Drilling holes in thin-walled parts isn’t hugely challenging. The process might require some means of workpiece support to counteract the pressure of the drill as it begins to penetrate the material. Depending on the application, the hole may also need to be deburred or chamfered.

Oftentimes, though, these holes must accept a bearing or fastener for component assembly. With conventional drilling, the hole’s thickness equals APKT Insert that of the workpiece, which likely isn’t suitable for threading or to provide sufficient support for a bearing sleeve. For that reason, it is often necessary to weld or rivet a nut to the workpiece, or install a special insert into the hole. The Flowdrill from Flowdrill Inc. (St. Louis, Missouri) eliminates the need for such devices by using a chip-free drilling technique that creates both a hole and support bushing in one machining operation.

The Flowdrill concept uses a conical drill that contacts material with high axial (downward) pressure and rotational speed. The frictional heat the drill generates softens the material, making it malleable enough for the drill to pierce the workpiece and form a collar and bushing around the hole. The total thickness of the collar (created on the top of the surface) and bushing (located under the surface) can be up to three times the workpiece thickness. This increased thickness offers support for a bearing or can be tapped with a similar Flowtap operation. The process works for wall thicknesses from 0.02 to 0.5 inch in mild and stainless steels, titanium, aluminum, copper, brass and various other malleable materials. Common applications include auto exhaust, steering and frame components; pressure and water tanks; pipes and tubing; HVAC manifolds; and metal furniture.

The tungsten carbide Flowdrills are available in diameters from 0.06 to 2 inches and can hold 0.0005-inch repeatability. They can be used on standard drilling machines or CNC machine tools, operating at power levels between 1.5 to 3.5 kW and spindle speeds from 1,000 to 3,500 rpm. The cutting parameters for each application will vary depending on hole diameter and workpiece material and thickness. To optimize hole quality and precision, lubrication must be applied prior to each operation. This can be done manually or via an automatic spraying system. Typical cycle times range from 2 to 6 seconds. Flowdrill collet toolholders are available with a #2 and #3 Morse Taper shank or a 20-mm straight cylindrical shank.

For applications requiring a smooth joining surface or a chamfered hole, flat Flowdrill versions can be used to cut the collar that is formed on the surface of the workpiece. Fluted-tip Flowdrills are recommended for coated materials because the tip helps remove the coating at the start of the drilling operation. Fluted Flowdrills U Drill Inserts also help prevent the deformation of thin workpieces that can occur because of the drill’s downward pressure. This distortion can also be avoided by drilling a small starter hole.

Flowtap roll forming taps can be used to create various standard, metric and NPT thread profiles. Because they form the threads rather than cut them, a compressed structure is created. This structure offers high pull-out strength and torque specifications.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.estoolcarbide.com/pro_cat/fast-feed-milling-inserts/index.html

Root form slots found in turbine rotors are characterized by complex contours and precise dimensions. “Christmas tree” form tools used to cut those intricate slots must be precisely ground so no portion of their profile pushes through their tight tolerance band. Consequently, setting up grinding machines to repeatedly deliver Carbide Milling Inserts quality root form tools is often challenging and time-consuming.

These setups typically involve grinding a trial tool, measuring the tool to identify the portions of the profile that are out of tolerance, and manually tweaking the machine and/or part program to compensate for grinding discrepancies. Depending on the application, this setup procedure can take hours.

The automated Form Tool Compensation (FTC) system developed by Walter (a United Grinding company) offers a more streamlined way to set up these jobs while ensuring ground profile accuracy to as little as 2 microns. By shortening, simplifying and automating the setup process, this technology minimizes turnaround time for manufacturers currently producing such complex root form tools and opens up opportunities for those hoping to enter this market.

The gravity turning inserts FTC system is available for use with the company’s Helitronic grinding machines and supports three tool grinding methods: faceted relief, cam relief and cylindrical grinding. The heart of the system is measurement/program compensation software that links the grinding machine and a tool measuring device. Tool measurement can be performed using one of the company’s standalone Helicheck scanning machines or a portable, on-machine scanning unit Walter recently introduced.

