January 2007 Edition
Spotlight: Cutting Tools
Between Diversity and a Hard Place
An Iowa shop suspected a diversity of parts was causing
inefficiencies and bottlenecks, but it took outside observers
to evaluate the problem, decrease inventory, and increase productivity
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| Cutting tools that operate at increased feed rates and cutting speeds were recommended to Olsen Engineering by Productivity Improvement Program team, providing it with important benefits |
Sometimes you can be too close
to a problem to see the proper solution. You might suspect there’s
trouble, but it may take an outside eye to pinpoint the difficulty
and suggest a solution. An award-winning shop knew something
wasn’t right and had the wisdom to call in the experts.
Olsen Engineering, Eldridge, IA,
makes precision steel parts for OEMs. It became the first supplier
inducted into the John Deere 15-year Hall of Fame, an honor
bestowed for achieving the highest level of supplier recognition
for 15 consecutive years. But, its pursuit of improvement on
a part-to-part, job-to-job basis resulted in a complicated and
sometimes costly tooling approach. Olsen management suspected
a bottleneck inefficiency in the tooling inventory of the 134,
455 ft2 facility. “Between the diversity and volume of parts
we were producing, our tooling inventory became very complicated,”
Brad Miller, plant manager, said. “We were using more than 150
different inserts throughout our operations. It was a complicated
system that required a lot of setup time for switching inserts
in and out of tools. Also, it was a lot of information for our
operators to track. There often would be downtime as they determined
which inserts were to be used on their job.”
To improve workflow, the company
needed to simplify its tooling system and reduce setups and
cycle times.
PIP of an Idea
Olsen worked on a limited basis
with Sandvik Coromant, Fair Lawn, NJ, for more than two decades.
When Sandvik Coromant and local distributor, Clairco Tool Co.,
Davenport, IA, offered assistance, Olsen accepted their help.
Sandvik Coromant’s Productivity
Improvement Program process – PIP – began with an in-depth evaluation
of inserts and tools used throughout Olsen’s operations. Olsen,
Clairco Tool, and Sandvik Coromant formed a team to examine
data such as feed rates, cutting speeds, and machined materials,
and then developed a plan for consolidating Olsen’s tooling
inventory.
Consolidation Improves
Processes
With the framework in place, a
month’s worth of suggested inventory was brought in and representatives
from Sandvik Coromant and Clairco Tool began testing and implementing
changes.
During a three-week period, two-man
teams from the tool maker and distributor moved from machine
to machine during Olsen’s 24/5 work week, documenting results
and educating operators about new tooling.
While the PIP’s purpose was reducing
inserts used by Olsen, the implementation phase of the plan
presented an opportunity to tweak machining processes, too.
|
| Integration of new cutting tools for Olsen
Engineering recommended by Sandvik Coromant’s Productivity Improvement Program improved its machining processes |
On a block requiring holes and
counterbores with special radial callouts, the team suggested
replacing the milling tool used by Olsen with a Sandvik Coromant
CoroMill 390. The CoroMill 390 is an indexable endmill that
produces true 90° shoulders and mirror finishes that minimizes
vibration and noise.
Using the new insert, Olsen increased
job feed rates from 4.58 ipm to 31.83 ipm and reduced cutting
time per component from 22.5 minutes to 8.5. The result was
a 165 percent productivity increase. Cost-per-part dropped from
$24.56 to $9.36 for an annual savings of $9,119.
On another job, a Q-cut slitting
cutter was used for machining a split cone component – similar
to an expanding mandrel. The PIP team recommended switching
to T-Max Q-Cut boring bars. Feed rates increased from 2.99 ipm
to 26.74 ipm and cutting time decreased 73 percent, from 3.09
minutes to 50.4 seconds. Individual part cost fell from $3.57
to $1.06, bringing an annual savings of $15,036.
Success Leads to Improved
Relationship
“Through PIP, we were able to
improve our processes and reduce costs in a variety of applications,”
Miller said.
PIP also simplified Olsen’s tooling
inventory. The company’s total inserts went from more than 150
to about 50.
The PIP team developed reference
sheets operators could consult to find the right insert for
the right job. The reference cards contain information on insert
grades, feed rates, and cutting speeds, along with machining
tips and illustrated troubleshooting guides.
“We wanted operators to know which
inserts to use,” Duane Lindsey, Olsen Engineering’s Sandvik
Coromant representative, said. “The small reference sheets contain
recommended inserts for different applications in a variety
of materials. They’re laminated with magnets on the back, so
that operators can keep them at their machines.”
After the team’s initial success,
Olsen Engineering sought to maintain its relationship with Sandvik
and Clairco.
“We set aside a work area for
them,” Miller said. “They are here in the shop several times
a week. They conduct machinist training for all three shifts
about new tooling and machining processes. We’re also looking
at participating in some smaller, more-focused PIPs.” Sandvik
Coromant
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Lightweight, Tough Boring
Tools
Truline Tool® composite fine boring 
tools are lightweight but have the strength, as well as density,
stiffness, friction coefficient, and damping qualities that
are reportedly better than steel or carbide tools.
