IMTS 2016 Review of New Stuff

We got to spend a few days in Chicago to get a great preview of some of the newest products and innovations for the kind of machining we do on the West Coast.

We spent quite a bit of time visiting the manufacturer's whom we represent to learn all the details about how their new innovations can help you cut down cycle time and improve throughput in your shop.

We've picked out just a few of the great things we learned about at IMTS 2016 below.

Chris & Rob learning how to be workholding hero's at the Blue Photon booth at IMTS 2016

There's some really informative videos on quite number of the products so be sure and give yourself some time to watch them.

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5th Axis - Duece Vise

Machine double the parts.  Maximize your machines work envelope with the compact footprint.  Utilize as a single station fixed jaw vise or convert to a double station.  The deuce is designed for all the ways your machine.

Use as a single or double station fixed jaw vise.  Two vises for the price of one.

The small footprint allows for multiple units to be ganged together on vertical or horizontal machines.​

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BIG KAISER - EWD EVO Digital Head

EWD EVO digital boring head

BIG KAISER is continuing down the path of digital tooling innovation with the introduction of the EWD EVO, a digital boring head designed with a single goal in mind—making the life of an operator as easy as possible.

It will be synched with the new BIG KAISER smartphone and tablet app, which was developed to enhance user friendliness while assembling and running BIG KAISER boring tools. 

Not only will you be able to read the cutting diameter change, but the app will also help operators determine optimal cutting parameters from their tool assemblies. The app will also log historical adjustments for all tools ever synched with it, a critical piece for shops joining the smart manufacturing movement.

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Heimatec Offers Machine Brand-Specific Tooling

Heimatec Inc. spotlighted its complete line of live tools and showcased them at IMTS in a series of four new catalogs. Already offering the most complete line of live tools available in the industry, with over 40,000 designs in its database,

Heimatec offers machine brand-specific tooling including products for the following popular brands: Mori Seiki BMT 40 NZ/NZX 1500-2000; Mori Seiki BMT60, NL/NLX 1500-4000 MC/Y/SMC/SY; Tsugami BMT 65 M06 D/SD/SY, M08 D/SD/SY; and Miyano ABX 64 TH/TH2/TH3, BND 51 S/SY, BNJ 42 SY3, BNE 51 SY5, BNJ 51 SY3.
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Heimatec sets the standard for the highest precision and most advanced technology in the machine tool accessory market. The company is acknowledged as a world leader in live tools, angle heads and multispindle drill heads. In addition to its standard tooling and machine brand specific line,

​Heimatec also offers custom-designed tooling. Heimatec tooling experts work directly with customers to design solutions to suit specific requirements for all CNC lathes, helping to solve the most challenging applications in multiple markets served by the company, ranging from orthopedic devices to oil & gas drilling equipment.

Visiting the Heimatec booth at IMTS #NGT #2016 #Heimatec

A photo posted by Next Generation Tooling (@nextgentool) on Sep 14, 2016 at 1:32pm PDT

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MA Ford - CDA Aluminum Coolant Drill

MA Ford has expanded the Cyclone high-performance drill line with the new CDA drill, which is designed specifically for cutting aluminum. The twin-fluted CDA features an enhanced double margin design and lower thrust point geometry for increased penetration rates.

Deeper flute depth improves chip evacuation. The drills’ point relief and edge protection are maximized also for machining nonferrous materials. Reduced cutting forces allow heavier feed rates and improved location when drilling through cross holes.

The TuffCut XR7 line of carbide end mills now includes the new series 180CB chipbreaker end mill. The new chipbreaker design ensures that swarf is broken into smaller regular-sized chips to aid evacuation and prevent workpiece damage while prolonging tool life by reducing recutting of chips.

​This expansion in the Long and X-long lengths allows for higher feed rates and minimized cutting forces, resulting in straighter walls on long axial engagements.

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MASA - F20M10 Cartridge

Check out the video! Matt Saccomanno discusses the Microconic Workholding system at IMTS 2016.  

Masa Tool has developed the Microconic™ system specifically for holding workpieces from Ø0.15mm to 10mm (Ø0.006" to 0.390") in any machine that has a collet-type chuck.

The system consists of two major components: The Microconic™ cartridge, which fits into your CNC machine spindle replacing the standard 5C, TF20 or TF25 collets, and the Microconic™ collet, which fits in the Microconic™ cartridge. 

The Microconic™ system has unsurpassed concentricity: Our manufacturing tolerance is 3µm (.0001") and we guarantee our cartridges to be within 5µm (0.0002") in production use in your machine.

The Microconic™ system works with either draw-type or push-type standard collet systems that are in any machine.

