Category: T.I.R.

H6 End Mill Shanks available with "Firm Hold" to prevent tools from slipping out of holders.

10/11/2017

PCT Firm Hold End Mill Shank daimond blast

Precision Cutting Tools already holds one of the highest tolerances on shank diameter in the industry for their end mills. All PCT End Mills Shanks hold an h6 tolerance! That means that
1/8" - 1/4": -0.0001"/-0.0003"
1/4" - 1/2": -0.0001"/-0.0003"
1/2' - 1": -0.0001"/-0.0004"

A tighter grind tolerance often times will mean a much shinier polished shank. A polished shank is more apt to have lower coefficient of friction which makes it more prone to slip particularly while being held in a collet type toolholder.

PCT offers a Firm Hold Shank option on all of their standard end mills and special tools. The Shank of the tool is diamond blasted to provide an overall stronger grip while still maintaining a h6 shank tolerance.

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Next Generation Tooling Now Offers Technical Training!

6/14/2017

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We are very excited to announce that we are now able to offer on-site technical training to YOUR machinists at YOUR location! This is offered at no charge to customers who use any of the manufacturer's whom we represent in California and Nevada.

However, just because you don't purchase things from us, don't feel left out! We also offer on-site topic specter training on any of the following topics for $150/hour.

Each presentation lasts about 2 hours. The presentations last approximately 45-60 minutes with the remaining time for Q&A and discussion about unique applications in your facility.

Training Classes Available:
Machining 101

Basic Boring
Basic Chamfering
Basic Drill Training
Basic End Mill
Basic Indexable
Basic Tap Training
Basic Tool Holders
Basic Work Holding / Fixturing

Advanced Part Manufacturing:

Programming Tool Path – Climb versus Conventional
Material Machinability – Cubic Inches of Stock Removal
Part Set Up / Work Holding / Fixture
Tool Holder Selection, Collet, Solid, Hydraulic, Shrink Fit
Cutting Tool Selection – Substrate, Geometry, Coating, Speed and Feeds
Estimating Part Cycle Time

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General Guidelines for Successful Milling with NTK Ceramics

1/18/2017

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NTK's industry leading line of ceramic cutting tools recently expanded with new solid CERAMIC end mills! You can see our product announcement here: NTK now offers SX9 Ceramic End Mills for Cutting Exotic Alloys which contains the various features. Below is the technical info on how to run the NTK Ceramic End mills and a troubleshooting guide.

NTK's SX9 cermaic end mill grade can run at speeds of 2000 SFM. The line-up includes 4 and 6 flutes in inch and metric versions. Again, you can learn more about on our Blog Post.

Solid ceramic end mills are made with SX9 SiAlON grade substrate which features a balance of toughness and wear resistance. It's suitable for even the most demanding applications.

NTK Ceramic end mills with SX9 SiAlON substrate

First Step Machining Procedures

Eliminate any overhang to increase stability
Choose the strongest nose radius
No Coolant. Use compressed air
Check clamp and part rigidity

Gernarel Recomendations for machining heat resistant alloys & PH stainless steel

Down or climb milling where the chip thins upon exit is the preferred method for HNBA materials
Reduce feed rate 50% upon entrance and exit
Do not recut side walls as this can cause work hardening
Use balanced shell mill adapter or shrink t for end-mills
As DOC gets thinner the feed must be increased to compensate for heat loss
Usse RPG geometries if tool pressure is a proble

NTK Ceramic end mills Troubleshooting guide

As with any other techncial questions please get in touch with us on our CONTACTS page and we can provide both over-the-phone troubleshooting or schedule at time for on-site techncial training.

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Training Seminar: Everything your team needs to know about Tapping

11/12/2014

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Next Generation Tooling is excited to offer some new services coming in 2015!

Below is a very fast video of our new training series on Tapping which we can present to your manufacturing team at your site.

It's a comprehensive overview of screw thread terminology, thread forms, fundamentals of threads, classes of fit, Tap basics, types of chamfers, the tapping process,tap types, screw thread inserts, helix angles, core diameters, re an hook angles, thread reliefs, pitch tolerances, H limits, Tap substrates, Surface treatment and coatings, tapping speeds, tap drill sizes.

osg_tap__die_basic_tap_training.ppt
File Size:	21306 kb
File Type:	ppt

Download File

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What does an AT3 Taper Tolerances Mean on a Rotary Toolholder?

8/20/2014

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As the CNC manufacturing industry continues to grow we're meeting more and more new people coming into our industry.

Although many experienced machinists have lots of knowledge, we're finding that the new people are asking questions about some things that may be common knowledge to the old hands.

One of the questions relates to "Why the heck is the cone on the toolholder the angle that it is?" We're here to help answer that....

By now, many have undoubtedly heard that most steep taper (CAT, BT) Toolholders hold an AT3 taper tolerance or better. So what exactly is AT3?

Steep Taper, Fast Tapers & Locking Tapers

Before we get into the tolerance and specs it's important to understand that there are basically two classes of tapers:

Locking tapers - These can be at any angle less than 7° per side (14° included). The shallower the angle the better the holding.

