a hand drill begins to suffer fatigue, a carbide option has the potential to break, whereas the HSS option will stand up better to that flex.

"Coatings generally increase a tool’s hardness and its lubricity," he said. "Hardness allows for the tool to resist wear. Lubricity allows for the tool to move through material while avoiding built-up edge, which is material galling or sticking to the drill. It also lowers temperatures the tool is exposed to while cutting, further increasing tool life."

"These drills are suitable for non-ferrous materials because they typically have a sharp edge," said Dimitroff, "Whereas carbide drills typically have a honed edge to combat the brittleness of carbide material. Non-ferrous metals are also very soft and do not cause tools to wear as much as steel alloys. They are also suitable for interrupted cuts due to their higher toughness."

Luminoso has a bachelor of arts from Carleton University, a bachelor of education from Ottawa University, and a graduate certificate in book, magazine, and digital publishing from Centennial College.

The demand for machining tools capable of handling advanced materials like composites and high-strength alloys is on the rise. Precision machining for applications in aerospace, automotive, and medical industries are becoming increasingly important.

Other developments in the machine tools market include the growing emphasis on automation in manufacturing processes. Machine tools equipped with robotics and automation are becoming more popular, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.

Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Metalworking.

The Walter Titex A1249XPL HSS drill’s wider flute design allows for better chip evacuation and helps with flood (external) coolant as well as pecking. Photo courtesy of Walter USA.

Puma Machine Tools will launch the BFC Plus 3015 laser machine at MTA 2024. This new machine sets a new standard for productivity and cost-effectiveness and is equipped with a TruFiber Laser from TRUMPF. Fitted with electric press brake, the TPE8 series is powered by a direct-drive servo motor for supreme precision and stability. The new laser machine will demonstrate how to laser cut sheet metal, in the form of a specialised ruler and geometry stencil. The company will demonstrate various other DN Solutions, ViciVision, and Iemca machines at MTA 2024.

For more information and to register to attend, visit the Machine Tools Africa website www.machinetoolsafrica.co.za

The Machine Tools Africa exhibition is an event by the Machine Tool Merchants’ Association of South Africa (MTMA), and organised by Specialised Exhibitions, a division of the Montgomery Group. Recognised as the essential machine tools exhibition in Africa, the expo is designed to showcase the very latest global machine tool technology and to highlight the importance of local suppliers and their international manufacturing partners. The Machine Tools Africa exhibition is seen as a crucial platform for business to connect with potential customers and for visitors search of new products, technologies, and trends.

Cormier added that another improvement was reinforcing the center web of a HSS drill, particularly when it came to hand drilling operations.

"The ability to flex has becomes a big advantage in unstable conditions—older machines with poor spindle runouts, loose slideways or fixtures, and in many other situations," said Sarang Garud, product manager, marketing, Walter USA LLC.

The experts agreed that adding enrichments and coatings is another way to improve the drilling process. For example, adding an oxide treatment will enable the HSS to withstand heat better, allowing the drill to be used at faster RPMs.

Also in CNC machines, BMG will launch the patented digital 3D taster from Haff & Schreider at MTA 2024. The innovation makes 3-dimensional setting of the zero point on CNC machines easy and more accurate without having to add expensive point references.

The demand for energy-efficient machine tools is growing as manufacturers seek to reduce operational costs and minimise environmental impact. This trend is being driven by regulatory requirements as well as growing social awareness.

"For the longest time that web was consistently straight, meaning the gullets were consistent the whole way back on the drill," he explained. "We made the gullets less deep as you work your way back to the shank and then that centre web tapered bigger, making the drill more robust to withstand the rigors of all the hand drilling."

Hi-Tech Machine Tools will be unveiling the latest Mazak CNC Machines running the latest Smooth CNC Controls at MTA 2024. The 3 Mazak CNC Machines: the Mazak Variaxis C600, the Mazak VCN600 and the Mazak HCN6800 Neo with 2 Pallet changer, will be cutting demonstrations utilising the company’s various products. Blaser Swisslube Synergy 735 coolant to lubricate and cool the Hofmann & Vratny cutting tool held by the Albrecht Precision holders. Parts programmed in hyperMILL and held by 5th Axis Workholding.

The HX Jobber drill series combines the strength of HSS with a 135-degree split point to allow lower thrust requirements, improved cutting action, and reduced walking. Photo courtesy of Dormer Pramet.

It really depends on a shop’s holemaking frequency and overall manufacturing strategy. A small or medium-size job shop that produces only one part that has eight holes in it may not need to spend a significant amount of money on a drill. It can choose the HSS option, and although it may produce holes slower, the overall cost per hole is also reduced.

Machine tools is an integral part of the manufacturing industry, and directly impacts the economy of any country. The machine tools sector in Africa provides numerous prospects for investment, motivated by demand from the aerospace, automotive and energy sectors. There are several new trends influencing the Machine Tools market in Africa and driving the growth of the industry going forward.

Carbide drills have substantially taken over high-speed steel (HSS) drills in the industry. Before 2000 the market split between carbide and HSS drills was at about 50-50. The market share for HSS slowly shrank and today it sits roughly at 10 to 15 per cent of all drill purchases. However, millions of holes still are being made with HSS drills.

Lindsay Luminoso, sr. editor/digital editor, contributes to both Canadian Metalworking and Canadian Fabricating & Welding. She worked as an associate editor/web editor, at Canadian Metalworking from 2014-2016 and was most recently an associate editor at Design Engineering.

