Four ways to solve your steel turning challenges:
Reduce cost
Efficiency in steel turning can be reached by reducing scrap and component rejections and by getting more out of the existing machining setup. Keeping your machine running securely with good chip control is a proven strategy to reduce cost per part. Selecting versatile and predictable insert grades, choosing the right cutting strategy, and applying precision coolant and quick change solutions are successful methods to get there.
Reliable grades and geometries
Using turning grades that deliver consistent and predictable tool life can make steel turning operations more secure, efficient, and productive. Tool life increase combined with greater wear and heat resistance can help minimize unplanned stops as well as carbide insert and workpiece material waste, necessary preconditions for sustainable machining.
Save time with quick-change solutions
Quick change solutions reduce time spent on measuring, set-up, and tool change, drastically improving machine utilization. By using quick change to reduce your batch change-over-time you can save up to ten minutes in one turning operation. Other benefits are reduced downtime when changing worn-out tools and quicker production start-up time by eliminating the “first test component” or “measuring cuts”.
Take advantage of over and under coolant
Coolant can play a crucial role in reducing your overall production cost. Correctly applied, it will maximize output, increase process security and improve cutting tool performance and component quality, all important cornerstones in successful machining.
Implement advanced tools and technologies
Advanced solutions such as all-directional turning and grades with new coating technology are transforming the industry and turning as we know it. These key technologies enable considerable gains in productivity, pieces per edge, and tool life never thought possible.
Increase output
Even the smallest improvement in your machining strategy can have a major impact when it comes to increasing output. By choosing the right inserts and tools, an appropriate cutting strategy, and by ensuring the correct application of coolant, you can increase metal removal rates and machine utilization to manufacture steel components in a shorter time.
High-performance inserts
There are many parameters to consider when choosing turning inserts. To maximize metal removal rates, look for a tough substrate resistant to plastic deformation and a post-treatment that performs well in intermittent cutting operations. Be sure to select a coating that delivers consistent and predictable performance, improved wear resistance, and long tool life.
Faster and more secure metal removal
Steel turning is much about continuously refining your current machine set-up. However, it is of major importance to explore new possibilities and discover new technologies and methods. As an example, by applying the all-directional turning method you can reach significantly faster metal removal rates and more than a 50% productivity increase.
Change tools within seconds
Quick change tooling solutions increase machine utilization by reducing measuring, set-up, and tool changing time. A switch of tool holders can be cut from 5–10 minutes down to 30 seconds, which means you save up to ten minutes in one standard turning operation.
Apply under coolant for better tool performance
Use cutting tools with under coolant to maximize output. Under coolant controls the heat in the cutting zone, which leads to improved tool life and predictable machining. The increase in cutting speed or feed opens up for a great productivity increase.
Improve process security
Chip control is that one aspect you always need to bear in mind when turning steel. Poor chip control is a given cause for chip jamming, poor surface finish, and tool breakage. Consequently, improved chip control along with predictable tool life are two important factors to help you improve process security. This can be accomplished by selecting the right cutting strategy and by proper application of coolant.
Efficient chip control
Successful chip control comes down to four factors: Nose radius, depth of cut, feed rate, and insert geometry. A smaller nose radius controls the chip more than a bigger nose radius. Depending on the workpiece material, a larger cutting depth will influence the chip breaking, leading to bigger forces to break and remove the chip. Start your operation at a low feed rate to ensure insert security and surface finish, then increase the feed rate to improve chip breaking.
Precision coolant
Chip breaking and chip evacuation issues can be effectively resolved by using precision coolant. With precision coolant, you get improved chip control, longer tool life, better process security, and also higher productivity. The positive effects start at low coolant pressure, but the higher the pressure is, the more demanding material can successfully be machined.
Choose the right insert geometry
Choose an insert geometry with good chip breaking capability. Based on the width of the chip groove and the design of the micro-and macro geometry, the chip will be open or more compressed. Incorrect choice of the insert can lead to tool breakage and scrapped components that entail major cost implications.
Secure and rigid clamping
The cutting tool should always be as stiff and stable as possible to avoid vibration and deflection — this is especially important in internal applications. Use the shortest tool and the maximum diameter possible.
Improve component quality
The most crucial factors involved in reaching high component quality are good chip breaking and reduced vibration. The optimal tool set-up — all the way from machine to cutting edge — combined with knowledge and machining expertise, is the best way to deal with these challenges. Start with the clamping units and quick change solutions and continue with tools featuring precision coolant and the inserts best suited for your application.
Select correct cutting data
Choosing the right speeds and feeds have a great impact on component quality. Access to optimized tools and cutting data are prerequisites for a secure and predictable machining process. Taking into account all the different parameters needed, the easiest way to select the right cutting tools and cutting data for your turning application is to use an online tool guide. This way you get quick and accurate tool recommendations and cutting data directly integrated into your system.
Stable tools and secure clamping
Optimized cutting tools will not do the job without an optimal tool set-up. A stable and rigid interface between the tool and the turret is fundamental to provide good repeatability and high precision tool positioning.
Vibration is often the limiting parameter in gaining high output in the machine. By using damped boring bars you can increase cutting parameters and get a more secure, vibration-free process with the improved surface finish as a result.
Optimized grades and geometries
Grades optimized for your material and geometries with coolant access are important factors to get tight tolerances, good surface finish, and process stability. Use a wiper insert to achieve superior surface quality.
Internal precision coolant
A precision coolant with pre-directed nozzles focused directly at the cutting zone is a good way to achieve chip control. Correctly applied coolant increases process security and improves tool performance and component quality.
This content was originally published on the Sandvik Coroment website.
