2017w w w. i s c a r. c o m
Robust Structure,
Concave Cutting Edge
Design, Drilling at High
Feed Rates = Accurate
Hole Tolerance
and Quality!

Table of Contents

High-Q Tools for Machining Intelligently

4

Faster & Much Faster

6

Quantum Leaps & Steady Progress

14

Multi-Mastering New Applications

22

Drilling Profile Construction Beam

26

Turbine Production

30

ISCAR ‘Automotive-ated’ to Provide Advanced Tooling Solutions

36

Turnmilling Kinematics

48

The Power of Seminars

54

Advanced Vending Systems for Higher Productivity

55

Are Trade Shows Worth It In the Digital Age?

60

ISCAR invests 6% of its annual turnover in
research and development.
ISCAR
Marketing

ISCAR QA

ISCAR
Production

ISCAR R&D

HIgh-Q Tools
for Machining
Intelligently
What is the IQ of a cutting tool? When talking
about artificial intelligence, we usually meanvarious man-made products such as robots
and software systems. Is it correct to connect
IQ to cutting tools? In many ways yes it is!
The cutting tool, a small item in terms ofboth investment and dimensions relating to a
manufacturing process. Although the cutting
tool plays a major role in improving productivity
and enabling cost reductions;Indeed, the cost of tools are not in the same
expense league as modern CNC machining
centers featuring technological options thatcan exceed all expectations. However, whenpurchasing expensive machines, the manufacturer
looks to their maximal load ratio: ideally nonstop
cutting throughout 24 hours! Here suddenly
attention is drawn to the tool – this tiny little link
may be a reason of unwelcome lost time. Hence,
users require tools that are very reliable and havea predictable tool life, and, if possible, meet therequirement of little or no setup time. Furthermore,
the correct tool ensures easy cuts and vibration
free machining. The results are obvious: lesspower consumption and reduced machine wear.

4

The right tool uses progressive tool materials thatprovide increasing cutting speeds and productive
cutting. At the same time, the right tool enables
efficient chip evacuation necessary for highmetal removal rates.The chosen tool needs toenable the successful machining of difficult-to-cut
materials that are constantly being introduced in
the design of modern products.
When applicable, the right tool should be suitable
for machining hard workpieces. This featureprovides the possibility to replace secondary
processes such as grinding.

So, when inspecting closer, this small link
becomes very important. Producing a tool thatanswers multiple purposes is a challenging task.
The solution - a tool that reflects the IQ of its
creators: researchers, designers, manufacturers.
Every new generation of cutting tools that makesa breakthrough in technology, or seriously
contributes to reducing production costs,
becomes more intellectual. At ISCAR, we learn
and understand the demands of our customers.

With the use of the advanced IQ, leadingedge tools and the application of ‘“Machining
Intelligently!” customers are able to considerably
boost productivity, improve quality standards andincrease profitability. We, the tool manufacturer,
pride ourselves in our cooperation with ourcustomer in this work. We believe in productive
partnership and know from experience that thiscollaboration is very fruitful for both parties.

5Faster& MuchFaster

The remarkable progress made in the area ofrough milling in the 1990’s saw the introductionof fast feed (FF) and high feed milling (HFM).
These highly efficient methodologies overturned
established views and brought radical new ideas
to the field.
Rather than use the traditional high metal removal
technique – milling with considerable depths
and widths of cut – users of the new approachcontinued to machine with similar width ofcuts, although they used a much smaller depthof cut and applied much faster speeds with
substantially increased feed per tooth.
Milling with a large axial depth of cut (DOC)
requires the kind of cutting force provided
by high-power machine tools, whereas FF
roughing with shallow DOC needs a lot
less machine power, although the cutting
tool should run fast. Therefore, light-duty
machines featuring axis drives with sufficientvelocity are sufficient for FF milling.

