Time is money. This applies to all industries, but in particular to the field of mould and die. Competitive pressure is high here, and in order to remain economical, manufacturing cycles need to keep getting shorter. One milling strategy has proven its worth here: “Gühring Trochoidal Cutting” or, for short: GTC milling.

The RF 100 AL Micro offers an outstanding combination of precision, efficiency and process reliability, making it the first choice when machining aluminium, copper and brass. With its innovative properties this tool raises the bar for micro-machining.

Trochoidal machiningmachine

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Many times we are asked at Insaco if we could machine a thin metal rod, or drill a small metal plate, often requiring extremely tight tolerances and precision cuts. Unfortunately we don’t machine metal or plastic materials. We specialize in hard materials such as sapphire, ceramic, aluminum nitride, boron carbide, silicon nitride, and zirconia, to name just a few.

Insaco is a machine shop specializing in ceramic materials. We don’t make these materials but rather process them into something more valuable through our precision machining capabilities. This allows us to be unbiased when it comes to making recommendations as to what material is best suited for a specific application. With over 85,000 square feet dedicated to the diamond grinding of these hard materials, we have become a global leader in this specialized field.

During hard machining in mould and die processes, stock on the component often has to be removed quickly and evenly. Under optimal conditions (HSC), dynamic milling can be used here. While most competitors only offer two-fluted milling cutters for this purpose, the G-Mold 55 B is available as a four-fluted variant. By spreading the process over twice the number of cutting edges, the machining time can be almost halved.

Trochoidalmeaning

The G-Mold 65 U from Gühring is particularly suitable for the GTC milling of hardened moulds and mould inserts. Its precise geometry ensures high contour accuracy during dynamic milling. This means that complex moulds and contours can be machined with the highest level of precision. At the same time, the end mill has an FEM-optimised radius angle transition, which ensures high radial stiffness and low deflection. This ensures stable milling results and minimises vibrations. In materials such as heat-treated steel with up to 65 HRC, the G-Mold 65 U manages to halve the runtime during pre-finishing when used in a GTC milling process.

For example, Insaco recently replaced a ferrous metal roller used in a metal bending application with a ceramic roller. Since these ceramic rollers have yet to be replaced, this has resulted in the elimination of any downtime. Pumping and metering chemically aggressive fluids is another application in which metal parts have been replaced.

Trochoidalmilling vs conventional milling

This allows for selecting material based on the most important material property required and allows for versatility in selecting material which makes the most sense.

Using a high-quality starting material, we are capable of achieving a surface finish of less than 4 micro-inches on an inside diameter of a ceramic tube. This surface finish allows for the plastic plunger to last longer than metal, again reducing downtime and costly field service calls. Insaco have also used various ceramic materials as stops in lapping applications, allowing for precision thickness lapping and extending wear life compared to more conventional metal stops.

The RF 100 Speed P is specially adapted for machining steel, high-strength steel and cast materials and ensures maximum metal removal rates and outstanding process reliability for roughing and finishing up to 48 HRC. The solid carbide milling cutter is perfectly suited for trochoidal milling. The entire cutting edge length of the roughing end mill is used with a small cutting width (5-15% ae).

With the new high-performance tools for stainless steel machining, Gühring offers the optimal solution. Special coatings and adapted geometries guarantee the highest cutting values ​​and extended service life. This means that the most demanding machining tasks can be mastered in a wide range of industries.

The reason Insaco specialize in these materials instead of metals is that we feel these hard materials have unique properties and characteristics that many times can REPLACE metal, and often at a more cost efficient or property enhanced benefit.

Once the selection is made for a material which can withstand the environment, Insaco continue to try and improve the selection process through our extensive knowledge of the properties inherent in ceramics, sapphire etc...

These milling strategies are among the most modern and effective cutting methods. The basic principle of trochoidal milling is based on maximum tool utilisation: The process uses a small cutting width (ae) and the maximum cutting depth (ap). By using the tool’s entire cutting edge length, it is able to unleash its full power. This is particularly important in the area of mould and die, where enormous quantities of high-strength steel have to be machined. In trochoidal milling, the tool wrap is low, which improves the thermal effect on the tool cutting edge and ensures low mechanical stress. In addition, this procedure leads to longer tool lives as the wear is evenly distributed over the entire cutting edge.

