A MAGAZINE FROM SECO #2.2012
“The product was an exact fit for what we wanted.”
THE AUTOMOTIVE industry has to meet strict emissions legislation. Reducing vehicle weight is one way to cope with the challenges.
Fitness-enhancing automotive materials
VIGNETTE XXXXX HOW IT WORKS S Q U A R E 6 - 0 4™
RIGHTSIZING
Helix
is the range of Seco milling cutters that brings the six-edge productivity of the bigger Square 6-08 down to the 20-millimetre diameter range. Square 6-04 is avaliable in diameter ranges from 20 to 63 millimetres. The cutters have between two and ten pocket seats equipped with indexable triangular inserts with three edges on each side, offering increased productivity and longer tool life.
SQUARE 6-04
4mm Plunging & milling: Depth of cut max 4mm
TEXT: Åke R Malm PHOTO: Seco
Through coolant channels
Strong centre locking screw
3.97mm Strong, highly positive geometry, thickness 3.97 mm 90° setting angle Coated & pre-hardened cutter body Applications: General machining, for example engine blocks in the automotive industry.
Two different pitches
Large wiper flat rε 04 = 0.8mm rε 08 = 0.4mm
(
)
3x2 cutting edges (totally 6 edges)
WWW.SECOTOOLS.COM/SQUARE6 Product availability: NOW Order & application data: MN Update 2012
Winner of the Swedish design award Svenska Designpriset 2011
EDGE is a customer magazine from Seco Tools published in 25 languages worldwide. Seco Tools AB Marketing Department, 737 82 Fagersta, Sweden. Phone +46 223-400 00 Fax +46 223-718 60 Internet www.secotools.com Publisher Hans Hellgren E-mail hans.hellgren@secotools.com
Managing editor Jennifer Hilliard E-mail jennifer.hilliard@ secotools.com Editorial production and layout Appelberg Publishing Group Project manager Anders Nordner Art directors Cecilia Farkas, Johan Nohr Print Elanders Coverphoto Peugeot
Editorial material in this publication is the copyright of the publisher, Seco Tools AB. Articles may be reproduced free of charge providing reference is made to Edge and the Managing Editor is notified. The trademarks and brand names used in this publication are protected by law.
CON T EN T S E D I T O R I A L #2.2012
06
In India, a new tooling strategy helps Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV) increase productivity.
PEDAL TO THE METAL
04 10 14 18 19 23 24
MATERIALS: AUTOMOTIVE
Materials Expert Olivier Delcourt of Peugeot SA R&D explains how cars are shedding weight.
APPLICATION: MILLING
For Austrian engine bearings producer Miba, the ideal disc milling cutter was a Seco prototype. PORTRAIT: DON GRAHAM
Seco USA Education and Technical Services manager is passionate about presentation style.
IN THIS ISSUE , we take a closer look at accelerating trends in the automotive industry. Resource scarcity, environmental challenges and peak oil are putting pressure on producers, so lighter, high-performance materials previously reserved for the aerospace industry are quickly spreading to cars. This rapid development also puts pressure on Seco; we need to stay ahead, together with our customers, to be competitive. As always, choosing the right tools is important. In these pages you’ll find two examples of standard tools drastically increasing productivity. Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles in India increased its productivity by 20 percent in less than a year, while Austrian engine bearing manufacturer Miba chose a tool that is 40 percent faster than its predecessor. Also, we want to highlight our own website dedicated to the automotive industry. This is the third in a series of websites in which we highlight material and machining trends in different industries. Stay tuned. hans hellgren senior vice president, sales and marketing edge@secotools.com
OUTLOOK: SPINDLE TRENDS
Fischer AG’s Roman Rudolf names the five biggest trends in high-speed spindles.
INDUSTRY: OIL & GAS
A contract manufacturing company replaces its spade drill with a modular solution.
ON THE JOB: RUSS ATKINSON
The US automotive sector's economic boom is good news for the president of Ellison Technologies. INSIGHT: CAST IRON
There’s a lot more to cutting grey cast iron than you might expect. SUGGESTIONS? Do you have story ideas for Edge? Send them to edge@secotools.com.
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3
LOSE THE
WEIGHT Peugeot’s R&D team explores lighter, higher-performance materials.
COMPOSITES Another area of exploration is composites but these can be economically prohibitive. “Not only is carbon fibre very expensive but it isn’t suited to the high demands of car production methods,” says Delcourt. Nonetheless, all constructors are looking at composites for both body and mechanical parts and PSA is currently exploring partnerships with the aerospace industry to share their skills.
TEXT Anna McQueen PHOTOS Peugeot
DIAMOND-LIKE COATINGS Delcourt’s team is also examining ways to reduce engine friction, working on high performance coatings that reduce wear. “We’ve started using diamondlike carbon coatings on certain parts, such as new three-cylinder engines for the new 208. It works very well but it is expensive,” he adds.
PLASTIC PARTS “We are also looking into using more plastics, including for mechanical parts, because it is lighter,” Delcourt explains. “We’ve recently replaced some of our steel oil tanks with plastic ones, which saves us another kilogramme on the car’s overall weight.”
