HMC Offers Flexibility in Cutting Capabilities

Kitamura Machinery’s Mycenter-HX500G horizontal machining center, part of the company’s G series of machining centers, is designed for medium to large parts that require flexibility in cutting capabilities. It accommodates workpieces ranging to 31.5" in diameter and 43.3" in height within a compact footprint, and its solid boxway construction enables 2,362-ipm rapid feed rates. The HMC also is equipped with twin ballscrews and motors in the X and Y axes, as well as linear scale feedback on all axes for optimum stability and accuracies of ±0.000079" full stroke and ±0.000039" repeatability.

The machining center is available in two spindle configurations, gun drilling inserts gun drilling inserts either 40- or 50-taper, enabling it to be used for both lighter-duty aluminum applications and those that require higher-level accuracy and exotic part processing. The 40-taper spindle offers speed ranging to 20,000 rpm for fine-finish cutting requirements, while the 50-taper spindle offers 432.2 foot-pounds of torque and speeds ranging to 12,000 rpm for heavy-duty machining. Both spindles are four-step-geared, dual-contact spindles designed for energy efficiency and kilowatt-hour savings of 40 to 50 percent, the company says. HSK spindle designs are also available as an option.

A two-station automatic pallet changer is field-expandable and is coupled with full 360-degree fourth-axis capability with rotary scale for faster, more accurate production per pallet load, the company says. The HMC is equipped with 50-tool “fixed pot&Carbide Drilling Inserts rdquo; automatic toolchanger with upgrade capabilities for as many as 200 tools. The Arumatik-Mi controller is said to enable smoother, faster machining of complex workpieces with the potential to add fifth-axis simultaneous machining capabilities on both pallets.

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CAD／CAM Software Optimizes Roughing with High Feed Cutters

Open Mind has released version 2018.1 of its HyperMill CAD/CAM software suite. New functions include soft overlap blending enhancements, 3D optimized roughing for high-feed cutters and the CAM-oriented global fitting CAD function. It also includes process-optimized functions for electrode manufacturing and a virtual machining simulation.

The optimized 3D roughing processes for machining with high-feed cutters calculate the stepover distance from the scallop height measured against the cutter geometry. A special toolpath movement removes rest material from corners when lateral infeed is very high, and intelligent cut division and optimized toolpaths provide greater process safety for remaining thin ridges.

The new soft overlap function reduces machining marks at transitions between steep and flat areas or at the extents of rest machining regions. The milling tool is briefly lifted to blend the milling paths, gun drilling inserts gun drilling inserts preventing visible transitions and improving surface quality.

The CAD module’s global fitting function saves time by creating a single, cohesive face from a set of multiple faces. Many CAM strategies can then follow the ISO U-V orientation of the surface patch, increasing the application of these CAM strategies.

HyperCAD-S Electrode automates the construction and manufacturing of die-sinking electrodes. Users can derive electrodes from the face to be die-sunk within the component geometry without specialist expertise. The enhanced module includes a rotational electrode function, which facilitates the circular placement of multiple electrode geometries with different spark gaps on a holder, saving time during milling and eroding. Integrating interfaces with the Certa Systems Job Manager establishes continuity in the tube process inserts electrode process.

The Virtual Machining simulation module creates a virtual rendering of the machine based on NC data. The bidirectional communication link between the machine control and the virtual machining center improves process control and optimization.

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Roughing Module Offers 2D Cutting Optimization

Open Mind’s hyperMaxx roughing module for hyperMill, initially designed for 3D arbitrary stock-contour machining and five-axis shape-offset roughing, now offers its high-performance cutting optimization strategy for 2D pocket milling. The process is suitable for soft metals such as aluminum, as well as steel, titanium and nickel alloys.

Based on the Volumill technology kernel from Celeritive Technologies, the hyperMaxx adaptation in hyperMill combines optimal milling paths with maximum material removal for shorter cycle times. The module is fully integrated into hyperMill, eliminating the need for postprocessor adjustment.

