Solid carbide high-precision torus milling cutter G-Mould µ65 T The new high-precision milling cutter with torus geometry also impresses when copy milling and finishing hardened moulds. The programme ranges from 0.3mm to 12mm and includes a large number of different corner radii sizes. You have the choice between five different tool lengths.

May 17, 2022 - US manufacturers Star Cutter Company and Garr Tool have jointly developed an innovative 5-axis CNC machine tool that completely automates the production of complex profile end mills–from blank to finished tool.   Star Cutter Company specializes in carbide and preform manufacturing, cutting tools and CNC machines for tool/cutter grinding and hob sharpening. Founded in Detroit back in 1927, the company nowadays operates six manufacturing facilities at strategic locations throughout Michigan. Its Elk Rapids Engineering division is responsible for the renowned Star brand of CNC tool and cutter grinders.   Garr Tool is the USA’s leading manufacturer of high-performance solid carbide cutting tools. From humble beginnings with Fred Leppien in his garage in 1944, it now operates a state-of-the-art 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility in central Michigan with over 150 CNC grinders. Garr Tool specializes in solid carbide cutting tools, including end mills, drills, reamers and routers.   Garr Tool makes extensive use of CNC automation, including tool grinding machines from Ulmer Werkzeugschleiftechnik (UWS) and Star-Cutter. All of these machines are based on control technology supplied by the specialist CNC company NUM. Star Cutter, for example, has partnered with NUM for cooperative development of application-specific CNC hardware and software since 1998, and nowadays bases nearly all its machine tools on NUM’s open-architecture Flexium+ CNC platform.   According to John Leppien II, vice president of Garr Tool, “We use NUM’s NUMROTO software for tool production and reconditioning on all of our Star and UWS machines. Our operators regard it as very flexible and user-friendly, and we find that it encourages interdepartmental knowledge sharing and also helps to reduce our training overheads.”   A few years back, Garr Tool began producing a series of large diameter tools for use on high torque machines employed in the aerospace industry; however, manufacturing the tools involved multiple machines and multiple processes. The company therefore embarked on a collaborative project with Star Cutter’s Elk Rapids Engineering team, to develop a multi-process machine capable of handling the entire production task. The result was a 2018 development of a Star CNC Tool grinder which included NUMROTO end mill software, cylindrical grind, along with linear motors and drives, with all 5 axes on a closed loop chiller/coolant system. This thermally stable machine allows Garr Tool to maintain .001” in diameter on the OD of these tools during lights out for 48 hour unattended runs.   Star's latest machine, the NXT tool and cutter grinder, now also incorporates these same features that were introduced to Garr Tool. Based on NUM’s Flexium+ CNC system and NUMROTO software, this new 5-axis machine tool features linear motors instead of ball screws on the X, Y and Z axes, direct drive torque motors on the B and C rotary axes, and a liquid-cooled spindle motor. There is a choice of three different types of spindle motor, to best suit application needs; these include a very high speed unit capable of 24,000 rpm, and a very high power unit rated at 28 kW.   The NXT has an exceptionally small footprint (including the spindle/axis chiller) of just 7’ 6’’ x 6’ 6” (2300 x 2032 mm), and an installed height of only 7’ 5” (2284 mm). These dimensions mean that the machine can easily be accommodated on the shop floor, where space is often at a premium. The base of the machine is cast in Zanite Plus polymer composite to ensure mechanical rigidity and thermal stability.   Despite its diminutive size, the NXT offers a substantial grind zone, with maximum X, Y and Z travels of 19.7”, 25.6” and 29.5” (500 mm, 650 mm and 750 mm) respectively. The machine can accommodate up to 15” (381 mm) end work and up to 10” (254 mm) diameter parts. Automated wheel changing and probing is standard with up to 8” (203 mm) diameter wheels, and the NXT can also run up to 10” (254 mm) diameter wheels with coolant manifolds and up to 12” (305 mm) diameter wheels without.   The ability to use large diameter grinding wheels for profiling applications or small, sub 1” (25 mm) diameter wheels for PCD pocket grinding on the same machine introduces a remarkable level of production flexibility.   Star Cutter’s new NXT tool and cutter grinder features a fully integrated Fanuc 200iD compact 6-axis short arm robot to facilitate fully automated processing of round and flat tool blanks; the standard gripper can handle from 5 mm to 32 mm blanks, with other options available. In-process measurement data is fed directly to the CNC system’s NUMROTO software, to provide adaptive real-time control of the entire grinding process.   Based on a modular architecture, the NXT is designed for ease of integration with other forms of industrial automation and handling robots. An extensive range of factory-build and retrofit options include a traveling W-axis and a 12,000 rpm wheel dresser.   Aaron Remsing, Jr. Sales Manager for Star Cutter’s Elk Rapids Engineering Division, pointed out: “We believe that the NXT is the smallest and most capable CNC tool and cutter grinder on the market. Even though it is an evolutionary design, its performance is nothing short of revolutionary.”

