Product category:
Tooling materials and inserts
News Release from: Walter GB | Subject: Xtra.tec tool programme
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 February 2004
Tooling inserts cut steel up to twice as
fast
Machining times on steel workpieces can now be up to twice as fast with a tool programme being displayed at MACH 2004 alongside tool mangement systems and tool regrinding machines.
Machining times on steel workpieces can now be up to twice as fast with the new Xtra.tec tool programme being displayed at MACH 2004 by Walter GB of Redditch Following in the footsteps of the massive productivity improvements gained by the company's Quartec and Tiger.tec inserts - which will also be on display at the NEC alongside a host of other new tools, as well as tool management systems and tool grinding and tool measuring machines - the Xtra.tec range has initially been announced with a series of new milling inserts, cutters and solid carbide drills
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 20 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Xtra.tec's improved productivity claims - including, for example, reduced cost per cutting edge through maximum cutting performance at low power consumption - are based on Walter's development of the new cutting materials, WKP25 and WKP35.
In action, both WKP25 and WKP35 are characterised by reduced formation of comb cracks, and are therefore ideally suited to wet machining.
The Xtra.tec inserts cleverly combine a mixture of aluminium oxide and titanium nitride coatings on a tungsten carbide substrate to offer unrivalled cutting performance on all steels.
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The inserts' black, aluminium oxide coating is particularly effective against tribochemical wear and permits higher cutting speeds and feeds to be employed while also providing longer service life.
The golden coating applied to the clearance surfaces simplifies wear detection and thus avoids the unnecessary waste of unused cutting edges.
In terms of drilling, the Xtra.tec inserts with positive geometries are harmonised with galvanised nickel drill bodies having exchangeable two-point bits and spiral flutes under the designation B401x.
The new drill can perform at double the usual feed rates and has two effective cutting inserts with excellent repeatable and rotational accuracy, as well as extremely close bore tolerances.
Inserts can be easily and quickly exchanged via a single clamping screw.
The B401x drills are available as standard in diameters of 12mm to 31mm, and standard lengths of three, five and seven times diameter.
Two shoulder milling cutters - F4041 and F4042 - have also been announced with Xtra.tec inserts.
Available in diameters of 40mm to 160mm for cutting depths up to 15mm, the F4041 cutter features rhombic inserts with four positive cutting edges each having an approach angle of 90deg.
Such an extreme spiral means step generation is avoided on machined side walls, while the resulting 'soft' cutting action promotes high feed rates and low power consumption.
Milling cutter F4042 features rhombic double-edged inserts of high positive geometry to again promote maximum cutting performance at low power consumption.
Three types of insert with cutting lengths of 8mm, 12mm and 16mm are recommended for these cutters available in diameters from 10mm to 160mm.
Also available is the new F4033 face milling cutter with double-sided, highly positive cutting angles Xtra.tec inserts having eight effective cutting edges.
Of neutral shape, the inserts fit either right- or left-hand cutters in the diameter range 40mm to 160mm.
Promising up to 75 per cent improvements in turning, milling and drilling performance on cast iron, Walter's Tiger.tec (Registered) indexable inserts also feature the mixture of aluminium oxide and titanium nitride coatings on a tungsten carbide substrate.
Available in a range of styles and sizes, Tiger.tec will be shown at MACH alongside the innovative range of Quartec indexable inserts for milling.
These offer up to 50 per cent improved productivity due to developments in geometries, cutting edge periphery and the use of new wear-resistant coatings on new, tougher substrates.
Available in three geometries covering difficult machining, soft cutting action and smooth machining - D56, F56 and G56, respectively - Quartec inserts feature a wear-resistant cutting edge that, says Walter, allows more pieces per edge to be cut than ever before.
In addition, improved carbide substrates and coatings also generate savings on a wide range of workpiece materials.
The Quartec insert grade WQM25, where hafnium is complemented by ruthenium in the coating, is particularly suited to tackling stainless steel alloys - again at high speed and producing medium chips.
In addition, grade WQM25's good thermal shock resistance permits the use of cooling lubricants, thus generating additional cost savings.
Based on a very fine-grain carbide substrate, grade WQM35 inserts are designed for difficult materials such as titanium alloys and high-temperature alloys, when using only cooling lubricant.
Coupled with PVD coatings, grade WQM35 boasts minimal rake face friction, which in turn avoids built-up edges.