THICKNESS REDUCTION Where steel continues to be used, PSA is also putting a lot of effort into improving the quality of the steel used. “If it is more efficient, we can use less of it and a 10% reduction in thickness of the sheet steel we use could save 5kg in weight,” says Delcourt.
THE SHORT-TERM CHALLENGE facing today’s car
manufacturers in Europe is simple. Statistics show that by 2020, fossil fuel-driven cars will still account for over 90 percent of vehicles on our roads. Therefore, engineers are looking for innovative ways to reduce CO2 emissions in such models by increasing engine efficiency, improving aerodynamics and reducing the weight of the car. However, there is a range of additional factors Peugeot SA (PSA) must take into consideration when developing new materials to meet the challenges of CO2 emission legislation. “Not only must we respect the EU’s REACH regulations on chemical substances to protect human health and the environment, but we also have to manage the planet’s resources and source materials in a manner that avoids geopolitical issues,” says Olivier Delcourt, Materials Expert at PSA R&D. “Moreover, we need local supplies for our production site around the world, we have a constant need to keep costs down and we also have a strict strategy to be more environmentally friendly which brings its own demands. It’s a constant compromise between materials,” he explains. Tool manufacturers will have to accommodate these technical changes in the world of car manufacturing. They will have to adapt and develop solutions
65% STEEL
65%
Typically, 65 percent of a PSA car’s weight is steel. It is the most commonly used material in terms of both the body and mechanical parts. “At PSA, we are trying to reduce vehicle weight by increasing the amount of aluminium we
1g CO2 = 10kg car “It will be a mammoth task, particularly as every gram of CO2 reduction requires a weight reduction of 10kg of car and they are getting bigger all the time,” says Olivier Delcourt, Materials Expert at Peugeot SA (PSA) R&D. “Since the 1990s, PSA cars have increased in weight by an average of 15kg per year. This is due to consumer demands for more security measures and better equipment,” he explains.
to handle the new high-capacity steels, aluminiums and composites, whilst staying competitive. “For us, it is essential we keep the pace of production up, and better still, increase it,” says Delcourt. “Companies like Seco Tools will be playing a key role in doing that, helping us maintain and reduce our cycle Olivier Delcourt, times,” he explains. “They also Materials Expert at have a critical role in reducPeugeot SA R&D. ing wear which supposes that the parts surfaces are even better than they were before. We need high-quality mirror-like finishes to reduce friction – we need their expertise.”
2008
154g
use, both for big parts like cylinder heads but also in the suspension and in the body,” Delcourt explains. “It is already used by other manufacturers for top-ofthe-range vehicles, but it is more expensive and less efficient than steel.”
2015
The permitted level of CO2 emissions per kilometre in the past and future
130g 2020
95g
In 2011 Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles in Pithampur, India, produced 3,900 buses and trucks per month. Now the figure is 4,750.
INDU STRY AUTOMOTIVE
Indian vehicle manufacturer Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd was able to raise its productivity by 20 percent within one year – without any major capital investments. TEXT: Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Bisheshwar Mishra PHOTO: Manpreet Romana
V.S. Tomar, Deputy General Manager at VECV, selected Seco Tools on the basis of strict quality criteria.
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“We are now considering using Seco tools in the line that manufactures cylinder blocks.”
IN LATE 2010 SECO learned that
Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Limited (VECV), one of India’s major manufacturers of commercial vehicles, wanted to increase shop-floor productivity at its Pithampur plant in central India without changing its basic heavy machinery or capital equipment. This was the perfect opportunity for Seco to demonstrate the efficiency of its customised tools and engineering solutions. “Going with a new supplier is always a challenge,” says V.S. Tomar, Deputy General Manager, VECV. “Seco was willing to accept our stringent terms and conditions, which gave us confidence in the company’s abilities.” VECV accepted Seco’s proposal on the basis of strict, non-negotiable quality criteria. In January 2011, Seco provided four sets of tools to VECV for test runs. “We were able to offer full engineering solutions to VECV by providing expertise and customised tools over and above our standard products,” says Seco’s Chirag Shah, Regional Sales Manager – Central. VECV’s machines were capable of higher cutting parameters, but the tools the company had been using were inadequate. The new reamers and drills provided by Seco helped VECV step up its output, and Seco’s reaming solution left smooth surfaces after cutting. Seco promised VECV that by installing 18 sets of tooling equipment, VECV’s turnaround cycle would come down from 11.87 minutes to 6.23 minutes. “We reduced the cycle time to 6.24 minutes, which was 0.01
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minutes short of the target, but VECV managers were more than satisfied,” says V.S. Kulkarni, Asia Pacific Regional Application Expert – Automotive, adding that the use of Seco tools and services had also enhanced the life-span of VECV’s equipment. With Seco’s help, VECV was able to increase the plant’s production of buses and trucks from an average of 3,900 units a month to 4,750 units a month, a jump of more than a fifth within a year. “We are now considering using the Seco tools in the line that manufactures cylinder blocks,” Tomar says, adding that his company builds long-term relationships with its suppliers and partners. That’s good news for Seco, as VECV intends to double the manufacturing capacity at Pithampur from its current annual rate of 50,000 buses and trucks to 100,000 units by 2015. Production capacity may double again five years later if market conditions continue to be favourable.
Seco has by and large been able to meet our expectations.” V.S. Tomar, Deputy General Manager, VECV
In addition to improving quality, the use of Seco tools and services has enhanced the life-span of VECV’s equipment.