Integration of 3D printing with traditional manufacturing processes is increasingly being explored. This hybrid approach aims to combine the benefits of both technologies for a more flexible and efficient manufacturing. Visitors to the show can look forward to discovering more about these technologies.

These characteristics help improve tool life as HSS drills tend to spend less time in the cut because of their material softness.

When HSS drills were first entering the market, they often came with a chisel point. The centre of the drill didn’t turn very fast but pushed and extruded the material until the lips could come and cut it.

These different alloying elements can be made through powdered metallurgy. Beyond this, the addition of tip coatings such as TiAlN, TiCN, and CrN can improve heat resistance and the ability to run at faster speeds.

DNE Laser will showcase solutions for the sheet metal industry at Machine Tools Africa. The company’s Evolving Fiber Laser technology aims to take customers to higher levels of efficiency and productivity.

Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Fabricating & Welding.

According to Garud, if the machine doesn’t have a coolant-through option, these drills can be used with the pecking cycle. The overall process is slow, but this allows the machine to be used. He added that some shops also opt for HSS drills when producing holes in expensive parts.

Cormier said that HSS drills are also used in hand drilling applications, which are numerous. Millions upon millions of holes are drilled by hand. He gives the examples of aircraft skins and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). Using a HSS drill with split points enables quick entry into the material with no walking. If the drill wants to walk or move to the side, the hole won’t start in the right position, which could be extremely detrimental in precision positions on an aircraft. When a hole is being drilled to hold the skin on the wing or fuselage, you certainly want it in its exact location.

All the latest trends in Machine Tools will be on display at Machine Tools Africa exhibition, taking place from 21-24 May 2024 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec, where industry leaders will have the opportunity to engage on the latest industry trends and technological developments in the machine tools market.

In line with this Chemical Solutions and Innovations (CSI) will be presenting Evaporator Technology – an efficient process to treat industrial wastewater and the modern technological advancements of metal working fluids to improve the protection of both human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. CSI’s supplier WSI has developed South Africa’s first industrial water waste treatment machine that uses Evaporator technology to efficiently treat industrial water waste.

Keep up to date with the latest news, events, and technology for all things metal from our pair of monthly magazines written specifically for Canadian manufacturers!

The experts said that HSS drills are commonly used in the aerospace industry where deep reach but shallow hole depth is needed. Cormier added that drilling is a multimillion-dollar business in Canada’s aerospace industry with players like Bombardier, MHI, IMP, KF Aerospace, Asco, Avcorp, and more producing millions of holes.

"If the HSS drill breaks inside the part, it can be drilled out," said Garud. "If a carbide drill breaks inside an expensive part, it can be very hard to remove. Also, smaller shops have always liked HSS for cost if not performance. Particularly with small and medium series production, with unstable machining conditions and always when toughness is required, users continue to rely on drilling tools in high- speed steel."

Retecon will launch a new portable self-centering N.K.O Stinger 300 bevelling system for preparing weld surfaces on pipes and tubes. The new 1000 series fiber laser and press brakes produced by TRUMPF CN are well suited for the local sheet metal industry with an impressive price-performance ratio. The company will also display the all new TruBend 5000 series for high-level accuracy CNC bending. Retecon will also launch the first of its kind in South Africa, the AL-FLAK 900 from Alpha Laser. The AL-FLAK offers wire welding and powder cladding of tooling and shafts for rapid repair and return to service.

"Cobalt enrichment improves the drill productivity," said Garud. "Typically, 5 to 8 per cent enrichment adds strength and wear resistance. Vanadium adds heat resistance, providing some ability to run at slightly higher speeds."

HSS drills commonly are found in machine shops with low-volume runs in which some holes are being drilled but not too many per shift. They are also suited for shops where the equipment’s cutting speeds are limited, applications with heavy interruptions, and weak setups. In these situations, HSS drills prove to be an economical option.

"A lot of job shops, even though they might have a machine that runs coolant-through, will tend to use HSS drills because of the cost," said Cormier. "They’re not making a million of anything so they don’t need to worry about the run time in the same way as someone like Linamar, where they are making millions of holes. They would opt for a solid-carbide drill because, for them, savings of seconds per hole can equate to weeks’ worth of production savings on a single shift."

"HSS drills have higher toughness and lower hardness when compared to their carbide counterparts," said Adam Dimitroff, application engineer, OSG Canada.

Our experts agreed that when a machine does not have internal coolant capabilities, HSS drills are the first choice for drilling stainless steel materials.

"In aerospace manufacturing, it’s common to see longer-length drills," said Cormier. "Whether it’s a 6-in.- or 12-in.-long drill, the fluting part is only at the front because they’re only drilling through a little material, but have to reach into places to drill. We also see drills with adaptive shanks, which allow the drill to reach around the corner to drill the hole, like in the side beam of a fuselage. This style of drill drills at a 90-degree angle; the operator is holding it straight but it’s drilling on the side with a threaded shank that’s on the HSS drill, which actually makes the hole."

"Today’s HSS drills have been configured to include split points that are able to grab the material and enter quickly, making accurate holemaking easier," said Dan Cormier, regional sales manager, Dormer Pramet.

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Dormer’s A012 TiN tip drill resists flank and crater wear and has low friction, promoting higher cutting speeds. Photo courtesy of Dormer Pramet.

Typically, HSS drills have a 118-degree angle on the drill point, although in recent years many manufacturers have introduced drills with 135-degree and 140-degree angles. A 135-degree drill is flatter than a 118-degree option, allowing the cutting lips to engage with the material sooner and begin full metal cutting action quickly. However, the 118-degree option remains the standard configuration.