W
E
N

6

Energy saving shallow-cut “fast” technology
provides an excellent alternative to power
consuming deep-cut methods. Impressive highmetal removal rates (MRR) at reduced power
input is not the only advantage of the strategy, FF
milling delivers two additional benefits. Shallow
DOC enables contours to be produced thatare very close to the final required shape of amachined surface, reducing or even eliminatingsemi-finish passes. In addition, the small cuttingedge angles of FF milling cuttersallows considerable increases in feeds andspeeds per tooth (fz) due to the effect ofchip thinning.
This advantageous geometry minimizes the radialeffect of the cutting force and maximizes its axial
influence, resulting in forces that act towards thespindle axis, i.e. the direction of maximum machine
tool rigidity. The result - improved milling stability,
reduced vibrations, prolonged tool life, reduced
power consumption and increased productivity.

Although FF strategies began in the area ofindexable milling, it soon extended to solid
carbide endmills and became popular in the
global die and mold making industry due to its
efficiency when machining complicated shapes
and cavities, especially of small sizes.
Due to diverse and frequent changing working
programs, their fast low-power machining
centers and advanced CAD/CAM software,
die and mold producers quickly saw the valueof the new strategy.
Although carbide endmills were the mostcommonly used cutting tool, FF milling cuttersof relatively small diameters were also very
popular prior to the introduction of the newstrategy. Subsequently, the FF approach cameinto fast feed facing (“triple F”) and opened theway to the development of various indexable
face milling cutters. Now, given the amount offace milling that takes place in this major globalarea, general engineering is the main consumerof these tools.
Fast Feed Milling Cutters
These milling cutters are a key factor in fast
feed milling techniques. The cutter geometry,
designed for efficient chip thinning, needs toensure correct distribution of the cutting force
components. There are two principal geometricalapproaches. The first design requires the cuttingedge of an FF milling cutter to be an arc of agreat circle. Another concept is based on using
one or two straight edges that are chords of thearc. In both cases, the small cutting edge angle
7

(usually 10-17°) meets the requirements of chipthinning and total cutting force. Ensuring thegeometry of solid carbide fast feed endmills andreplaceable milling heads demands the specificshape of a cutting edge, while in indexable
milling it may be provided by the appropriate
location of an insert of even simple profile.
Although the introduction of innovative carbide
grades and advances in the form of rake faces
has further improved progress in FF milling
cutters, the essential element of fast feed
milling – geometry – remains constant.
Chip thinning due to the cutting edge of a
FF milling cutter is the arc of a great circle(or the chords that approximate the arc), making
the cutter a toroidal tool. The latter being rotatedaround their axis produces a torus or ring-shape.
A typical representation of a toroidal tool is amilling cutter carrying round (button) inserts.
The cutting edge angle of the cutter is not a
constant value but it varies depending on theaxial depth of cut from 0 to 90°. Decreasing
depth reduces the cutting edge angle resulting
in thinner chips. The programmed feed per
tooth for a cutter with round inserts relates tothe maximal diameter of the cutter, i.e. to the
maximal depth of cut (it is equal to the insert
radius) and the maximal cutting edge angle.
But if the cutter mills under the maximal
depth, the chip is thinner; and therefore
the programmed feed should be increased
correspondingly in order to produce the chipsof required thickness. The same situation isobserved in ball-nose milling tools, and explains
why FF cutters run so fast. ISCAR offers a wide
variety of fast feed milling families that represent
different classes of indexable tools, solid carbide
endmills and solid carbide interchangeable
heads with Multi-Master threaded connections.
A popular example is the ISCAR HELIDO
600 UPFEED LINE, a real workhorse for fast
feed milling. Although this commonly used tool8

was launched several years ago, it has been
continuously updated and upgraded.
The key element of this family is the H600
WXCU Trigon double-sided insert with 6 cuttingedges - an ISCAR patented design. The cuttingedge of the insert comprises two sections: themain (external) and the minor (internal) cuttingedges. While the main edge produces 17°
cutting edge angle, the minor edge plays animportant role in ramping down and makes
a significant contribution to improving theperformance of the tool.
The carefully designed rake face of the insert,
in which the portion adjacent to the main edge
is convex; and the portion adjoining the minor
edge is concave, ensures effective chip formationand directs chip flow away from the cutter. This
arrangement drastically reduces re-cutting andconsiderably increases tool life when the cutter
mills deep cavities and pockets.