One of the beauties of running
a Studer S40, Maurer said, is its flexibility.
The tools are made from composite
carbon fibers that are epoxied to stainless steel covers or
sleeves. The manufacturer claims Truline Tools, combined with
polycrystalline diamond guide pads, have eight times the dynamic
stiffness of carbide, provide chatter-free machining up to 30,000
rpm, three times the tool life of steel tools, up to 40 percent
increased speeds and feeds, and have 10 times the dampening
of carbide. Johnson Carbide Products Inc.
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High-Speed Tooling
Index H-Ream is a high-speed reaming
system that produces holes 8 to 32 mm in diameter. 
It is suitable
for high precision applications and tight hole-diameter tolerances.
These tools create blind, through, and cross-holes as well as
keyways. Coolant outlets on the reamers and behind the insert
direct chips forward to prevent damage. There are extra holes
behind the insert pads for the lubricant and this reduces friction
between the pads and hole surface. For blind-hole applications,
coolant is released at the tool’s front, directing coolant and
chips flow backwards out of the hole. Iscar Metals Inc.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-225
Carbide Inserts Do Rough
Boring
TN14 carbide grade inserts for
rough boring on cast-iron materials are made from C2 carbide
substrate and have a multi-layered coating for resisting abrasions
and smooth cutting edges. The substrate and edge prep hone protect
the inserts from chipping and fracturing during interrupted
cutting. BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-222
Balanced Cutting
ZX™ boring and contouring heads
tackle forward and back-boring operations as well as machining
internal grooves, faces, and bottle bores. Twin tool slides
are available for balanced cutting action at high speeds.
To maintain concentricity, tool
slides adjust while the tool remains on the same bore centerline.
With piloted support, the heads adapt for extended reach. Cogsdill
Tool Products Inc.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-223
Inserts Tackle Stainless
Steel
CA6515 and CA6525 CVD-coated carbide
indexable inserts machine stainless steel. Their smooth, outer
TiN coating prevents sudden fractures, reduces cutting forces,
and resists sticking, while the Al2O3 layer handles crater wear
and dissipates heat for extended tool life. The inserts also
have a TiCN layer that make them tough and wear-resistant in
continuous and interrupted cuts. Kyocera Industrial Ceramics
Corp.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-227
Smooth-Cutting Endmills
Featuring
heat and wear-resistant nano technology-coated grades, WEX endmills
with indexable inserts and shoulder milling cutters reportedly
improve feed rates, machine accuracy, and surface finishes.
Their wave-shaped cutting edges, the producer says, generate
low cutting forces and high, shear cutting action for smooth
cutting in various materials.
Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc.
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Cordless Grinder with
Motor Protection
The
IQV Series GS25 and GR25 die grinders are designed for automotive
and maintenance professionals. The cordless grinders leverage
the IQV battery line’s compatibility and flexibility. The grinder
has proprietary, microprocessor-controlled protection. By continuously
monitoring tool operation and motor temperature, the microprocessor
warns the user by “pulsing” the motor on and off continuously
if the tool begins to overheat. If the maximum temperature limit
is reached, the microprocessor disables the tool until it cools
to the optimum range. The 14.4V die grinders come in both straight
and right-angle configurations. The motors deliver 0.35 hp.
Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies
www.rsleads.com/707mn-224
Turning Inserts Sport
Special Coating
Useful
in stainless steel turning and cast-iron applications, the coating
of TP2500 turning grade has been manipulated at the atomic level
for strength and durability. The manufacturer says field tests
in more than 80 applications, such as roughing, facing, and
finishing, show 18 to 400 percent improvement in tool life,
55 to 100 percent increase in productivity, and 40 to 80 percent
reduction in wear.
TP2500 comes as various inserts including positive and negative rake angles and a wiper style. Seco Tools Inc.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-228
Inserts Brochure
“Technical Information and Crossover Charts for Metalworking Inserts” is a 20-page brochure of grade and application data for the manufacturer’s metalworking grades. Comparison charts let users compare inserts to major suppliers. Cutting data, geometry, and grade recommendations for American Performance and American Standard turning inserts are provided in this publication. American National Carbide
www.rsleads.com/701mn-221
Inserts For Difficult Materials
Utilis® AG Multidec® Swiss-made turning inserts work titanium, 300 series stainless, and other difficult materials used in aerospace and medical applications. The inserts have repeatability of less than 0.0004", turning work 1" diameter and under. They feature a holding system with dual screw clamping and three-point insert location for rigidity and accuracy as well as chipbreakers for efficient chip flow. The inserts are designed in front and back-turning styles, which can be reground. Genevieve Swiss Industries Inc.
www.rsleads.com/701mn-224