The program distributes milling paths and dynamically adjusts feed rates to existing cutting conditions, ensuring that milling takes place at the fastest possible feed rates. Climb milling with spiral retraction of the tool movements increasingly approximates the required contour as the end is reached. According to the tube process inserts company, as much as 100 percent of the tool diameter can be used without leaving material behind. An algorithm ensures that the same volume is removed by each milling tooth for optimal capacity and a large material removal rate, the company says.

The hyperMaxx tool path is calculated for balanced movement and chip volume based on data about the machine and tool, rather than on user-entered fixed values for spindle speed and feed rate. With no sharp edges or sudden direction changes, the process is said to maintain constant load on the tool and machine, reducing cycle times and ensuring fast, safe positioning of the tool. The plunge macro creates a complex helix or ramp movement, automatically generating a helix radius. Intelligent automated functions optimize feed-rate adjustment and in-feed for machining tight areas, with full cutting gravity turning inserts and long tool paths for soft materials, as well as trochoidal tool paths that avoid full cutting in harder materials.

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Tooling Tips for Turreted Machines

The trend to turnmills, multitasking machines and other types of machine tools with driven tools on tool turrets continues to grow, so shops are paying more attention to the tooling solutions applied to these machines. As other shops catch up by investing in similar technology, users have to be sure they are getting the most productivity and best accuracy from these machines. With this in mind, Exsys Tool is showing visitors to its ooth (W-1664) how its new compensating clutch improves the performance of machine tool turret drive motors, as well helps compensate for misalignment issues and promotes better finishes while reducing the cost of perishable tooling.

The Eppinger Preci-Flex Compensating Clutch enables users to “float” away misalignment between turret drive motors and toolholders. This is accomplished by providing a floating coupling between turret drive motor tangs and toolholders that self compensates for any misalignment. This reduces vibration and tool chatter, which in turn, makes for longer tool life and better surface finishes.

The compensating clutch connection is double the size of a standard spindle, which not only provides more surface area for a strong, precise connection, but also allows for greater torque transfer and eliminates any loss of power between motors and toolholders, the company says. It also eliminates wear to turret drive motor connections because it fills the gaps at the top and bottom of drive motor tangs when engaged with the toolholder. Thus, the system provides a complete fit across the drive train of the motor gravity turning inserts to eliminate backlash while delivering much quieter operation as compared to other such systems when cutting the same workpiece materials and at the same speeds and feeds.

 According to developers, the new clutch lessens the severity of damage that occurs as a result of a machine crash and reduces the cost involved with the repair.  When a machine crash occurs, the result is typically a bent tool holder spindle, which can lead to costly repairs. With the compensating clutch in place, the resulting crash damage is usually confined to only the system’s coupling, which shops can easily and quickly replace themselves and at a cost that’s a lot less than having to replace an expensive spindle.

 Increasing turret capacity for static toolholders is another strategy for speeding production on turret fast feed milling inserts machines. Exsys is addressing this issue with its Double Square Shank and Quad Square Shank static tool holders. The double square shank holder provides for two turning inserts offset in the Y axis; so the machine can rough and finish a part in the Y axis instead of indexing to another position. For greater tool capacity, the quad square shank holder accommodates four inserts (two located on each side of the holder for complete machining in the main spindle and sub spindle). With this multiple insert capability, different types of inserts, such as those for roughing and those for finishing, can be located in the same station. This frees up other stations and eliminates having to index the machine turret to switch from one insert to the next when they are located in separate stations—therefore, saving time and money.

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/carbideinserts/

Drill Insert’s Geometry Improves Performance in Cast Materials

Walter’s P6005-WKK45C point drill insert is designed for performance and cost-effective drilling of ISO K cast materials. Its high-performance geometry is said to provide maximum productivity in cast iron materials, and a 110-degree prismatic seat for minimal runout and stable positioning. Chamfered corners enhance stability in abrasive conditions and improve resistance to wear. These features increase process reliability, improve machine utilization thanks to reduced tool change, and lower cost of operation, the company says. Color coding eases insert selection and wear detection.

The insert’s coating is designed to increase wear resistance in cast materials with a multi-layer structure for enhanced toughness. This structure provides alternate layers of resistance to hard wear,tube process inserts heat and abrasive. The material cemented carbide inserts also improves shock resistance, the company says.

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