The adjacent portions of the side surface of theinsert have opposite inclinations. This provides
the necessary relief for the right cutting edge andensures the insert’s rigid clamping in a dovetailshape pocket. The illustrated beneficial design
features of the HELIDO 600 UPFEED LINE
ensure great efficiency in FF milling for a widespectrum of applications: machining planes,
3-D surfaces, slots and cavities and explains
the continuing popularity of the family.
9ISCAR’s FEEDMILL family has recently been
expanded by the introduction of FFQ4 shell millcutters. The cutters are intended for mounting
square single-sided inserts with 4 cutting edges.
Triple F - fast feed facing - perfectly describes
the main applications of the new mills, while
the FFQ4 delivers productive roughing of planesurfaces especially if the mill overhang is high.
If a fast feed milling cutter of a small diameter(6-20mm) is needed, the use of a solid carbide
or MULTI-MASTER tool leads to good results.
The design of the tools allows the production of
a cutter with more teeth when compared with anindexable FF mill of the same diameter, ensuring
improved productivity.
There are two kinds of the MULTI-MASTER fast
feed heads; the first a multiflute design which issimilar to the solid carbide FF tools.
The second, an economical version, has only two
flutes, however, due to these two flutes being“shaped” by pressing with further sintering, they
feature high strength. In contrast to the multiflute
heads, this enables increase fz to achieve thenecessary metal removal rate (MRR). In addition,
all FF tools also have side plunge-in milling
capacity providing impressive wall surface finish
and a flat bottom during machining. Users can
successfully apply the tools to the sculpturingof various internal and external shapes.

10

When fast feed milling became popular andadopted throughout industry, manufacturers
asked, is it possible to “adjust” commonlyused indexable cutters for the more productive
technique of rough machining? The question wasparticularly relevant for small manufacturers who
were uninterested in purchasing specific FF tools.
ISCAR supplied the required answer by offering
carbide inserts that, when mounted in existed
cutters, turned them into FF mills (Fig. 7). This
innovative approach expanded the operational
range of customers stock cutters.
Another versatile approach involved theapplication of a regular insert for fast milling:
In this method, the insert should be orienteddifferently and held in a cutter suitable for thehigh-efficiency FF technique. This principle isreflected in FF SOF 8/16 tools, intended for“triple F” – fast feed facing.
Heavy workpieces have their own demands.
When milling the workpieces, considerable inertial
loading on the feed drive places restrictions on thetable feed. The same limitations take place when
workholding is poor. In these cases customers
cannot take full advantage of FF milling. A solution
is to moderate the fast feed and simultaneously
increase the depth of cut. The secret is to find themost efficient compromise. Fz should be higher
than common values but the produced feed
speed (known also as table feed, feed per minuteor feed rate) will meet possibilities of the feed
drive. Also, the power consumption should not
be too high. The method, MF – moderate feed
milling, lies between traditional rough milling andthe FF technique. And again, the milling cutter isa key player in this process.
The cutting edge angle of an MF milling tool isapproximately 30°, an increase when comparedto FF tools. This reduces fz and maintains thenecessary chip thickness but allows greater
depths of cut, hence metal removal rates
remains high. The increased cutting power isless of a problem for the heavy-duty main drives,
therefore moderate feeds in combination withthe appropriate tool geometry provides thenecessary results. There are two types of ISCAR
MF cutters. The HELIDO 600 UPFEED has
different design configurations: endmills, facemills and replaceable milling heads with a threadconnection for the FLEXFIT system.