18 tools in total Component/Cylinder head The machining of a cylinder head at Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles involves 18 tools of which 8 are standard tools. The standard tools include drills, spot facers, a chamfer tools and a tap. The custom tools include drills, ream-
ers, end mills and a spring seat tool. With the new tools from Seco, VECV managed to decrease the processing time for a cylinder head from 11.87 minutes to 6.24 minutes.
Volvo in India
VECV’s new engine plant was inaugurated in 2012.
Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Limited (VECV), a 50:50 joint venture between Volvo and India’s Eicher Motors Limited, came into effect in July 2008. VECV is currently India’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, with an annual turnover of about 50 billion Indian rupees (approximately one billion US dollars). The joint venture is headquartered
in Pithampur, where the first Eicher truck was built 25 years ago. The town is located 21 kilometres from the city of Indore in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. VECV produces a range of vehicles, from luxury car models to buses that have become popular in India for transporting schoolchildren. Certain state governments, such as the Andhra Pradesh
government, have begun purchasing Volvo buses in bulk, and more than 100 Volvo vehicles operate at various mining sites across India. In 2010 VECV announced an investment of 2.9 billion Indian rupees in the Pithampur plant for the production and final assembly of the Volvo group’s new global VE Powertrain; the plant was inaugurated in February 2012. edge [2·2012]
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APPLICATION M I L L I N G
STANDARD ISSUE Engine bearing producer Miba didn’t want a specialised tool for its milling; it needed a standard one.
TEXT Lois Hoyal PHOTO Werner de Krug
335.25 – disc milling cutter for large widths of cut Disc milling cutter 335.25 features: Milling insert with optimised cutting geometry, reducing cutting forces and noise level A strong and reliable connection between the insert and the cutter body Insert corner radii from 0.8 to 6 millimetres Four cutting edges to reduce cost per part Insert geometries and grades available for all materials Fixed pockets with central coolant or adjustable pockets for maximum flexibility WWW.SECOTOOLS.COM/335_25
C Seco’s solution proved to be economical because the cutter features removable standard inserts with four cutting edges.
USTOMISED DOESN’T always
mean better – at least not with regard to engine bearings. Miba Bearing Group, an Austria-based specialist in engine bearing production, had long been looking to replace the one-off, homemade disc milling cutter with standard tooling that could be used for the finishing milling operation for slide bearings. When Miba approached Seco, the timing was perfect: Seco had the ideal tool in development, offering Miba higher productivity, lower costs, savings in machine capacity investment and simplified tooling management. “Miba’s problem was that it was looking for a standard tool – one that could be ordered one day and delivered the next, not a bespoke tool that would take a few weeks to be delivered,” says Johann Pichler, a sales executive at Seco. “Our prototype fitted perfectly.” Seco’s new disc milling cutter, known as the 335.25, comes equipped with XNHQ inserts and can be used in slotting and any kind of operation in which accessibility is an issue. Seco Product Manager Benjamin Michelet says the tool is designed for use in a range of industries, including general engineering, aerospace, power generation, automotive, oil and gas. Before its launch in spring 2012, the disc milling cutter was tested at Miba’s engine bearings subsidiary in Laakirchen, Austria. The cutter was used to mill oil grooves in the finishing of bearings for large two-stroke engines that would be used in the marine and energy sectors, among others. The test proved to be successful: roughing and finishing were performed three times faster with only a single tool (instead of two); the surface finish at the bottom of the slot was fine (necessary for this kind of bearing workpiece); the cutting process was smooth and quiet; and most important, Miba benefitted from having a standard disc milling cutter. “We were looking for a better and faster solution and a
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APPLICATION M I L L I N G
tool with carbide inserts. The product was an exact fit for what we wanted: it was fast and efficient, with the required surface quality,” says Miba’s Martin Rumpelmayr. Seco’s solution has also proved to be economical for Miba because the cutter features removable standard inserts with four cutting edges; the previous tool used by the company incorporated brazed inserts, meaning that the tool needed to be refurbished each time the inserts were used. “The 335.25 insert can be used four times, and this reduces the cost of special tooling, as there is a complete range of corner radii available in the product’s standard range,” explains Seco’s Michelet. “The tool is 40 percent faster – and coincidentally the production costs have also decreased 40 percent – and we also now have more capacity, as we only have one cutter, not two,” adds Rumpelmayr. The new 335.25 disc milling cutter features a full range of insert geometries, corner radii and carbide grades to operate in all kinds of applications, for all industry segments. “The new free cutting geometry allows for a higher material removal rate even in unstable and tough conditions,” says Michelet. The product features an integrated wiper flat to produce a fine surface finish, thereby avoiding extra finishing operations. The tool can be ordered with either fixed width with integrated coolant holes, or adjustable width for maximum versatility and flexibility. Also, a nickel coating on the cutter body increases tool reliability.
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Austrian company Miba was looking for a standard milling tool. Seco’s milling cutter 335.25 was a perfect fit, according to Martin Rumpelmayr.