For further details contact Gühring South Africa on TEL: 041 372 2047/46/43/38 or email info@guhring.co.za

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MicroMill µ55 U This new, μ-precise micro milling cutter meets high demands in the micro range. Thanks to the narrowest tolerances and precise concentricity, you can achieve surfaces of very high quality. A FEM-optimised radius angle transition also ensures maximum radial rigidity and low deflection. The innovative GuhroJet internal cooling increases the service life of the tool and ensures process reliability. Choose from a large selection of full and corner radii as well as corner chamfers and three different lengths. The diameters are closely graduated and range from 0.2mm to 3mm.

Harder substrate and extremely smooth layer Because high-strength and hardened steels are machined in mould making, Gühring have adapted their substrate to these materials. It is now around 200 HV harder and finer-grained. This ultra-hard solid carbide substrate guarantees very good edge stability and thus process-reliable tool life in hard machining. The precision blanks also have optimised shank tolerances in the h5 range and are µ-precise in diameter, concentricity and roundness. The radius tolerances are even in the range of +/- 5µm.

Reliable chip removal when milling is the basic requirement for good surfaces. For this reason, the dimensions and neck transition geometries of the new milling cutters have been optimised for use in deep and narrow contours. In addition, all micro milling cutters in the new range consist of turret blanks with GuhroJet peripheral cooling. With this innovative technology for internal cooling, the chips are removed directly and safely from the machining zone using air, MQL or cooling lubricant.

Star Cutter and Garr Tool are developing innovative multi-process CNC machine tools for complete end mill manufacturing.

G-Mould µ65 F and G-Mould µ48 F Gühring’s cylindrical high-precision finishing cutters G-Mould µ65 F for hardened workpieces and G-Mould µ48 F for soft workpieces enable maximum angular accuracy and exact fits when finishing guides and pockets in mould plates.

The layer system was also specially adapted for mould making. Thanks to a Perrox coating, which is produced using the HiPiMS process, the tool surfaces are extremely smooth and the wear resistance is therefore very high. Thanks to this combination of carbide, coating and geometry, you can achieve a significant increase in performance with the new high-precision milling cutters, both in soft and harder materials up to 65 HRC and even in high-alloy or powder-metallurgical tool steels.

The demands that mould makers place on cutting tools are high. After all, these are responsible for over 90% of the product quality. However, perfect part quality can only be achieved with tools that guarantee process reliability, precision and repeatability. Gühring has launched a new range of milling cutters especially for mould making to meet these requirements.

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Solid carbide high-precision full radius milling cutter G-Mould µ65 B With its high-precision full radius geometry, the new solid carbide milling cutter is suitable for copy milling and finishing moulds. The dimensions range from 0.2mm to 12mm and are graded in 5 different lengths to suit the application.

Highest angle and fitting accuracies Gühring’s μ-precise solid carbide milling cutters have a stable core geometry and an optimised flute profile. Both reduce deflection during milling and ensure stability, which is reflected in a very high level of contour accuracy. The tools are therefore suitable for finishing high-precision fits and guides with exact angular accuracy.

Whether plastic, metal, glass or chocolate, raw materials only become products through moulding. But because these moulds depict the surfaces of the later components, the highest level of precision is required. Only a perfectly manufactured mould can produce an end product whose tolerances and surfaces have the required quality, even without reworking.

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