For machining service providers, whether they are an established company with many hundreds of employees that provides high volume low mix, an SME that focuses on high mix low volume, or an independent shophouse that focuses prototyping services, fast turnaround of production and can ship high-quality parts to your customers are keys for success in this business. As industrial application parts are trending towards hardened materials, especially in automotive industries, this article explores how finding the right tools and staying updated on the latest metal-cutting trends is essential for metalworkers to maintain their competitiveness in this business. Furthermore, the Green industry is widely recognized as a key driver of sustainable growth. We will delve into the ways in which these state-of-the-art tools can contribute to a better world.
Hardened Steels are More Common in Auto-parts
Steel, especially hardened steel, has quickly gained popularity in auto manufacturing and is found in many parts of today’s cars. Some examples of steel used in auto parts are high-strength low-alloy steels, advanced high-strength steels, and ultrahigh-strength steels. These types of steel are used to improve vehicles’ safety and performance. High-strength low-alloy steels are used in body panels, while advanced high-strength steels are used in suspension components. Ultrahigh-strength steels are typically found in roll cages or other safety features.
However, with increased hardness comes increased wear resistance that makes it more difficult to cut or shape. A material’s ability to be cut and the type of tooling capable of cutting the material is directly correlated to the hardness of each material. For harder materials, such as hardened steel, diamond-infused cutting tools are a good choice, as are carbides and ceramics. These tools allow for machining with more rigid, higher precision tooling. Additionally, using the right tool shapes is key to successfully CNC machining hard metals.
Trends of Advanced Cutting Tools
With more advanced materials being introduced into auto parts nowadays, the following trends are expected to influence the metal-cutting tools industry. These include;
1. Adoption of advanced materials. The use of advanced materials such as ceramics, carbides, and cubic boron nitride in metal cutting tools is a significant trend. These materials offer superior hardness and heat resistance compared to traditional high-speed steel tools, enabling them to maintain sharpness and geometry even at high cutting speeds and temperatures. These properties offer the ability to achieve high speed and precise cuts with less wear on tools.
2. Advanced coatings for extended tool life. Enhancing the tool life while keeping up the performance of cutting tools through advanced coatings is another key trend. Titanium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, and diamond-like carbon are some of the coatings being used to protect cutting tools from wear and tear. These coatings help extend the tool life by reducing friction and heat generation during the cutting process.
3. High-speed machining (HSM): Speed is crucial in manufacturing. High-speed machining techniques are transforming the metal-cutting industry by reducing the time required to machine parts. With today’s increased spindle RPM and more precise feed rates, HSM helps to boost the rate of material removal, significantly speeding up production output.
4. Sustainability: Efforts to minimize environmental impact are now widespread across all industries, including metalworking. Cutting tools that help manufacturers reduce cycle time, extend tool lifespan, and decrease waste and scraps, also contribute to reducing energy consumption. This includes recycling used tools and using more environmentally friendly materials.
5. Integration with digital technologies: The integration of metal-cutting tools and digital technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) is a trend that leads to the Smart Factory. By incorporating sensors into the tools or tool systems and enabling network connectivity, technicians can monitor and track tool wear and performance in real time, from anywhere. These data can be used to optimize cutting conditions and predict tool failure.
Advanced Tools for a Better World
Due to the increasing public concern about environmental issues and sustainability in recent years, environmental responsibility is now a requirement for all manufacturing industries, with the automotive industry leading the way. As a result, manufacturing companies of auto parts are taking various environmental measures such as reducing industrial waste and CO2 emissions by cutting power consumption. In response to the growing need for environmental responsibility, cutting tool manufacturers need to put more effort into research and development to improve cutting performance and help metalworkers achieve these goal.
New Launched Coated SUMIBORONTM BNC2105
As the demand for high-hardness steel used in automotive parts increases, there is a growing need for excellent dimensional accuracy and surface properties of workpieces in the metalworking sector. Manufacturers also need to improve productivity and efficiency to handle variable-variety and variable-volume production, while complying with environmental standards and regulations.
Addressing these needs, Sumitomo Electric Industries offers the new Coated SUMIBORON series for hardened steel machining. In addition to BNC2125 for general-purpose machining and BNC2115 for high-accuracy machining, the new Coated SUMIBORONTM BNC2105 was developed using new coating technologies and modified CBN substrate, resulting in a highly wear-resistant grade suitable for high-speed machining and high-speed finishing. Sumitomo confidently claims that these products provide consistency in machined quality and extend tool life in high-speed finishing, contributing to enhanced production efficiency.
The new Coated SUMIBORONTM BNC2105 is designed for high-speed machining and offers excellent wear resistance, making it ideal for use with hardened steel. This tool features a highly wear-resistant TiAlN super multi-layered coating that is made thicker to ensure a long tool life. This coating is combined with a high wear-resistant CBN substrate that uses a newly developed TiCN binder, known for its excellent thermal resistance. The overall result is a stable and long tool life in high-speed machining applications.
Conclusion
As the demand for better and safer automobiles continues to grow, the metalworking industry, which is at the forefront of technological innovation, is adapting to meet the needs of modern manufacturing. The topics and trends discussed above illustrate how a dynamic metalworking sector is. It’s not only aims to improve its machining performance but also responds to broader trends and challenges such as the environment, sustainability, and digital transformation. As these trends progress, they require metalworkers to further enhance the precision and efficiency of their operations. In order to meet these requirements, the capabilities of the selected cutting tools are key to ensuring that the metalworking sector can confidently tackle future challenges.
Article by: MEGATech & Sumipol Corporation Limited << Click here