... we also now have more capacity, as we only have one cutter, not two.” Martin Rumpelmayr
Miba AG Customers: International engine and automotive industries Employees: 3,900 employees worldwide, with 1,900 at locations in Austria Headquarters: Laakirchen, in the state of Upper Austria Production facilities: Locations include Austria, Slovakia, UK, USA, China, Brazil and India Divisions: Include Miba Sinter Group (components for passenger car engines, transmissions, and shock absorbers), Miba Bearing Group (half-shells, bushings, and thrust washers), Miba Friction Group (friction linings for brakes and clutches), New Technologies Group (power electronic components and special machinery) and Miba Coating Group (highly specialised surface coatings)
SUSTAINABILITY
Then: 11 degrees difference Now: Only two degrees
A COOL
FIX
Seco’s La Tour du Pin reaming centre came up with a smart, simple system for temperature control. TEXT: Anna McQueen ILLUSTRATION: Robert Hagström
SECO’S REAMING centre in La Tour du Pin, south-eastern France, mainly has clients in the automotive and aerospace industries, but it also supplies parts to the general engineering sector. As part of the company’s ongoing drive to minimise its impact on the environment, the reaming centre recently introduced a very simple heat recycling system to improve temperature control in the grinding and sharpening workshop. “In the past, we have had a lot of problems with temperature control,” explains Christophe Guigard, Quality Health Environment & Security Manager. “To ensure the precision of our cutting, we have to work at between 20 °C and 22 °C. In winter it is sometimes too cold, and in summer the motors we use in the workshop – combined with outside temperatures of up to
20–22 °C Perfect temperature for precision cutting.
35 °C – make it too hot. We had to organise our precision machining at specific times of the day when the temperature was just right. Our quality control checks have to be carried out in the same temperature as when the parts are machined, so keeping the temperature constant is critical.” The centre invested in new roof insulation and an air conditioning system. Then Maintenance Technician Laurent Rabatel came up with a very simple way to use some of the heat generated by the motors in the workshop to warm up the workshop in winter and to evacuate the heat during the summer months: adding a sheath with a simple flap around the evacuation pipe. It proved to be a smart, manual solution for temperature control. Before the work was done, in summer, the workshop was only one degree cooler than outside. Thanks to the new measures, the difference now can be up to 11 °C. “The effect in terms of accuracy is only a few microns, but we need a constant temperature to ensure the precision of our parts,” says Guigard. “Having roof insulation combined with air conditioning and this simple heat recuperation system means we can manage our processes better. Now we can produce precision parts all day and carry out our quality control checks knowing that the readings will be accurate.” edge [2·2012]
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PORT R A I T D ON G R A H A M
Feature presentation Don Graham and his team of instructors have developed blockbuster lectures to spread product tips and machining knowledge. TEXT: Dwight Cendrowski PHOTOS: David Lewinsky
W
HEN DON GRAHAM isn’t mak-
ing a presentation in front of a group at Seco NAFTA headquarters in Troy, Michigan, he can usually be found riding a tractor on his farm or putting taps into some 300 trees to collect maple sap. “We usually produce about 208 litres of syrup a year and bottle it, giving some away and selling some under the Graham Family Farm label,” says the energetic manager of Education and Technical Services for Seco USA. Growing up on a farm in western Michigan has given Graham a lifelong love of agriculture; he still grows wheat, oats, and other crops on the 65-hectare farm. Attending a one-room, rural schoolhouse until the fifth grade, Graham followed his love of science to obtain degrees in physics and metallurgy. He spent his early career at General Electric, then ran the Materials Development department at Seco. When he switched to the Marketing depart-
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ment, Graham’s technical background and communication skills made him stand out, and in 2008 he was invited to establish a new division, Education and Technical Services. While also providing new product analysis and testing, the five-person group is mainly tasked with education. “In training our employees for the sales force, one of the things we want to do is elevate their vision,” says Graham. “They know machines and tools, but we want them to realise that they can enhance their ability to sell or design by improving their knowledge base.” Using a combination of classroom and hands-on training, Graham and his instructors provide a three-day core curriculum on metal cutting, failure analysis and troubleshooting, always striving to improve the students’ observational skills. Education and Technical Services isn’t just for Seco employees; Seco distributors and customers – sometimes even college students – also take classes taught by the group, which uses eight classrooms, a 70-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium and a spacious technical centre for handson training. “We often use the Socratic method, teaching by asking questions, guiding students in the right direction and getting them to teach themselves.” Graham feels strongly that customers need to know how to select the best emerging technologies. The education he provides helps them to increase productivity, remain competitive, and keep their factories competitive in the global marketplace.
MIND FOR METALS Don Graham established the Seco USA Education and Technical Services division to support employees, distributors and customers.