After a preliminary tool is ground to its upper tolerance, the measuring device (either a Helicheck or the on-machine scanning unit) scans the tool’s entire profile without any operator involvement. (It takes 5 minutes to scan a 60-mm profile.) The FTC software then compares the measured profile to the CAD model and automatically creates and sends compensation corrections to the grinding machine’s control. At this point, the grinding machine is ready for a production run.

When a Helicheck is used as the accompanying measuring device, FTC can deliver a ground profile accuracy within 2 microns. When the on-machine scanning unit is used, FTC is only minimally less accurate at 3 microns. However, the on-machine scanning unit can be used on multiple Helitronic machines and costs less than standalone equipment. The on-machine measuring unit consists of a high speed CCD camera coupled with a collimated LED backlight. The backlight allows the camera to reliably distinguish a tool’s cutting edge regardless of tool material or surface finish. The unit installs in the grinding machine’s head in less than one minute without calibration thanks to a self-centering interface. It uses air nozzles to automatically clean tools before performing its scanning routines. After the unit measures a tool, it is removed to allow grinding to be performed.

The on-machine FTC version is offered as an option on new Helitronic machines. It currently can’t be adapted for use with older Helitronic machines because a different grinding head design is needed to allow the head to accept the scanning unit.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005904572323.html

Suited for plunging, high-feed circular interpolation, ramping and enlarging existing holes, Lovejoy Tool Company’s high-feed 250 series tooling is said to be ideal for light, fast cuts in extended-reach applications and light-duty machines.

High-performance, carbide-coated inserts are available for most materials. Also, a screw-on silicon nitride insert is available for high-feed machining of gray cast iron with small-diameter cutters.

The series of cutters is available from stock in diameters ranging from 1.25" to 4.00". End mill versions with straight, extended-length shanks are offered in 1.25" and 1.50" gun drilling inserts gun drilling inserts diameters, and face mill versions are offered in diameters ranging gravity turning inserts from 2" to 4". Other sizes or mountings are available upon request.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005875549905.html

Kaiser Manufacturing’s Tool Caddy is a compact storage solution for assembled CNC tooling. The narrow stainless-steel rack features up to 82 locking, horizontal pockets for CAT 40 or HSK 63 tool holders.

The horizontal arrangement of the tool pockets is designed for machinist safety. Traditional tool racks and carts keep tools in a vertical position with the cutter tip pointing up. This creates a risk of injury for operators when they need to reach over sharp edges to access other tools in the shoulder milling cutters middle or back of the cart. The Tool Caddy design makes it convenient for the operator to grab each toolholder without any risk of cuts, and it uses only about 4 square feet of floor space.

Each tool pocket is slightly angled to safely support the tool while allowing coolant to run off the tool tip and collect in the integrated drip gun drilling inserts gun drilling inserts pan. This further improves safety by keeping fluid spills off the shop floor.

According to Kaiser, Tool Caddy is practical and convenient for tool storage next to the machine, by the pre-setter or for organizing special tool sets. It is available for all major spindle interfaces including CAT 50, HSK 100, BT and Capto.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006037900426.html

Owner Robert Johnson says the shop solved the problem with an end mill that cuts with less force. The four-flute Sasquatch tool from Gorilla Mill includes a roughing design on two of the flutes that shreds the material. The other two flutes are finishing edges that cut at a slightly Carbide Milling Inserts larger diameter. In effect, the Carbide Turning Inserts roughing flutes break up the material and the finishing flutes clean up these passes. With this tool design, Mr. Johnson says the shop can make the cut on the stainless steel part with less feed pressure. The more stable cutting extends the range of work he can do on one of his more versatile machines. 

This slot in stainless is hard to produce on a compact live-tool lathe.

The shop milled the slot effectively using this cutter that combines roughing and finishing flutes.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005981652723.html