Self Releasing or "Steep Tapers" - These tapers are typically made with short shanks and with an included taper angle of 16° or 3.5" (88.9 mm) per foot. These are also sometimes called "Fast Tapers".

Toolholders are 'case hardened".

Taper fit to spindle is critical.

Most of the taper standards originated in the early days of the aircraft industry with rotors and propellers. There's quite a bit of thought that went into why the two types of tapers exists: It has a lot to do with "Van der Waals Forces" if you want to know about it in more detail.

What's important to know is that CNC spindles are made with Steep Tapers. Why? Well, just as the two names state the first is "locking" taper and the second is "free-releasing"

Since Toolholders have to be automatically changed in the CNC machine you want them to be as close to a locking taper as possible (8°/side) without, well, 'locking' in place (7°/side)! This is also the reason the ER/DR style collets also are made to an 8°/side angle as well by-the-way.

What is an AT3 Taper Tolerance?

That brings us to the "AT" standard for steep tapers. "AT" is an ANSI/ASME (ASME B5.50-1994) and ISO Standard (ISO 1947 ) that runs from AT1 to AT11. Since the AT tolerance is essentially logarithmic, the lower the number the tighter the tolerance (and harder it is to 'hit' in manufacturing). In other words the difference between AT 3 and AT4 is NOT the same increase in tolerance as between AT3 and AT2. AT3 is harder to attain than AT4 and AT 2 is substantially harder to reach than the jump from AT 4 to AT3. Again, the lower the number, the tighter the 'self releasing' tolerance.

Most CNC Machines steep taper spindles are made to an AT2 Specification. In order to stay competitive most all toolholder manufacturers are holding an AT3 tolerance (or better). Because there are much fewer spindles made than rotary toolholders this makes manufacturing sense. The key words here to pay attention to is "or better" Just like when you make parts in your shop to a tolerance, that doesn't mean that every part is exactly the same.

The parts are within a tolerance band. That's what the "AT" defines! So when a toolholder manufacturer says "AT3 or better" that can mean that some of the holders are actually holding an AT2 tolerance... and this is sometimes the cause of the tolholders 'sticking' in the spindle:Not because they are out of tolerance, but because they are actually holding a closer tolerance! (...nearer a locking taper)

By-the-way, most all steep taper toolholders are made from some derivative of 8620 steel and then case hardened.

Steep Taper Rotary Toolholder are Taper Driven

So although most people think that the drive dogs on the spindle are doing the 'driving' of the rotation of the toolholder, it's actually the taper connection that is driving the rotation of the tool. If that wasn't the case, then you would see the drive dog notches in the toolholder start to show signs of wear when the spindle impacted them all the time. Afterall, the 8620 is only case hardened.

There are a couple of last things to make note of and think about:

HSK Holders also have a taper but how they work is a bit different. Check out: Alternatives to steep tapers.
If you over-tighten your retention knob (pull stud) it can expand the smaller part of the taper. But that is a subject for another day.

Some further reading:

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Choosing the right ER Collet Chuck Size

11/13/2013

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by Bernard Martin

How to Choose the right ER Collet Chuck Size

We often get asked to spec out tooling packages for new CNC mills and one of the questions we encounter most, or should, is how do you select the right toolholder collet size for your companies applications?

The real choice is in the size of the collet chuck itself. So several considerations should be reviewed...

What size are your tools?

Your first consideration should be the size of end mills or drills you will be using most often. If you are doing smaller work you would require smaller diameter range collets. Generally you may prefer the ER16 and ER32 sizes.

If you are doing very small work then perhaps an ER11 set would be the best choice.

If the bulk of your tool requirements are in the mid range you can also use the ER20. The following is a list of tool diameters that can be used with each size collet chuck. Essentially, the most popular, and again, readily available from a number of sources, are the ER 16, ER20, and ER32... in no particular order.

ER11 0.019" - 0.275"
ER16 0.019" - 0.393"
ER20 0.039" - 0.511"
ER25 0.039" - 0.629"
ER32 0.078" - 0.787"
ER40 0.118” - 1.024”

If you need more detailed list of dimensions can be found at these links:

How far do you need to reach?

A second consideration is the actual reach of the tool. Not projection reach, also know as “gage length” "l1" but projection diameter “D”.

Obviously, stubbier is better for projection reach "L1". But, you also need to review the families of parts that you intend to run on the machine.

If you intend to use the holder to "reach" into a tight fit then the OD of the projection "D" of the toolholder needs to be considered.

Many shops don't always consider this and end up using much longer carbide shanked end mills to get into deep pockets when getting a smaller diameter ER collet and collet chuck would be much less expensive over the life of the job.

Here is a list of the OD projection diameters:

B=ER11 0.748" (19mm)
B=ER16 1.259" (32mm)
B=ER20 1.338" (34mm)
B=ER25 1.653" (42mm)
B=ER32 1.968" (50mm)
B=ER40 2.480" (63mm)

Sometimes there is just no getting around having a custom tool made. Get in contact with us if you just can't seem to reach into the part with your toolholder.