The Quartec coated range is further complimented by grade WQM45, a newly designed multi-layer PVD coating suitable for poor conditions or difficult materials and most suited at low to medium cutting speeds.
Quartec uncoated grade WMG40 is designed for milling titanium alloys and heat-resistant steels at enhanced cutting data when using a cooling lubricant.
Details will also be available to MACH visitors of Walter GB's suite of TDM Windows-based Tool Data Management systems - software that provides companies of every size with the confidence that the right tool is in the right place at the right time and, as a result: a.
Reduces planning times by up to 35 per cent; a.
Minimises machine set-up costs by up to 30 per cent; b.
Cuts downtimes by up to 80 per cent; a.
Reduces the variety of tools in use and therefore reduces stock requirements and gains cost savings of up to 30 per cent in the bargain; and a.
Effectively controls and manages orders, again reducing costs.
The capabilities of TDM version 4.0 include an overlay that is in-line with the current Windows standard and makes child's play of operating functions such as clipping, copying and inserting.
Users can adapt the overlay to their own special requirements.
The system also features an integrated explorer bar that clearly presents all modules, and with the 'viewer' (a graphic indicator) both 2- and 3-D tool graphics can be displayed - with the 3-D graphics being delivered to existing simulation systems through integrated interfaces.
This functionality complements TDM's integrated modules for: a.
Planning - for the management of tool components and complete assemblies; a.
Technology - cutting data via the Tool Light functionality; a.
Tool crib - cost centre management of tool stocks as well as tools in use; a.
Measuring products organisation - an essential component of any QA system, the module can be applied to every measuring/inspection device to meet the requirements of DIN ISO 9000-9004; a.
Ordering - based on purchasing proposals generated by stock control; a.
CAD - TDM integrates with AutoCAD, BravoDetail and Imagineer; a.
Tool circulation - dialogue specifically designed to support production in terms of tool commissioning, assembly and pre-setting; a.
Bar code - for the efficient and effective management of a large number of tool movements; and a.
Pre-setting - tool assemblies and master data can be sent directly to pre-setting equipment.
Designed for small to medium-sized users, TDMeasy version 3.1 offers a lot of new capabilities, among them an integrated AutoCAD interface that enables users to quickly change from TDMeasy to AutoCAD LT, and to easily produce/modify graphics.
The system also supports online database access to the toolsetting devices from Kelch and Zoller.
A user-friendly Function Assistant module accompanies the user constantly throughout the software, ensuring the user is quickly familiar with every operation while, for example, creating new components/complete tools, creating orders, checking orders in/out and adding new items to stock as well as tool measurement.
As well as being integrated with the complete Walter Tool Catalogue, which contains more than 4,000 CAD graphics, both TDM and TDMeasy can interface with catalogues from other suppliers.
In addition, myTDM.com is an Intranet-based add-on to the TDM systems.
myTDM.com is a 'view system' with direct access to the TDM database and uses an Intranet to deliver tool data information to all relevant departments of a company.
Photos as well as 2- and 3-D graphics can be presented - and the data can be delivered to simulation systems.
Another integral feature of Walter GB's tooling portoflio is the Color Select colour-coded selection system and its Novex Express special-purpose tool design and manufacturing service where bespoke tools can be delivered in two weeks, if required.
Color Select enables users to quickly and accurately choose the correct indexable insert for specific machining requirements based on the workpiece material groups N (NF metals and AI alloys), H (hardened materials, P (steel), M (stainless steel) and K (cast iron).
Each is assigned an unambiguous (ISO colour coded) indexable insert colour: a.
For machining NF metals and AI alloys (green), the user selects copper-coloured inserts; a.
For hardened workpieces up to 65 HRC (white), users are directed to anthracite-coloured inserts; a.
For machining steel (blue) the user selects Walter's gold-coloured inserts; b.
For machining stainless steel (yellow), users choose champagne-coloured inserts; a.
For machining cast irons (red), users select the black and gold Tiger.tec inserts.
Walter GB's MACH 2004 stand will also highlight the comprehensiveness of the company's 'tool system supply' philosophy, with the Helitronic range of five-axis tool grinders (including the new Helitronic Vision) and Helicheck and Heli Toolcheck, the tool measuring machines.
MACH 2004 - April 19-23 - NEC Birmingham, UK.
Hall: 5, Stand: 5678.
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