ISCAR Introduces Adjustable Milling Cutters

“A new family of High Speed Milling (HSM) adjustable endmills and facemills from ISCAR improve milling of aluminum, non-metallics, cast iron and hardened steel, especially in automotive and aerospace applications,” said a company spokesperson.

“The dynamically balanced cutters are specifically designed to work with polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or cubic boron nitride (CBN) inserts, protecting their edges and delivering outstanding surface finishes,” the spokesperson said. “They also accommodate standard HSM-rated HELIDO 2000 carbide inserts.

“In both the endmills and facemills, internal coolant holes ensure a cooler cutting face while improving chip evacuation and resistance to built-up edge.

“Insert pockets in the cutters feature a flexible rear stopper, which can be adjusted by a slanted screw, enabling axial positioning of the cutting edge within 0.002 mm (.00008 inches).

“Endmills, designated E90AD, are available with HSK A63 shanks in four diameters from 25 to 50 mm (1 to 2 inches). Facemills, designated F90AD, cover the 50 to 80 mm (2 to 3 inches) diameter range, also in four sizes.

“When used with HELIDO carbide inserts, the adjustable HSM cutters deliver extremely smooth cutting action with low cutting forces. HELIDO inserts’ helical cutting edges gently enter the work a bit at a time, like scissors slicing into paper, to reduce impact loads at the cutting face.”

For more information contact:

ISCAR Metals, Inc.
300 Westway Place
Arlington, TX 76018
817-258-3200
Fax: 817-258-3221
info@iscarmetals.com

Popularity: 36%

Sandvik Coromant Expands CoroMill 490 Family to Steel and Cast Iron Milling

Sandvik Coromant Expands CoroMill 490 Family to Steel and Cast Iron Milling

Fair Lawn, New Jersey, July 30, 2008 – Sandvik Coromant has announced an expansion to its CoroMill 490 family of milling tools. Perfect for face and shoulder milling, the new additions are designed for applications in steel and cast iron.

The CoroMill 490 is a versatile tool, capable of offering high performance for contouring, edging and slot, shoulder and face milling. The tool’s design is compatible with the latest insert geometries and grades developed by Sandvik Coromant.

As the first mill with a true 90-degree square shoulder, the CoroMill 490 can produce a finished piece with a single pass, typically reducing machining costs by up to 25%. Additionally, the tool’s flexibility allows it to replace multiple cutting tools, simplifying production and increasing efficiency.

The new additions to the CoroMill 490 family ensure that its higher cutting data and increased productivity are available for a much broader array of applications.

About Sandvik Coromant

As the world-leading supplier of high quality cutting tools, Sandvik Coromant helps customers think smart, work smart and earn smart. The company provided US customers with $70 million in documented cost savings in 2007. For more information regarding products, applications and services that can help you earn smart, contact Sandvik Coromant Company, 1702 Nevins Road, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410, phone 201.794.5223, fax 201.794.5217 or visit www.coromant.sandvik.com/us.

Press Release Date:  July 30, 2008

Popularity: 30%

Sumicarbide AC410K Grade For Cast Iron

SUMITOMO’S NEW AC410K GRADE FOR HIGH SPEED CAST IRON TURNING NOW AVAILABLE

Mount Prospect, IL – Featuring new coating technology, Sumitomo’s AC410K grade consists of two types of coating layers – the Super FF Alumina layer and the Super FF TiCN layer – both of which provide excellent peeling resistance and improved overall insert stability.

Its ultra-thick, inner Super FF Alumina layer provides exceptional thermal resistance, while the outer Super FF TiCN layer excels in chipping resistance.  The grade combines these coatings with an exceptionally hard carbide substrate, resulting in excellent wear resistance in continuous to light interrupted machining of gray and ductile cast iron.

Additionally, the excellent wear resistance and superior toughness of the AC410K have at least DOUBLED the tool life of conventional cast iron grades. Consisting of a wider application range, the AC410K is capable of covering medium to high-speed machining applications.

The AC410K grade is available in positive insert styles for light to medium cutting applications and negative insert styles for light to rough cutting applications.

For more information, contact Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc., 1001 Business Center Drive, Mount Prospect, IL 60056, Phone: (800) 950-5202, Fax: (847) 635-9335, e-mail: info@sumicarbide.com, or visit the Sumitomo Web site at www.sumicarbide.com

Source: Sumicarbide Press Release

Popularity: 23%

Machining Cast Iron with CBN

CBN can provide a cost effective and highly productive alternative to hard metal or ceramic cutting tools for the machining of cast irons. In general terms, the following factors should be considered when applying CBN to an iron component:

Cast iron is not generally very hard (less than HRc.30) but tends to be abrasive. CBN is therefore employed because of its abrasive resistance. Unless the iron has been chilled or deliberately heat treated, the cutting action will be such that the CBN will not be required to anneal the material being cut in the shear zone. Grey cast irons are often fully pearlitic in structure – Grade 14 & 17 are common. In this case, the best results are gained using DR – 100/80 at surface speeds above 400 m/min. if the machine tool or component limit the speed available to less than 400 m/min, DR – 50 becomes more cost effective.

Tool life and component quality improvements are often dramatic and more than justify the increased cost of the CBN tools. if the grey cast iron is not fully pearlitic and more free ferrite is present within the structure, the machinability of the iron becomes more difficult to predict. As the level of “soft and sticky” ferrite increases, the tool is more likely to suffer adhesion pick up which will alter the cutting action, resulting in premature wear of the tool. DR-50 becomes more likely to provide good results as the level of free ferrite increases and a short trial will soon determine the most suitable PCBN material.

Fully ferritic grey cast irons are not generally cost effective PCBN applications. S.G. irons are generally soft (less than HRc.30 ) and fully ferritic. PCBN is therefore not generally as efficient as other cuttingtool materials. There has, however, been a tendency to produce S.G. irons (nodular irons) with a pearlitic structure. This has resulted in some nominally S.G. irons machining surprisingly well with PCBN, DR-50 tending to be more successful. Low alloy irons commonly used in the automotive industry can be machined with CBN, but the performance is again dependant on the level of free ferrite in the structure of the iron.

Hardened irons, either heat treated or alloyed and heat treated, are machined in the same manner as hardened steels and are therefore more predictable. Cutting speeds recommended are lower – less than 200 m/min. It must be remembered that cast iron of a given specification produced by a foundry on one day may have a different machinabilty to that produced the next day. Once the benefits of machining with CBN have been determined, it may be considered worthwhile ensuring that castings supplied to the machine shop have a suitable microstructure to guarantee consistent PCBN tool performance. if the structure or grade of cast iron is unknown, a simple trial will soon determine the suitability of PCBN as a cutting tool.

You can find inserts for cast iron at David Richards Engineering Limited http://www.dreng.co.uk

Popularity: 25%