Cincinnati, Ohio.

Cincinnati, in the Ohio Valley of the American Midwest, supplies manufactured goods to much of America’s heartland. Founded in 1788, it was the first large city in the interior of the United States, thanks to its strategic location on the Ohio River, a major tributary of the Mississippi.

“Cincinnati is a good locale for the energy industry, both wind turbines and oil and gas,” says Scott Kramer, president of Magna Machine Co., based in one of Cincinnati’s suburbs.

Many of the forging and casting shops that turn out the large metal blocks used by Magna are located in the neighboring states of Indiana and Pennsylvania, and the area is currently a hotbed of activity for the energy industry.

“We try to stay a step ahead of the industry with regard to size and capability,” Kramer says. Inside the shop, which can handle parts measuring up to 20 by 50 feet and weighing up to 160,000 pounds, Magna Machine is alive with activity. In one area, a machinist working on the outside of a cylinder five feet in diameter polishes 48 diagonally ascending grooves to a mirror finish, for use in a machine that will manufacture plastic wrap.

Magna Machine manufactures equipment for synthetic diamond production

Others are busy crafting frames for roller coaster cars destined for the New York–New York hotel/ casino in Las Vegas or one of several Six Flags amusement parks across the United States. In another part of the plant, workers bore 72 holes in each of three surfaces of a cast iron wind turbine hub for attaching 150-footlong blades.

“You could fit a Volkswagen inside the hub very easily,” Terry Qvick, Magna’s strategic planner, says without exaggeration. Magna has also manufactured frames for the rotating rooms used in proton therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. “This treatment is the least invasive approach,” Kramer says. “It can zap the cancer within eight one-thousandths of an inch.” The frames are made in two halves, each weighing 70,000 pounds.

Magna Machine began working with Sandvik Coromant about 15 years ago. “It started with us needing a partner with cutting tool technology,” Kramer says. “Sandvik Coromant personnel work with our people on at least a weekly or biweekly basis, helping us with tool geometry and technologies to increase our productivity on the machines.”

Sandvik Coromant supplies about 85 to 90 percent of Magna Machine’s tooling needs. The close relationship came in handy last year when Magna received an order to make a batch of fluid end blocks, or pump housings, used in hydraulic fracturing to produce oil and gas. The “fracking” process involves injecting water, sand and chemicals into shale formations deep underground, then pumping them back out through the fluid end blocks.

The design for the fluid end blocks called for a machinist to bore a 3.5-inch hole into block of steel, then expand the hole to five inches in diameter inside the block.

Dale Rileford and CNC programmer Dave Reynolds controlling the fluid end blocks.

The company at first took a standard Sandvik Coromant CoroMill 331 cutter with round inserts and attached it to a solid integral holder with a reach of 9.5 inches. But this approach led to problems with “chatter” (harmonics), which drastically shortens tool life while failing to produce the desired result.

When Magna Machine turned to Sandvik Coromant in search of a solution, the company had just issued an extension to its Teeness Silent Tools program in its recent product release. By substituting a Silent Tools milling adapter for the existing one, Magna was able to complete the job.

“We got rid of virtually all the harmonics,” says Dave Reynolds, a CNC (computer numerical control) programmer for Magna. “Without getting rid of the harmonics, you just chew up inserts,” says Qvick, the strategic planner. Furthermore, he says, the approach made the difference between success and failure. “It actually saved the job.”

This case provides a snapshot of the way the two companies work together to solve problems and boost productivity. Magna’s go-to guy is Dale Reliford, an Ohio-based territory productivity engineer who has been with Sandvik Coromant for 13 years.

“Dale is on site any time we ask,” Qvick says. “We’ve not seen any tool dealer that would come in and help us the way Sandvik has helped us.”

Conveniently for Magna, the Sandvik Coromant distribution center for North and South America is right across the Ohio River in Hebron, Kentucky. “If we have any issues, we’re two hours away from getting some help,” Qvick says. “The service is key to our staying with Sandvik for 85 percent of our tooling purchases.”

Reynolds says simply, “I’d use Sandvik tools exclusively if I had the choice. We use almost every milling tool they make.”

