Tungsten is a rare and valuable metal used in various industrial applications, including electronics, mining, and aerospace. In recent years, the price of tungsten has been volatile due to fluctuations in supply and demand. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the price of tungsten concentrate Cermet Inserts(65% WO3 minimum) in the United States in 2020 was around $245 per metric ton unit (MTU), up from around $210 per MTU in 2019.Cobalt is a metal used primarily in the production of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and other electronics. Like tungsten, cobalt prices have been volatile in recent years due to fluctuations in supply and demand. According to the London Metal Exchange (LME), the average cash price for cobalt in 2020 was around $14 per pound, down from around $16 per pound in 2Threading Inserts 019.It's important to note that prices for raw materials can vary widely depending on factors such as location, quality, and supply and demand dynamics. If you need up-to-date information on current prices for these materials, I would recommend checking with a reliable source such as a commodity pricing service or market research firm. The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.estoolcarbide.com/product/factory-wholesale-cnc-lathe-cutting-tools-solid-carbide-inserts-milling-inserts-bdmt11t308er-jt/
Why are cutting tools coated? Most would say it is to protect the tool. That answer is true as far as it goes, but the function of the coating is more varied and more specific than that. In this video, I get to talk about coatings with Julius Schoop, Ph.D., machining expert with the Cincinnati-based manufacturing consulting firm TechSolve. (Actually, he is now formerly with TechSolve—he accepted a university slot milling cutters professor position while this video was in production.)
In particular, Dr. Schoop and I focus on the difference between physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) bar peeling inserts coatings. PVD is a line-of-sight process allowing for a thinner coating and therefore a sharper edge. CVD produces a thicker coating more effective as a thermal barrier.
The machining footage in this video shows the difference as we experiment with different coatings in both roughing and finishing passes in 4140 steel. Choosing the right coating for the cut can have a dramatic effect on the performance of the process.
Fusion laser cutting uses an inert gas, such as nitrogen, at high pressure to blow molten material out of the kerf. For mild steel, it offers an alternative to flame cutting using oxygen, especially for relatively thick sheets, in that it doesn’t leave behind oxidized cut edges that commonly require reworking.
The issue with conventional solid-state laser cutting machines that perform fusion cutting using nitrogen is high gas Carbide Turning Inserts consumption/high gas cost. This led Trumpf to develop its Highspeed and Highspeed Eco nozzles that it says can increase the feed rate for solid-state laser machines performing fusion cutting with nitrogen by as much as 100 percent.
Less nitrogen is used due to the nozzles’ designs. The Highspeed nozzle features a bi-flow design in which some of the nitrogen passes through the center of the nozzle with the laser beam. The rest of the gas forms a secondary flow around the principal flow to concentrate it into the kerf and more effectively expel the molten material. The Highspeed Eco nozzle uses a sleeve that creates a seal between the nozzle tip and the surface of the material to force the gas directly into the kerf, ensuring that little or no gas flows off to the side. As the sleeve glides across the material during fusion cutting (without marring the surface), the nozzle remains 0.06 inch from the sheet surface. This is said to ensure the nozzle can effortlessly withstand any spatter generated during piercing, which accelerates piercing time and minimizes the risk of damage to the nozzle.
The Highspeed version uses 40 percent less nitrogen on average; the Highspeed Eco 70 percent less. Plus, the piercing process for both is faster, and laser power does not need to be increased. These nozzles enable an 8-kW laser to fusion cut mild steel sheets as thick as 0.5 inch compared to 0.4 inch as in the past.
The company says whereas typical fusion cutting of 0.25-inch mild steel with an 8-kW laser using nitrogen can be performed at a linear feed rate of 216 ipm, the Highspeed Eco can achieve 350 ipm at roughly half the required gas pressure.
The Highspeed and Highspeed Eco nozzles can also be used for fusion cutting using nitrogen of stainless steel sheets ranging in thickness from 0.16 to 1 inch. Additionally, only one nozzle is needed for the entire material thickness range in mild steel and stainless steel, which makes mix-ups less likely and shortens setup times.
Both nozzles are tungsten carbide inserts currently available on new TruLaser series 5000 machines with an 8-kW solid-state laser, but will soon be available for use with 6-kW solid-state lasers. The Highspeed process is available on the TruLaser series 3000 fitted with a six-kW solid-state laser. Relatively new TruLaser series 5000 machines with an 8-kW solid-state laser can be retrofitted with the Highspeed Eco nozzle.
New from Miyano, the BX-26S gang tool lathe with two spindles offers complete part machining of complex bar work (1" diameter and under) in a single setup. Two gang slides and a 3D linear turret further contributes to the?lathe’s precision and faster cycle times, according to the company.