11

In common with the aforementioned FF cutters,
they also carry the H600 WXCU inserts – anotherexample of customer-friendly versatility - the same
insert is mounted in two functionally different
kinds of milling tools.

Questions & Answers
Q: Can fast feed milling be applied to hightemperature alloys, in particular to titanium?
A: Definitely yes, on condition that the tool
(cutting geometry, carbide grade) and the cutting
data are chosen correctly. For example, when FF
milling titanium alloys by HELIDO 600 UPFEED
indexable milling cutters, HP-type inserts should
be used and the recommended starting feed per
tooth employed.
Q: Can we operate a fast feed tool for roughmilling a full slot?
A: Yes, however, the cutting speed and the feed
per tooth should be reduced when comparedwith the usual recommended values for themachined material.

The second type of MF cutters is the HELIDO
1200 UPFEED: this range of face mills withdouble-sided hexagonal inserts has 12 cuttingedges. The cutters are intended for productive
milling plane surfaces and have the ability tomachine near to the straight wall of squareshoulders. High MRR and cost effectiveness per
insert cutting edge make the cutters an attractive
tool for upgrading low power machines to triple F.
In consideration of fast feed milling and its
moderated derivative, the main applications are:• rough face milling especially if a machining
allowance (material to be removed) is highand a machined surface has relatively
big dimensions• rough milling of cavities and pockets• sculpturing by side plunging
In the majority of cases that are connected withthe listed applications, the smart decision of
introducing fast milling into a process significantly
improves productivity and cuts production costs.

12

Q: Is FF milling suitable for hard steels?
A: Yes, but substantial reductions in the feed per
tooth starting values of fz will be in average 3-4
times less compared to the soft steels.
Q: A virtual “radius for programming” of a FF toolis specified in catalogues and guides, what does
this mean
A: FF tools have a specific shape that differs fromordinary milling cutters. For CNC programming
purposes users may consider the tool like a cutter
with a corner radius.
Q: When milling, the high overhang of a tool
normally requires reduced cutting speed and feed
per tooth. Is it true for the FF technique?
A: Regarding the speed – yes; and speaking
about the feed, although, our experience showsthat rather than reduce feeds, a more effective
method is to reduce the depth of cut and operate
at the unchanged fz. This not only improves thestability of the tool and enhances chip evacuation,it also reduces recutting(in many cases the high tool overhang is a direct

results of machining cavities or pockets, wherechip evacuation is difficult). Reducing the depthof cut also contributes to better performance infast feed cavities in sticky materials.
Q: Is the FF milling method suitablefor hole making?
A: It depends on the required accuracy and therequired surface finish of a hole, but in principal– yes. FF milling allows the production of holeseven in solid material much faster than drilling.
Moreover, with the use of the same FF tool,users can produce holes of various diameters,
an advantage that should not be overlooked.

13

Quantum
Leaps &
SteadyProgress

The ascent of the carbide insert is characterized
by revolution and evolution. Cemented carbide isa hard material that is used extensively in cutting
tools intended for machining.
Within an industrial context, references to carbide
or tungsten carbide usually refers to cemented
composite. Carbide cutters deliver many
advantages, in the vast majority of cases, they
provide a better surface finish on the machinedpart, and allow faster machining when comparedto the use of high-speed steel (HSS) cutters. In
addition, carbide tools are able to withstand higher
temperatures at the cutter-workpiece interface
than standard high-speed steel tools, the principal
reason for their faster machining capability.
Carbide usually provides superior performance forthe cutting of tough materials such as high alloyedsteel or stainless steel, as well as in situations
where other cutting tools would wear faster, suchas when performing high-quantity, extended
production runs. Industries use of cemented
carbide for cutting metals began in the 1930s.
Since that time carbide has become by far themost popular material for the production of cutting
tools. While some tools that feature relatively small
sizes are wholly produced from carbide; others
use carbide at the cutting area only. Originally the
cutting area consisted of a carbide tip that wasbrazed or soldered to a tool body. However, in the
1940s cutting tool manufacturers began producing
cutting tools with the advantage of replaceablecarbide segments that were mechanicallymounted on to the tools body.
This clever innovation and the use of mechanicalclamping, which provides much greater strength
when compared with the previously brazed
connections, are now recognized as memorable
milestones, not only in the area of tool
manufacturing, but also in advancing the efficiencyof all metalworking industries.

