Page 42 - MACHINE TOOLS WORLD - September 2021

CASE STUDY

niche materials, but we think it’s important to understand
given the increasing requirement for energy efficient engine
performance. For these applications, high performance requires
higher thermal mechanical properties and that is driving tool
technology.”
“These materials are particularly critical mainly for heat
generation and elastic to plastic transition. Cutting those
materials requires specific coating and sometimes a specific
combination between solid carbide coatings and dedicated
geometries.”

Tool makers must consider the entire development
life cycle
“A good tool is the combination of elements. The right geometry we keep the FX7 and one MX7 linear for mixed production of
and the combination between carbide and coating. Developing endmills and drills.”
a new tool might require a few weeks to many months. The first “Precision, repeatability and stability are two advantages
technical work is designing and testing a basic tool of a certain of using ANCA machines and over the years we have found
length and diameter, which fulfills the initial targets. After that ANCA machines to be thermally stable with a wide range of
you need to organise the whole commercial offer, extend the technology on offer. A stable grinding machine is very important
tests to the rest of the product family, and of course create the for unmanned shifts to keep tolerances and tool dimensions
stock availability.” under control. In facts repeatability means that we have the
“Over the weekend we mainly produce standard tools and in grinding process under control and can be confident with the
some areas with unmanned shifts which helps us contain costs, quality of the end product we deliver to our customers.”
increasing our capacity. Our operators create optimal production “iGrind is a very good software package mainly because of
conditions, looking at correct machine and grinding wheel set flexibility and because it allows you to do many different things
ups. Our attention to detail when setting up processes mean we easily. iGrind is great for cylindrical grinding to profile tools
can guarantee quality.” and especially with tool segments where you can split the tool
“Our quality control department is responsible for checking operations as much as you want. We also use ANCA’s
tools during and after production. We have the complete
traceability of our production batches and at any time can ToolDraft in combination with AutoCAD.“
retrieve design information, even look at the raw materials.” “We have been recently using iView with a camera for profile
tools and it looks promising because it is a good way to control
ANCA technology offers precision, repeatability, and the tolerance of a complex tool all along the profile. If a profile
stability – all essential for lights out manufacturing is being controlled at a single point it is too difficult if you are
“In our machine centre we have a MX7, MX7 Linear, FX7 Linear, trying to keep a whole profile within a certain tolerance to a few
GX7, TX7 and even a TG7. At the moment we are mainly microns. For that you need a specific device and iView is very
using ANCA machines for standard and cylindrical endmills and interesting.”
“Our operators are happy with the Wheel Probe which
references the grinding wheel directly on the machine. The
benefit using the probe is that you don’t need to waste any
time with an external preset and can make your measurements
directly on the machine. And you don’t need to mount and
dismount the wheel before and after measuring because that
of course might change the basic reference a little bit. So you’re
going to measure the wheel in the same place where the wheel
will work.”

For more information,
Website: www.anca.com

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