Choosing Tools For High Quality Manufacturing

When manufacturing thin walled and/ or delicate parts you will have problems with choosing clamping forces and correct RPM. The reason is the tradeoff between the two, kN Vs. RPM.

You should use 100 % enclosing jaws. however, they are heavy, effecting maximal RPM and therefor surface finish and parts per minute.

* Make informed clamping decisions based on data
* Use 100% enclosing jaws
* Clamp half as hard
* Use counterweights, Turn at double speed
* Choose the right jaw material for best friction
* Wash pats first before machining

The latest cutting tool technology allows you to use less clamping force than before.

With or without counterweights, you should lower the initial clamping force. Use Higher RPM. It
is economically sane.

The latest cutting tool technology allows you to use less clamping force than before.
With or without counterweights, you should lower the initial clamping force. Use Higher RPM. It
is economically sane.

#1 You need less clamping force than you think

Try to use half the clamping force and double the RPM. Not possible? Add counterweights. You
can produce more parts with better quality without having make any calculations.

#2 Don’t let the operator make cutting data decisions

Make operators use a software provided by a tool manufacturer, such as Sandvik Coromant.
You will end up with measurable results.

#3 Surface finish is more important now than ever 

As cutting tool technology advances, so does customer expectations. Rindex makes sure that
there are zero clamping marks or deformations.

#4 Use 100% enclosing jaws

Our jaws are 100 % enclosing up to 120 mm. This means fewer clamping marks and less initial
clamping force needed. If you have special requirements, please let us know.

#5 Choose the right jaw material

When using aluminum to aluminum, you will have a friction equal to 2 times that of steel to steel. Choose jaw material after part requirements rather than jaw cost and life expectancy.

Conventional steel jaws mounted in standard chucks have not allowed for high speed turning. When put to the test, we were
able to decrease the initial clamping pressure by half and, at the same time, increase spindle speed (RPM) by 2-3 times. Increased spindle speed effects chip removal rate as well as surface structure. Modern cutting tool technology allows for higher RPM and lower clamping force than before.

Lean production is about maximizing customer value and minimizing waste of resources. Post-processing and scrapping do not only affect the profitability of the current project. Upcoming jobs will also suffer due to delays. A cost-effective way to ensure quality is to spend more time in the preparation phase, measure often and optimize the process during the project. 

According to Sandvik’s calculations, the correct cutting data can generate 15 times more productivity compared to (sub) optimizing tool life or choosing cheaper inserts.

Optimal speed for all tools / tempos cannot be achieved without centrifugal force reduction. Without counterweights, there is a limit to how fast the chuck can turn. Compromizes must be made. With counterweights, the machinist can follow the instructions for cutting data given from e.g. Sandviks Coroplus. This improves quality and output.

It is often desirable to lose some clamping force as spindle speed increases, as all operations require different clamping forces and different RPM. Since the counterweights hare equipped with extra weights it is easy to decide how much the clamping force should decrease to fit all operations.