Name: Don Graham Age: 59 Background: • Graduated from Michigan Technological University with degrees in physics and metallurgy • Starting in 1975, worked for GE’s Research and Development Center on nuclear reactor applications and developing alloys for jet engines • Developed new coatings and substrates at Seco, then became responsible for the Materials Development Group in the NAFTA R&D Department • Switched to Marketing and was selected to create an Education and Technical Services division in 2008 Interests: Farming and producing maple syrup
“In training our employees for the sales force, one of the things we want to do is elevate their vision.” Don Graham
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PORT R A I T D ON G R A H A M
Graham laughs when he reflects on his current job as educator and presenter. “If you had told me when I was in college that I would be standing in front of large audiences teaching, I would have said, ‘No way’. I’m basically introverted.” In fact, when he completed a personality test at Seco, he was rated the most introverted in the building. Yet he is comfortable, poised and effective. This is largely due to hard work; in the past, Graham would rehearse his presentations seven to nine times in an empty room. He is largely self-taught in terms of teaching methods, reading voraciously and drawing inspiration from notable speakers, preachers and even comedians. He listens to how they control an audience, build a story and modulate their voices and inflection. He also studies educational research, picking up wisdom from the children’s television show Sesame Street: “They referred to what’s called the ‘Sticky Factor’. How do we make this information stick and help an audience retain what they’re hearing?” asks Graham. “I try to teach in a way to help an audience remember, using analogies, word pictures, and illustrations.” To stay up-to-date, Graham keeps in close touch with the Research & Development department at Seco’s headquarters in Sweden. The Education Program’s success has led to overscheduling problems. Graham and his co-workers try to alleviate the problem by providing information via email and producing tech tools in Excel and Pow-
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Don Graham’s tips for better presentations: Practice is key. Like any discipline, you have to work at it. Practice in front of your family or in an empty room. Think about what motivates the audience, whether it’s making more money or learning new skills. Speak to those needs. You’ve got to keep the audience’s attention and make the presentation interesting. If you’re not a gifted speaker, find ways to keep the audience’s attention, whether with a cartoon, video clip or appropriate humour.
erPoint. “The demand is there – people are hungry for information – but we don’t have the people to go everywhere we need to go,” he says. In fact, 30 to 40 percent of Graham’s time is spent traveling to conduct classes. Feedback from attendees has been uniformly positive. They say Seco’s classes are head-and-shoulders above competitors’ programmes. One customer says it all: “The knowledge level of the teachers is off the charts, yet they speak clearly, concisely, and on a level that everyone can understand. Best class I’ve attended… ever.”
AUTO INFO
With Seco’s user-friendly automotive website, customers get all the information they need in three clicks or less.
TEXT: Cari Simmons PHOTOS: Istockphoto and Getty Images
SECO’S NEW automotive website provides information about the latest automotive industry trends, processes and product innovations, along with examples of real-world applications. Launched in January 2012, it includes data on materials, cutting process information and various aspects of automotive manufacturing. The intuitive website includes interactive 3D models of vehicles that enable users to identify specific components and read about best practices in their manufacture. The information on the site comes from Seco’s global network of experts who partner closely with automotive manufacturers worldwide.
“The site’s main feature is the interactive machining models where a customer can select a component part and see what solutions Seco has to offer for these operations in an interactive way,” says John Tindall, Global Manager Strategic Engineering Group, Seco Tools. “Users can see simulations, videos, cost-saving reports and more. It’s a valuable resource for our customers to help stay on top of the latest trends and developments.” SO FAR, the response to Seco’s au-
tomotive site has been extremely positive. “Customers in the US have left voice mails praising the site,” Tindall says. In Germany, the maschine + werkzeug newsletter named it “website of the week”. Tindall advises people to experience the site for themselves: “Try it, use it…You will be surprised at what you can learn and what Seco has to offer.”
Industry-specific Seco’s new automotive site is the third in a series of websites focused on industrial segments. In addition to the automotive segment, Seco has developed websites dedicated to the aerospace and energy industries. An oil-and-gas site is being planned for release next year. www.secotools.com/automotive
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OU T L OOK GLOBAL TRENDS
TRENDS IN SPINDLES
IN SPINDLES
SPINDLE MANUFACTURER Fischer Precise says a high-speed spindle is “the heart of a machine tool”. Because of new demands on machine tools, the heart has to beat faster and more reliably. Edge asked Roman Rudolf, Director of Sales Istockphoto and Support at Fischer AG, TEXT Rob Schoemaker ILLUSTRATION to identify the five biggest trends in spindle manufacture. TEXT Michael Lawton ILLUSTRATION Johan Nohr & Istockphoto
1
Miniaturisation
2
Precision “You can’t get an accurate result unless you can ensure accurate thermal management, and that means effective cooling systems. Precision also means that surfaces are perfect the first time, and there’s no need for polishing because there are no negative influences from the spindle.”
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3
“Smaller tools for industries such as electronics or semi-conductors require increased rotation speeds of up to several hundred thousand rpm. To achieve this, you need aerodynamic or aerostatic contact-free bearings and new motor technologies.”
Process cooling “New materials, such as carbon-fibre, have led to new demands on cooling lubricants. They may require using dry air, minimal quantity lubrication (MQL), or flood cooling of the cutter. All these cooling media have to be handled with one spindle for all the applications.”
5
Monitoring
Power and torque
“The main goal is greater productivity, and that means better control of the whole process. Increased power and speed require better monitoring. You must have a clear picture of the spindle’s condition at all times. Constant, dynamic observation allows you to optimise processes.”
“In industries such as aerospace, milling machines have to remove large amounts of material. Compact spindles with high speed, high power and high torque can, for example, clear up to 15 cubic decimetres a minute of aluminium.”
I NDU STRY OIL & GAS
Bardons & Oliver Machine tool builder, founded in 1891. 100 percent employee owned since 2008. 120 employees in two divisions. 9,300-square-metre (100,000-square-foot), state-of-the-art facility in Solon, Ohio, USA.