Trochoidal machiningtools

INSACO Inc. - Machining of Hard Materials. "Hard Materials Versus Metals - Maintenance And Cost Benefits". AZoM. https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3098. (accessed November 25, 2024).

In many applications price is the most important determinant. But when a low-cost part must be frequently replaced because of a harsh environment, looking to hard materials may be the key to lowering overall cost. The ability to withstand extreme temperatures, and corrosive environments are just two of a myriad of applications where the replacement of metals with a hard material can mean the difference between success and failure. That’s another area where sapphire excels.

A dynamic milling strategy also offers significant productivity advantages for 3D machining with spherical or toric milling cutters. Here, milling is also carried out with very tiny infeeds, taking into account the effective tool diameter. The total feed rate is increased at the same time. For cutting depths ap < 0.2xD, the effective diameter Deff actually engaged must be used to calculate the rotational speed. To increase the tool life, we recommend machining with the spindle tilted.

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Insaco’s technical experts and engineers are well versed on what types of hard materials are best suited for specific applications and can help you in deciding if you should consider replacing your machined metal part with a precision machined hard material.

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A customer uses grade 5 titanium to make the case for pacemaker batteries, but machining the material is challenging. Gühring has the solution: The G-Mold 65 HF solid carbide end mill enabled it to extend the tool life 73 times over.

Trochoidal machiningprocess

In this way, extreme metal removal rates and significantly higher feed rates can be achieved and the cutting forces that occur are much, much lower. In real life, this tool, used in the dynamic GTC process, can cut the machining time by more than half compared to a conventional round plate milling cutter head.

However, not every milling cutter is suitable for this style of dynamic milling. This calls for high-quality solid carbide tools that can withstand machining at extremely high cutting speeds and significantly accelerated feed rates. We present three such tools for different applications in mould and die.

Trochoidalpronunciation

The next time you have an application that requires precision machining and you think a metal or plastic material is your only option, think again. Then give Insaco a call and let us help you understand how hard materials just might be a better, more cost efficient, more environmentally sound choice.

The use of sapphire, ceramics and other hard materials has significant advantages over metal depending on the application. The materials Insaco machine are harder and stronger in compression than most metals. They can be electrically or thermally insulating or conducting, and in the case of sapphire, can be polished optically clear to a surface finish less than 1 microinch.

Trochoidalmilling calculator

INSACO Inc. - Machining of Hard Materials. (2024, February 20). Hard Materials Versus Metals - Maintenance And Cost Benefits. AZoM. Retrieved on November 25, 2024 from https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3098.

In numerous applications ferrous materials are the only clear choice, and should be used accordingly. With the advent of exotic hard materials exhibiting superior performance to metallic materials, it’s important to understand that alternatives to metals do exist and should be considered.

INSACO Inc. - Machining of Hard Materials. "Hard Materials Versus Metals - Maintenance And Cost Benefits". AZoM. 25 November 2024. .

This dynamic milling strategy is a form of trochoidal milling and is being used more and more, especially in the machining of die and injection moulds, because – in addition to short machining times – the technology also impresses with the best possible part contours and high surface qualities. However, the machining of thin-walled components and the production of difficult 3D shapes or free-form cuts are typical examples for the use of GTC milling cutters. All this can be achieved in even the hardest and most difficult-to-machine materials or under adverse diameter-to-length ratios – usually without the need for rework.

INSACO Inc. - Machining of Hard Materials. 2024. Hard Materials Versus Metals - Maintenance And Cost Benefits. AZoM, viewed 25 November 2024, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3098.

However, many moulds and tools are also machined in a hardened state. Dynamic milling strategies such as GTC are also very effective during hard milling, as the contact time between the cutting edges and the tool is significantly shorter than in conventional milling applications. This in turn has a very positive effect on tool life. However, due to the hard material, only two to a maximum of five percent of the lateral infeed can be used here.

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