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Its linear turret and traverse-type identical left and right spindles, both with 5 hp, ensure stable cutting from end to end and make the lathe especially good for long shaft work, the company says. tungsten carbide insertsHigh speed turning of 8,000 rpm maximum is possible by built-in spindle motors and high-rigidity linear guides. The built-in motors with the same collet capacity also allows faster cycle times because of overlapping operations. The elimination of a guide bushing speeds up operation time with less maintenance.
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The lathe also offers revolving tool (eight tools max at 4,Carbide Turning Inserts 000 rpm max), L-spindle brake, cut-off confirmation (by spindle torque), parts catcher and parts conveyor, high pressure coolant (160 psi), right spindle inner conveyor, high pressure coolant (160 psi), right spindle inner coolant and all axis rapid traverse (944 ipm) and an optional hinge-type chip conveyor (right side dscharge).
While preparing to physically relocate 14 milling and turning machines to his new building in Houston, Texas, owner James Wells decided it was the right time to examine every process at Wells Manufacturing for potential optimization.
He had just invested in a new, larger facility with bright lights and shiny new epoxy floors intended to represent the culture of quality at Wells Manufacturing. But it wasn’t until he had to clean out his machines for the move that he thought about the metalworking fluids going into them. After a decade of filling the sumps with the same product, he recognized an opportunity to try something new in hopes of further improving the new shop environment.
Mr. Wells met with John Hinders, the area manager for Blaser Swisslube, to discuss his options. “I suggested that Mr. Wells should try converting to one of our new products, Synergy 735. I thought it would improve the air quality and smell in the shop, and possibly improve tool life as well,” Mr. Hinders says.
Wells Manufacturing produces parts for many different industries, and that comes with a wide variety of materials including nickel-based alloys, hardened steels, stainless steels (including 13 chrome) and more. This makes Synergy 735 a particularly good fit for Wells Manufacturing because the metalworking fluid is specially developed for mixed production, Mr. Hinders says.
Introduced by Blaser in 2018, Synergy is a completely clear, water-miscible metalworking fluid with a neutral surface milling cutters odor. Despite the cleaner formula, the main concern at Wells Manufacturing was how a synthetic product would perform — and impact tool life — when used for machining tougher materials.
In 2018, Mr. Wells decided to test the new metalworking fluid in one of his Doosan machines. It didn’t hurt that he had a chance to meet Titan Gilroy of “Titans of CNC” at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) that year. Mr. Gilroy was an early adopter of Synergy in his own shop.
“I think that Titan’s endorsement of Synergy actually got his curiosity aroused,” Mr. Hinders says. “They met at IMTS, and Mr. Wells really likes what Titan is doing at his shop and with his training initiative for the industry.”
More than a year after that first trial, Mr. Wells shoulder milling cutters reports improved air quality, lower consumption of concentrate, equivalent or better tool life, and much improved sump life. “I just cleaned out the sump on that first machine after a year, and it went much quicker because it really wasn’t dirty,” he says. “It used to be a lot more work and take all day, but now it’s done in three or four hours — less than half the time.”
After the success in the test machine, all 14 Doosan mills and lathes in the machine shop were converted to Synergy 735. The employees at Wells Manufacturing have noticed the difference, too. “My wife says she thinks I don’t go to work in a tool shop anymore, because I don’t smell like one when I come home. It’s wonderful,” says machinist Angel Arizpe.
“I’ve seen the difference in tool life firsthand after trying different coolants in the past,” Mr. Wells says. “Synthetics have a history in our industry of not handling tough materials well, and buying new carbide is usually one of the top four or five expenses in a shop. Blaser has overcome that problem with Synergy.”
Synergy 735 is a blend of polyglycols that is designed to provide higher lubricity and a neutral pH. According to Blaser, these characteristics support higher material removal rates while minimizing tool wear and delivering surface finishes comparable to those achieved with mineral-oil-based metalworking fluids. The synthetic formula is free of substances like bactericides, boron, formaldehyde, sulfur and chlorine, which can be damaging to the environment and dangerous to employees, the company says. Synergy 735 has been designed for excellent rinsability to ensure cleaner machines and parts.
“Metalworking fluids are a small investment in terms of overall production costs, but they impact virtually every part of the manufacturing process,” Mr. Hinders explains. “Many shops don’t understand how important it is to invest in the right one for their application. But immediately extending tool life by even 10% contributes noticeably to the bottom line, not to mention the less-quantifiable benefits of a cleaner work environment.”