DRILL BIG A modular drill solution is helping a 121-year-old tool and contract manufacturing company surge in the 21st century. TEXT: Dwight Cendrowski PHOTO: Getty Images
INDU ST RY OIL & GAS
Bardons & Oliver Vision for precision Needing to hold very tight machining tolerances, Bardons & Oliver keeps its factory airconditioned in the summer at 21–22 degrees Celsius, since steel will swell and shrink with temperature swings. And to assure customers of maximum precision, the company has invested in a sophisticated coordinate measuring machine, or CMM. This extremely sensitive machine uses 3-D software to measure with great accuracy the geometrical characteristics of a workpiece surface. Isolated from the rest of the plant, the CMM has a vibrationdampening foundation and rests on six feet of solid granite.
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is a 121-year-old precision machine tool manufacturer and medium-size contract manufacturing shop in Solon, Ohio. “We design, engineer, manufacture, and assemble CNC equipment, and also provide machining services in our contract manufacturing division,” explains Ben Bailey, Business Unit Manager for Contract Manufacturing. The company’s products are used in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, mining, transportation, power transmission, heating and cooling, and deconstruction (machinery that breaks down structures or roadways). Unusually, Bardons & Oliver has been a 100-percent-employee-owned company since 2008. “From the labourer level to the guy steering the boat, everybody has a stake in it,” says Bailey. He points to the new overhead crane in the justcompleted deburring area, the last stop before a job goes out the door. “We practice lean manufacturing and efficient workflow,” Bailey says. “And we take a lot of pride in having a clean and safe environment. Here it’s all about safety, safety, safety.” Bardons & Oliver’s business is crowded with competitors and subject to the ups and downs of the economy. Fortunately, business has been trending upward since 2010. Bailey explains that his company’s contract manufacturing specialty has become large components and horizontal machining, with pieces in the range of 4,545 kilograms. A challenging economy has given way to a surging manufacturing sector; so much so that Bailey is finding it a challenge to find enough qualified workers to hire.
Seco SD600 Drilling Solution DESCRIPTION: Modular drill head system for large and deep holes DIAMETER: Up to 160 mm for the SD601 head FEATURES: Strong square inserts, integral floating guide pads, HTS and ABS adaptors, and pilot drill design ADVANTAGES: Better hole quality, increased output, and lower tool cost
Bardons & Oliver replaced a spade drill with a Seco modular unit, which in testing increased metal-removal rates up to six times.
Seco is the primary tooling vendor for Bardons & Oliver’s machine shop, supplying up to 75 percent of the tools used in the plant. Bailey has high praise for Seco: “The tooling performs extremely well. We get impeccable service, too; within minutes, we can have Seco on the phone, and they’re here within an hour working with us.” THE TWO COMPANIES recently signed a partner-
ship agreement in which Bardons & Oliver operates as a beta test site, reviewing the latest in tooling and providing feedback that Seco engineers can use to improve performance. One example of their collaboration is the SD601 modular drilling head, which Seco has supplied to the Bardons & Oliver contract manufacturing division since July 2011.
Bardons & Oliver used the 160 mm drill extended to 74.9 cm, drilling to a depth of 69.9 cm. Best results were at 212 rpm at 3.3 cm per minute. The machine pushed at 43 horsepower. Material grade was similar to Seco Material Group Number 5.
The division needed to drill very large holes for applications in the oil and gas industry, and removing such massive amounts of steel was taking up a lot of time and putting undue wear and tear on the equipment. Seco’s solution was to replace the spade drill with a Seco modular unit, which in testing increased metal-removal rates up to six times and significantly reduced costs. Seco’s Tom Milner, Senior Application Engineer for the Ohio region, says, “In head-to-head testing against a competitor’s modular drill system, Seco’s design proved superior in terms of tool life of carbide inserts and pilot drill.” Noting Bardons & Oliver’s issue with occasional breakage at a competitor’s modular connections, Milner boasts, “To date there have been zero issues with the Seco modular connection.” edge [2·2012]
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INDU ST RY OIL & GAS
“Nine out of 10 times, a Seco tooling application is best suited for us.” The SD601 modular system is a 160 mm drilling behemoth. No longer limited to small holes and shallow depth, Bardons & Oliver can now drill large holes right to size instead of starting with a small hole and then boring it out over many passes. The change has resulted in decreased cycle times and less wear on the machinery, along with the ability to add extensions to reach whatever depth is needed. Bailey points out a brand new CNC boring mill – the largest in the plant – that will be able to utilise all the power
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and depth of the SD601 when in full operation. Bailey says, “With Seco’s geometries, insert grade selections, edge preps, and different coatings they offer, I’d put them up against anybody. Nine out of 10 times, a Seco tooling application is best suited for us.” He adds, “And they’re receptive to feedback. Tell them what isn’t quite right about a cutter, and they take that information back to their engineers. On multiple occasions, six months or a year later there was that tool we wished we had!”