​The Over-grip collet capabilities of Masa Microconic™ System, introduces a whole new world of time saving opportunities awaiting. Our Overgrip Collets open up to 4mm (0.157") diameter larger than the clamping diameter.

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mPower - Spin Select

Read this section or just watch the video! The SpinSelect Multi-Pocket Selectable Tool Holder was created to increase productivity and consistency by decreasing downtime associated with tool and insert setups and changovers.

SpinSelect’s patented, unique design allows for quick indexing between its five pockets with a simple ¼ turn of a socket head cap screw.
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Each pocket can house a different tool, allowing for quick changes between operations without having to requalify the tools.

​It excels at cutting harder materials, as the pockets are 30% stronger than traditional shank tools, allowing more rigid tools to be loaded.

Designed for use on most lathes having a turret or tool post, SpinSelect™ offers significantly better throughput on machining tasks such as heavy roughing, harder material removal, and short runs. Machining operators have seen up to an 85% savings on changeover/setup times as SpinSelect creates a nearly continuous runtime with offline insert changes/reloading.

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​NTK - PD2 Super Micorgrain PCD Inserts

The high speed turning of aluminium alloys and non-ferrous materials has now been taken to a new level with the introduction of the NTK PD2 insert line. With exceptional edge sharpness and adhesion resistance, the new PD2 range of inserts are ideal for extending tool life and productivity on difficult to machine alloys.

The new PD2 grade has a PCD grain size smaller than 1micron, which gives the new grade unrivalled edge toughness with impressive wear resistance characteristics.

This super-micro grain PCD enables the end user to conduct machining at cutting speeds beyond 220m/min with depths of cut from 0.1 to 0.25mm on nylon, plastic, copper, brass, epoxy and other non-ferrous materials with performance on aerospace grade aluminium alloys being particularly impressive.

NTK's new PD2 Super Micorgrain PCD Inserts

Furthermore, the edge toughness and composition give the PD2 tool life and consistency that is unrivalled when conducting interrupted and continuous machining.

NTK PD2 PCD tipped Carbide Insert

​The new PD2 is available as a positive insert with a CCMT, DCMT and TPMT geometry that provides a PCD cutting edge length of 2.3mm with the option of a 0.2 or 0.4mm corner radius. The various insert geometries and available with an insert thickness from 2.4 to 9.5mm. 

Complementing the positive geometry inserts is a complete selection of negative type inserts for the PD2. The CNMX, DNMX and TNMX geometries have a cutting length of 3.4, 4.5 and 3mm respectively and all inserts have a 4.76mm thickness that promotes strength and rigidity. The three insert types are available with a corner radius of 0.4 or 0.8mm to prevent edge breakages and prolong tool life and consistency.
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Both the positive and negative type single cutting edge inserts are available with a range of toolholder designations to suit all types of turning centre from the smaller sliding head centres through to heavy duty turning machines.

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OSG - Exopro Aero Series for Composites

A variety of cutting tools exhibited included the new EXOPRO AERO end mill series for composites.

Ever dream of machining composites without delamination and tool life issues? Composites are constructed with layers of material that are prone to delamination. They are also known to be abrasive and could easily wear your tool down. If your tool loses its sharpness, the material gets pushed away instead of cut, producing uncut fibers. OSG’s EXOPRO® AERO-BNC routerovercomes these problems and even provides high feed roughing and a superior finish.

Reduced Delamination and Cutting Forces 
The AERO-BNC router features OSG’s patented nick design and a high helix that breaks up the cutting edges.

By breaking up composites with many cutting edges, instead of one long cutting edge, the nicked router can significantly reduce cutting forces. The lower the cutting forces, the less chance there is for delaminations and uncut fibers.

Longer Tool Life
The AERO-BNC also features OSG’s patented diamond coating which has a maximum diamond grain size diameter of 2μm. This ensures our coating is super smooth. Unlike our competition, we manufacture all diamond products in-house using our grinding technique on our special carbide substrate. This patented diamond coating coupled with the AERO-BNC router’s thick core diameter and multiple flutes extends tool life significantly. Improved part finish and sharper cutting edges are also the end results of the diamond coating.

Versatility
​The AERO-BNC is extremely versatile and can be applied in both thick and thin laminates. It is versatile enough to handle trimming, slotting and shoulder milling applications! It also can engage parts by plunging, ramping or helical entry and is available in various end cuts to enable you to find the right tool for your job.

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Techniks - Hydraulic Holders

Techniks Hydraulic Chucks provide powerful, vibration-free cutting in all materials. Hydros are a good choice when you need T.I.R. of 0.0001" and high holding power.

Techniks hydro's are factory balanced to 25,000 RPM at G2.5, and the tapers are precision ground to AT3 specification.

​Reduction sleeves provide fast tool changes and you can run a variety of shank sizes from 1/8" up to 5/8"