Originally published in Metalworking World 3.2012, a business magazine published by Sandvik Coromant.

text: Michael Miller

photo: Martin Adolfsson

Magna machine expansion

Since 1999 Magna has owned the affiliated company United Precision Services, which is now the exclusive North American importer for Union as well as three Spanish companies, Bost, Ibarmia and Machine Tool Engineering, or MTE. Magna uses its facility as a working showroom, where prospective customers can see those manufacturers’ products in action.

Magna is currently in the process of completing a 24,000-square-foot addition to its facility that is destined to house three new machines. The machines, two made by Bost and one by Union, are a horizontal boring mill, a vertical turret lathe and a machine that can make large crankshafts for diesel locomotives or oil and gas production. Sandvik Coromant is doing a turnkey job on the crankshaft machine, and it plans to tool up the other two machines later.

When the new area is completed, the company plans to add 10 new employees and expects to see revenues exceed $30 million in its next fiscal year.

“Sandvik Coromant has recognized the tremendous technological development in machining processes, materials, and tooling which is driving the need for virtual machining capabilities. Working with data in varying formats can be a challenge, but we expect that this initiative will not only offer manufacturers a standard format for vital cutting tool data, but will simplify their CAM and virtual machining systems, helping them better optimize productivity and profitability,” said Mike Verkamp, Manager, Business Development, Sandvik Coromant.

“This project will address key needs in virtual machining such as standard tool data format, connectivity to CAM packages, and automatic updates of new data. We are pleased to be working with Siemens, a market leader themselves, to help bring the entire industry forward,” added Verkamp.

You can read more on
the Sandvik Coromant website.

Click here for more information Standardized Cutting Tool Catalog Initiative.

The CoroDrill 460-XM is made from micro-grained carbide for an excellent combination of hardness and toughness, resulting in high wear resistance and longer tool life. The coating has a special finishing treatment to reduce coefficient of friction. The strong web design provides excellent cross-sectional strength that, combined with increased flute volume, enhances chip evacuation. The point angle of 140º is ideally suited for multi-application drilling, with good centering capabilities and low thrust force design.

The drill comes in a standard diameter range of 3–20 mm (0.118–0.787 inch) in drill lengths; 2–5 × drill diameter (DIN 6537 K and DIN 6537 L). Achievable hole tolerance: IT8–IT9 and is available with internal and external coolant.

You can find more information about the CoroDrill 460 on the Sandvik Coromant website.

Solution: New indexable carbide tooling technology offers significant benefits in terms of both productivity and machining economy.

Since the dawn of modern metalcutting, the tool meant a solid piece of steel shaped for the task at hand. Since the 1950s indexable cemented carbide inserts have revolutionized this, but in gear cutting and specifically hobbing, solid high-speed steel (HSS) cutters continue to dominate even today.

Indexable carbide hob offers a cost-efficient alternative to solid HSS hobs.

Though proven technology, solid HSS hobs are handicapped by inherent productivity setbacks. Solid tools require regular resharpening and recoating, which entails a not-insignificant logistical effort.

A production manager considering an investment in a hobbing tool cannot simply purchase a single HSS hob. In real life, the number of tools required to keep a single machine running continuously is closer to five or 10: While one hob cuts metal, one is being resharpened, another is receiving a new coating and yet another is undergoing measurements in the tool room. Still more are in transit between these stages. Indexable insert tools eliminate most of this maintenance effort, and a continuous operation basically requires no more than two cutters: one in action and another having its inserts indexed or replaced and preset.

Another major issue is coolant. HSS tools usually require the use of coolant, often cutting oil, to avoid overheating, whereas cemented carbide runs even better in high temperatures. Getting rid of coolant brings a number of benefits: Obviously the cost of purchasing, storing and disposing of coolant can be eliminated, while a cleaner, more pleasant and healthier working environment should also be attractive to EHS-conscious manufacturers.

The inherent capability of solid carbide for using higher cutting data and/or increasing the tool life provides direct productivity benefits. A capacity reserve is freed up and can be used either to increase production, when the demand is there, or to downsize capacity and cut costs, as a specific output can be achieved with fewer machines. The latter aspect has a direct bearing on the required capital expenditure when investing in new machine tools.