ON THE JOB PHOTO David Lewinski
Detroit lion Russ Atkinson, President of Ellison Technologies, explains how a focus on total solutions is keeping his company ahead during the current surge in American auto manufacturing. AS A CORPORATION, we’re the
largest machine tool distributor in the United States, with sales this year that will exceed half a billion dollars. In the Michigan market, Ellison Technologies represents the companies DMG, Mori Seiki, Mikron and Fanuc Robotics. We really believe Michigan is leading the economy out of recession. The majority of our equipment ends up in the auto industry, and business has taken off since late 2010. The consumption of machine tools is near as high as it’s ever been, remaining steady in the automotive markets we serve. We sell solutions, providing our customers with the ability to make parts faster and at a lower cost. When we sit down with a customer, we immediately engage with Seco for guidance on the best tooling solution. They work with us to apply that tooling and maximise production of the machine. And Seco shines in service. They’re at our door at a moment’s notice, on our shop floor, sleeves rolled up, and helping to solve the customers’ problems. Nobody in our local trading area provides that support. We’re doing an open house with Seco to demonstrate that new software and tooling can actually increase productivity by 30 to 50 percent on roughing cuts in first machining operations. Seco supplies tooling solutions for our metal cutting applications, and they also work with us to develop the process. They’ll do time studies with us. When we guarantee a production rate to a customer, sometimes Seco will come in and do the time study for us and say, for instance, ‘You can make this part in three minutes.’ We’ll then take that back to the customer and work very closely with Seco to develop that process.
RUSS ATKINSON Occupation: President, Ellison Technologies of Michigan Location: Novi, Michigan USA Age: 65 Family: Married, 3 boys Interests: Racing a 30-ft sailboat, woodworking, finish carpentry Education: Industrial engineering degree, Ohio University
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INSIG H T CAST IRON
Grey matter Patrick de Vos, Corporate Technical Education Manager at Seco Tools Group, probes the nuances of cutting grey cast iron. CAST IRON that solidifies with
separation of graphite is called grey cast iron due to the fact that the exposed free graphite makes fracture surfaces appear grey. Typical grey cast iron components in the automotive industry, for example, are engine blocks, brake discs, brake drums, cylinder liners, fly wheels and clutch plates. Grey iron comes in a number of standardised grades which are based on strength and hardness, qualities which can be improved by adding Mn, Cr, Ni, V or Cu. From a machinability point of view, the microstructure – which is almost synonymous with hardness – is totally dominant. The quantity, size and distribution of graphite flakes and the amount of free ferrite and lamellar pearlite determine the strength and hardness of the grey iron. Alloying elements such as C, Si, S and Si/ Mn improve machinability, while Mo, Cr and P have the opposite effect (with Mo being the most detrimental and P the least). Metal cutting in steel can be described as “deforming the material until it tears off.” Compared to steel, grey cast iron has lower ductility, which means the cutting process is somewhat different:
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The chips are short (short chipping material). The cutting forces are, in general, lower than in steel with comparable hardness, but the hardness of grey cast irons fluctuates. This results in a fluctuating load on the cutting tool (knocking knuckles effect = edge chipping). Abrasive inclusions in the material add extra wear on the cutting edges, so cutting materials need to have high resistance to abrasive wear.
“If free ferrite levels are above 10 percent, then PCBN performance is significantly reduced.” Selecting the best cutting tool and cutting conditions Grey cast irons are relatively soft, but very abrasive, so polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) inserts are the first choice for roughing and finishing; the CBN content has high abrasion resistance.
But grey cast iron can be machined with both carbide and PCBN grades. The balance of ferrite and pearlite in the iron’s microstructure is critical for deciding whether to use carbide or PCBN as a cutting material. To maximise PCBN performance, the free ferrite levels in a casting should be less than five percent. Ideally the grey iron microstructure should be fully pearlitic, with no free ferrite present, because free ferrite content can have a major effect on tool life. If free ferrite levels are above 10 percent, then PCBN performance is significantly reduced. Since the time that PCBN was introduced for grey cast iron machining, the importance of cutting speed has been well documented. Tests show that tool life increases rapidly when cutting speeds increase from 100 m/min to 400 m/min; the increase only stabilizes at cutting speeds above 400 m/min. Successful PCBN machining is typically carried out at cutting speeds between 800 m/ min and 1,200 m/min. Manganese sulphide (MnS) is a machinability-enhancing compound in cast irons. It enhances the performance of a cutting tool
by creating a protective layer on the cutting edge. This seems to be the result of a continuously self-generating process in which deposited MnS adheres to the cutting edge at the same rate as it is being removed by abrasion. Recent research has shown that sulphur levels in a casting should be higher than 0.1 percent. When casting grey cast iron components, nitrogen and oxygen become trapped in the castings. Their presence in castings is detrimental to the life of the tool, as these elements form aggressive oxides during machining. The generally accepted method for oxygen and nitrogen removal is to wait at least 10 days after casting in order to allow the oxygen and nitrogen to escape. This process is known as “ageing”. If the castings are machined earlier, oxygen and nitrogen remain dissolved in the iron, thereby increasing cutting forces and raising the heat in chips (shorter tool life of the cutting edges). Ageing is also beneficial because it relieves component stress, thereby minimising any subsequent component deformation after machining.