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I like end mills holders, why shouldn't I use them?

3/13/2013

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by Bernard Martin

We often run end mill "tests" to determine which tool performs best. Obviously, our goal is to "win' the test and get more business for our manufacturer's. This is article is about one our "tricks" and it's also why we represent both cutting tool manufacturers and rotary tool manufacturers. We want to make sure that the products work together.

As a general rule most cutting tool & tolholder manufacturers prefer to use single angle (ER/DR style) collet chucks for general purpose cutting tool applications under 1/2" (12mm).

The rules are a bit different in High Speed Machining, as there are many more things to consider, but the problems of TIR at high speeds, where you can hear and feel the chatter, are still there in general end mill cutting operations at lower RPM.

It's all boils down to runout and uneven chip load.

End Mill Holders are Prone to Runout Problems

The error accumulation on ID (H) tolerance of the end mill holder and the OD shank (h) tolerance of the end mill or drill causes radial runout. The smaller the diameter the more potential for problems...
The End Mill can have a tendency to "rock" on the set screw fulcrum point when it comes under load causing axial runout.
The imbalance created in the toolholder by the setscrew used to clamp the tool. When you tighten down the setscrew you not only offset the tool but also create an imbalance condition. At higher speeds this is where you get chatter.

Interestingly, it's not always easy to replicate a problem. If you are using less expensive end mills, that are not made holding tight shank tolerances, you can see variations on the runout. We sometimes see this when we are asked to run and end mill test: The competitors that where in use suddenly started to perform poorly. Although the end mills conformed to the ANSI shank (h) tolerance on all of their end mills, the lot number had changed the the grind, although still in spec, had changed.

Depending on the application, end mill holders can be used for holding larger insert style end mills, spade drills, etc. But somewhere between 1/2” and 3/4” there is a line that only you can determine when you need to move from a collet chuck to end mill holder. Generally we recommend using end mill holders only for very specific applications

Using small diameter end mills (1/4" and below) in end mill holders with set screws will have a adverse affect of both surface finish and tool life .

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Rotary Toolholders: Understanding the problems to watch

12/12/2012

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CNC machines feature high-capacity tool changers that automatically swap toolholders in and out of the spindle as needed, by means of a high speed swing arm or a rotary carousel. Periodically, toolholders should be examined for wear and if necessary replaced to maintain cutting performance.

You lose 10% of cutting tool life for every “tenth” (0.0001”) of ru

New operators should be taught how to properly evaluate toolholders so they can recognize when toolholders need to be replaced to prevent premature cutting tool failure, or even expensive damage to the spindle.

Many operators do not know why it is necessary to replace their tooling, or have the experience to tell when it is time to do so.

Determining if toolholder components need to be replaced is not a difficult task, but does require that the operator knows what to look for. Here's a few things you should be aware of when checking your rotary toolholders.

Checking For Spindle Mouth Wear

Inspect Fretting Steep Taper Toolholder where to look

A worn spindle can cause runout issues that affect toolholder accuracy and reduce cutting quality and productivity. This is a condition known as bell mouthing. If toolholder issues can be eliminated by bench checking T.I.R., then the source of the problem is often a worn out spindle mouth. A trained professional will be required to check and repair bell mouthing.

T.I.R. (total indicator runout) is the measurement of axial deflection of the cutting tool in the toolholder assembly. Techniks toolholders are manufactured to minimize runout and extend cutting tool life. You lose 10% of cutting tool life for every “tenth” (0.0001”) of runout. That's what the chart above depicts.

Automatic Tool Changer Alignment Issues

Measuring Runout TIR Rotary Toolholder wear

It’s crucial to maintain proper ATC swingarm alignment. If the ATC does not insert the toolholder perfectly, damage to the spindle and toolholder may result. Also poor cutting tool performance and reduced tool life will be evident. A trained professional will be required to check and repair ATC issues.

Evaluating Toolholders for Wear

A worn out toolholder will not provide good accuracy and will quickly wear out your cutting tools. Worn tooling can also cause poor surface finish, and may even damage your spindle. Keep and eye out for these issues and your tool life, surface finish and cycle time will all improve to help you make more money on every job in your machine shop.

Special thanks to TechniksUSA for providing this detailed information!

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H6 End Mill Shanks available with "Firm Hold" to prevent tools from slipping out of holders.

Next Generation Tooling Now Offers Technical Training!

General Guidelines for Successful Milling with NTK Ceramics

Training Seminar: Everything your team needs to know about Tapping

What does an AT3 Taper Tolerances Mean on a Rotary Toolholder?

Steep Taper, Fast Tapers & Locking Tapers

What is an AT3 Taper Tolerance?

Steep Taper Rotary Toolholder are Taper Driven

Choosing the right ER Collet Chuck Size

What size are your tools?

How far do you need to reach?

I like end mills holders, why shouldn't I use them?

End Mill Holders are Prone to Runout Problems

Rotary Toolholders: Understanding the problems to watch

Checking For Spindle Mouth Wear

Automatic Tool Changer Alignment Issues

Technical Support Blog

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