Sandvik Coromant R&D efforts have lately produced advances in indexable insert hobbing technology, offering remarkable benefits for this specialized segment of machining. The new CoroMill 176 concept, including indexable carbide inserts optimized for steel, provides the tool for fully utilizing the capabilities of today’s robust, high-powered hobbing machines.

Solid tools are generally considered more accurate than indexable insert tools. A new, high-quality HSS hob can live up to these expectations, but the accuracy of a worn tool cannot be maintained without resharpening and recoating. Indexable inserts only need to be indexed or replaced, without any impact on the accuracy – provided that the insert clamping system is up to the requirements.

Thus a key feature of the new concept is its iLock insert interface. This clamping system, consisting of an insert, a wedge and a single screw per seat, is easy to use and fast. After thorough testing, a customer has reported insert change times as short as seven seconds per insert. This is of obvious importance in a tool with up to 100 inserts. A rail on the support face firmly secures the insert in its place to guarantee an accurate and repeatable positioning and prevent any lateral movement.

On a more general level, this new hob concept reflects a larger technological shift from traditional solid tooling to often more productive and economical indexable insert solutions. New, robust machine tools in particular can benefit significantly from indexable carbide hobs.

Originally published in Metalworking World 3.2012, a business magazine published by Sandvik Coromant.

Text: Turkka Kulmala

The CoroDrill 870 can be tailored to optimize applications through diameter range, steps and length possibilities. Holes can be made more efficiently and closer to the specifications required, leaving them better suited to subsequent operations.

A highly secure interface between drill body and tip ensures reliability and precision, while the quick and easy tip change procedure helps to maximize active machining time.

The new cutting edge geometries and grades provide a safe cutting process, allowing for increased penetration rates while maintaining chip control and increasing tool life.

The drill is available in diameter range: 12–25.90 mm (0.472–1.020 inch) and lengths 3, 5 and 8 × drill diameter as standard. Each drill body has a unique interface size with matching tips to achieve hole tolerances of IT9–IT10.

CoroDrill® 870 Benefits:
• Reliability and security
• Easy handling and secure tip changing
• Long tool life and high penetration rates
• Excellent hole quality
• Safe chip evacuation
• Lower cost per hole

CoroDrill® 870 Application:
• Hole tolerance: IT 9–10
• Drill diameter range: 12.00–25.90 mm (0.472–1.020 inch) as standard
• Drill lengths: 3, 5 and 8 × drill diameter as standard
• Typical hole types: pre-holes for taps and bolt holes
• For most industry segments e.g. energy, automotive and general engineering

CoroDrill® 870 Technical features:
• Secure, high-precision interface between drill body and tip for great stability
• Tip changing possible while tool is in the machine to reduce downtime
• Cutting edge geometries for low cutting forces, high process security, good chip control, high penetration rates and hole quality
• ISO K geometry with chamfered corner for optimized hole quality at exit and increased tool life
• Drill flutes with optimized shape, size and helix angle provide safe chip evacuation and overall tool stability
• Rigid drill body for high penetration rates and excellent hole quality
• Grade GC3234 for cast iron and GC4234 for steel are developed for predictable wear as well as long and reliable tool life at high productivity rates

View more information on the Sandvik Coromant website.

In this web cast, we introduce the CoroDril 861. Get the high stability essential for drilling deep holes with high speed and efficiency. CoroDrill 861 is designed with internal coolant holes to deliver coolant directly to the tip of the drill, even at 30xD drilling depths.

If you have trouble viewing the video posted above, please watch on the Sandvik Coromant YouTube Page.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION:

Hello and welcome to the Sandvik Coromant web cast for CoroDrill 861.

This range of solid carbide drills provides high security and efficiency for deep-hole drilling; capable of holes up to thirty times the drill diameter without pecking. High speeds and feeds allow greater productivity to reduce cost per hole. Fast and efficient chip evacuation reduces machine downtime and increases tool life.