the tool pressure. High tool pressure can deform the part – making it difficult to reach necessary tolerances – and cause vibrations that destroy the surface finish. In these operations, the first step to reduce tool pressure is to try a chamfered and honed cutting edge with a neutral rake angle. A negative rake angle with a honed cutting edge would further decrease tool pressure, but the sharper edge reduces the strength of the cutting edge and increases the risk of edge chipping. Rough machining of grey cast iron requires chamfered and honed cutting edges. The skin of
grey cast iron can be rough, hard and contain impurities such as sand from the casting process. These and the larger depth of cut mean more pressure on the cutting edge. Chamfering of the cutting edge strengthens the cutting edge, thereby ensuring consistent and maximum tool life. The understanding of successful machining grey cast irons is ever-evolving. For more information on the latest insights in this process, please contact your Seco representative. Patrick de Vos, patrick.de.vos@secotools.com
CUTTING TOOL
Short chips Abrasive particles give extra abrasive wear The hardness of grey cast irons fluctuates, resulting in a fluctuating load on the cutting tool.
Brittle fracture gives fluctuating cutting forces
WORKPIECE
Tool geometry and edge preparation A negative rake combined with a chamfered and honed cutting edge is the first choice for finishing of grey cast iron components, offering the best combination of edge strength, stability and tool performance. The nose radius should always be as large as possible. When machining thin-walled sections, long slender parts or small internal diameters, it is sometimes necessary to reduce
A negative rake combined with a chamfered and honed cutting edge is the first choice for finishing of grey cast iron components.”
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IN BR IE F
OFF TO A ROUGHING START SECO’S JABRO-HPM (high-performance machining) family of solid end mills welcomes two new members, JHP951 and JHP993, which are suitable for roughing applications such as full slotting with large axial cutting lengths (1.5 x Dc) and side milling in soft carbon, cast irons and high-alloy steels with high hardness. JHP951, available in a diameter range from 3 to 25 millimetres with three to fi ve teeth, is suitable for stable operating conditions. It has up to thirty percent higher material removal rate compared to the earlier JHP950, thanks to a variable helix, optimised teeth, uneven flute spacing and a special flute cavity design. The new JHP993 is designed for complex roughing applications, especially when the workpiece is not completely solid or difficult
to clamp. It comes in diameters from 4 to 25 millimetres with three to six teeth that, just like the shape of the flutes, are optimised for high-performance roughing. JHP993 is available with an internal “through” coolant channel that delivers significantly more coolant (30 percent) to the cutting zone than cutters without internal through coolant channels; this increases tool life and reduces the risk for uncontrolled wear, making it ideal for unmanned operation. www.secotools.com/Jabro_HPM
CHUCK IT EPB-5672 is a new collet chuck system from Seco with a maximum radial run-out of only three microns. It offers two to three times the transmittable torque of previous collet chuck models, and more than hydro-expanding chucks. Tools are fastened by tightening the nut with a dedicated torque roller wrench, which is an easy operation for the user. Due to its completely cylindrical shape (without any asymmetrical parts), EPB-5672 is suitable for high-speed machining that requires well-balanced tool assemblies. A chuck can be used with collets of different clamping diameters, for tool shank diameters from 1 to 20 millimetres. www.secotools.com/EPB5672
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Solid end mills JHP951 (far right) and JHP993 are designed for roughing applications in soft carbon, cast irons and high-alloy steels.
TK grades get an upgrade TK1001 AND TK2001 are two new grades that make insert selection for cast iron turning applications a lot easier, replacing TK1000 and TK2000. While the recommended cutting data remains the same for the improved grades, TK1001 and TK2001 provide additional productivity in most cast iron applications and higher levels of predictability. The grades are suitable for a wider range of applications than before. TK1001 is mainly intended for grey cast irons and designed for maximum productivity under stable conditions, which demand high wear resistance. Cylinders and brake discs are examples of suitable applications. The generally tougher TK2001 is the best choice for general purpose cast iron turning, with top performance in ductile (nodular) cast irons. The grade offers a reliable and comprehensive option that can handle high speeds and more interrupted cuts. Among its
ideal applications are wheel hubs, camshafts and clutches. Compared to the previous generation, the insert grades have a thicker coating of TiCN and Al2O3, increasing performance. Hinkdrik Engström, project manager for the development of the new grades, says, “Thicker coatings normally come at the cost of reduced coating integrity, such as loss of coating toughness. But we have been able to balance that with more precision in these new Duratomic ® coatings, which have both increased toughness and thickness.” The new coating is applied on even harder substrates than before, made from cemented carbide (an alloy of cobalt and tungsten). TK1001 and TK2001 are being offered in a number of insert types, available with a selection of chipbreakers. www.secotools.com/TK1001TK2001
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PHOTO: GETTYIMAGES
TOUCHDOWN Saving on an aircraft’s empty weight by one percent delivers three per cent less fuel burn. That’s why aircraft manufacturers are turning to high-performance, lightweight materials that present a challenge for machining tools.
Tools
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MessierBugattiDowty
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French MessierBugatti-Dowty manufactures aircraft landing and braking systems for a wide range of aircraft and helicopter manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing.
The expected down-force on each of an airliner’s truck beams.
tonnes
WWW.SECOTOOLS.COM/AEROSPACE
SUGGESTIONS? Do you use Seco tools to make a compelling product? Contact us at edge@secotools.com. 02845229 ST20126366 GB