Video
Developing a face milling cutter for aluminum - Passion for innovation
The face milling cutter for aluminum - M5B90 - is a result of true innovation. Meet one of the engineers behind the development of this unique milling cutter and learn about the passion that went in to creating it.
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Transcript:
The challenge when developing is that it needs to be right for the customer first time around, because they are going to be machining lots of parts with that cutter and if it's not right, they are going to lose a lot of parts.
How did this whole story start? It started at the customer. We were watching a huge broaching machine, and when the parts exited the machine, we said "Wow".
If it could rotate instead of using an axial movement straight down, that would be amazing."
Back in the office, we agreed "We might really be onto something with this idea."
So, we started to make sketches to work towards a prototype so we could validate this idea.
The day we succeeded, I remember it well, because it was clear right away that this cutter had something, and we said "OK, we may have a breakthrough here".
The cutter body is made from two different materials: aluminium, because it is lightweight and steel, because it is hard-wearing. Because the chip always going to hit this section here, which is very hard. So this will preserve the tool. And then, we have the aluminium because of the weight. This cutter provides both axial and radial progression.
None of the inserts are set at the same level, and each insert cuts a small amount of material. Which is why we get these very fine chips, which will not end up getting stuck in the cylinder head, or in the engine. And in addition, there are no burrs with this cutting principle. It gives us a very good surface finish.
And it can also machine 50,000 parts like this one with one cutting edge. I would say this cutter has changed the face of milling.
One thing we can say about this tool is that it lives up to its promises in terms of productivity because of its high feed rate. It is an excellent tool for high-speed machining.
So, it combines high speed and high feed, perfect for specialists.
I do think that this can really change their lives having a tool which does not create burrs that they don't need to adjust, which only have one single type of screw to be replaced.
Yes, I think this will change their lives!
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