CoroDrill 861 features Advanced Chip Management flute geometry, which encourages the creation of small and tightly curled chips. Specially designed point geometry reduces thrust forces, provides clearance for high feed per revolution, and allows for good centering capabilities.

A special tip coating ensures smooth flute surface and aids in chip evacuation with little or no increase in torque. Consistent edge preparation protects the cutting edges of the tool from premature chipping and flaking.

CoroDrill 861 is designed with internal coolant holes to deliver coolant directly to the tip of the drill, even at 30xD drilling depths.

The CoroDrill 861 is designed to achieve h8 to h9 hole tolerances, and optimized for steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum. It is currently available in drill lengths 12 to 30 times the drill diameter. Typical conventional drilling, cross-hole, and angle-face applications make it highly suited for automotive components.

In this test case, we ran at 15xD and achieved more than a 60 percent increase in productivity compared to the competitor.

This concludes our web cast for the CoroDrill 861. For more information, contact your local Sandvik Coromant representative.

The end mills support all applications from roughing to finishing and profiling operations. Their features include reinforcement of the end teeth to avoid premature chipping, cylindrical land width and flat relief for maximum stability.

The new coating on the insert grade GC1630 is extremely resistant to wear and is especially suitable for roughing and finishing dry or wet.

CoroMill® Plura Benefits:

• Secure and predictable
• Trouble-free machining regardless of material, condition, application and programming
• Long tool life
• Strong and tough

CoroMill® Plura Applications – from roughing to finishing and profiling operations:

• Slotting
• Shoulder milling
• Profiling
• Ramping
• Helical interpolation
• Plunging

CoroMill® Plura Technical Features:

• End-teeth reinforcement to avoid early chipping
• 2- and 3-flute cutters are equipped with cylindrical land width and flat relief for maximum stability
• Increased conical web diameter on 4-flute cutters for improved stability
• Increased flute radius for better chip evacuation and to avoid recutting of chips
• New AlCrN-based coating on grade GC1630: high wear resistance, oxidation resistance and hot hardness.

View on the Sandvik Coromant website.

Advanced nozzle technology

The coolant flows from the pump to the tool through nozzles directed exactly at the cutting zone. This produces a wedge of coolant that efficiently removes the heat from the cutting zone and forms the chip. Improved chip control and longer tool life are just two of the benefits which contribute to secure and predictable machining, preventing unplanned machine stoppages.

Increased productivity can even be achieved in tricky applications and in materials which are difficult to machine, regardless of the pressure you use.

When using low pressure of 5–30 bars (72–435 psi) – the new Sandvik Coromant HP holders outperform regular tool holders which can have a tendency to flood coolant.

At higher pressures, above ~30 bars (435 psi), the new insert geometry collects the coolant jets to form an even, powerful wedge that breaks the chips, cools the insert and improves the insert tool life. The higher the pressure, the more difficult materials and applications can be machined with excellent results.

Tool holders

Sandvik Coromant advanced cooling technology has until now been a solution primarily for customers using quick change with Coromant Capto®, SL- and QS holding system. Now, the same premium technology can be applied with general shank tools, making it possible for everyone working with wet machining to utilize this highly productive coolant solution, even in small lathes.

View on the Sandvik Coromant website.

October 1st (2012) sees the launch of two new reamers from Sandvik Coromant. Solid carbide reamers from the CoroReamer family are the solution when high surface quality finish and close tolerances are required. With dedicated geometries and internal coolant, they deliver superb hole quality and process security.

CoroReamer 435 is a versatile and high performance reamer, suitable for a wide range of different materials.

CoroReamer 835 is for steel and stainless materials when optimum performance is needed.

The reamers are available in spiral flute design for through holes and straight flute design for blind holes. The diameter range is 3.97-20 mm (0.156-0.787 inch) as standard with an achievable hole tolerance of IT7.

These complement CoroReamer 830 used in larger diameter applications.

View on the Sandvik Coromant website.

• Calculate optimal cut settings based on job parameters
• Find hole size calculations for tapping
• ISO tolerances for bore and shaft

Input production values to calculate costs related to a drilling operation. Both machining and cost calculations include an option for single input or a compare mode. The app works with both metric and inch measurements.

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