This major development led to impressive
improvements in productivity within the area ofmachining operations. It was immediately possible14

to increase the load on the tool and to improvemetal removal rates. In addition, this cost effective
innovation ensured the simple and economical
replacement of the cutting element when wornor in case of breakage. It also allowed the
manufacturing of cutting segment and thetool bodies to be separated.
Depending on the shape of the inserts used, they
could be quickly indexed ensuring the rapid change
of a worn cutting corner by several methods, suchas rotating the insert on its axis or by flipping it
upside down. Initially the new cutting segments
were known by several names, such as throwaway
tips, interchangeable inserts and replaceable
inserts. However, today the more widespread,generic term - indexable inserts - is used.

The technology used in the manufacturingof the indexable inserts is based on powder
metallurgy, comprising of several manufacturing
processes. Progress in science and technology
has significantly impacted on the manufacturing
process of inserts. In the past, inserts were
produced by the use of manual machines. Hence,
the application of various complex powder
metallurgical processes was very difficult or even
impossible to perform.
The introduction of more progressive industrial
equipment, featuring advanced automationand computer control, made the technologicalprocesses more stable, controllable and reliable,
including:• preparing carbide powder (mixing)• pressing the powder (compacting)• sintering compact• post-sintering processing• coatingConsequently, the mechanical properties ofmanufactured inserts became more uniform,
predictable and repeatable; these factors
allowed dramatic improvements in terms of
the accuracy of sintered inserts by reducing
production tolerances. Today, a typical insert
production press is a highly engineered device
that is computer controlled. A moveable punch
15

can be made from several “sub punches”,
each operated separately. Some press designs
encompass multi-axial pressing options.
The remarkable progress in press technology enables
the production of complex shaped inserts that arecharacterized by variable corner heights. (fig.1)
This capability enables optimal cutting geometries
to be achieved, guaranteeing not only smooth andstable machining but also the increased accuracyof a machined surface. (fig.2)
Fig.1. ISCAR's H690 TNKX 1005 milling insert
featuring different corner heights

Additionally, the advantages provided by the useof modern CAD/CAM systems make it possible
to improve the design and the shaping parts ofpressing die sets. Also, the ability to simulate
the pressing processes related to new sinteredproducts, when they are at the beginning of theirdesign stages, allows further design amendments
and enhancements to be made.
Advanced new techniques, related to sintering
insert masters, improves process quality. The
gradient sintering of multi-carbide substrateensures a thin upper layer that feature high cobalt
content. This gradient layer produces an excellent
barrier against the development of cracks andFig.2. Accurate and smooth machining

Fig.3. Nanolayer structure of ISCAR's IC807
carbide grade coating - SEM image

16

guarantees increased resistance to brittlenessand fracturing. Today, substrates of this typeare commonly used in tools intended forturning operations.
Until the 1980s carbide grades were uncoated.
In order to make grades more universal andapplicable to machining various engineering
materials, tool manufacturers developed gradesthat contained various additives. The adoptionof coating technologies has dramaticallychanged the world of machining; now the vast
majority of carbide grades are coated. The
inclusion of this new technology permitted thegrades to focus on cutting specific materialgroups. The substrates contained fewer
additives; therefore their structures became
more uniform and stable, which further
improved control during production.

Fig.4. ISCAR's CVD coating surface before (left)
and after (right) SUMOTEC post coating treatment

The introducing of coated carbides and on-goingdevelopments in this area has enabled significant
increases in cutting speeds.

For example 30 years ago, when turning
grey cast iron the cutting speed used wasapproximately 100 m/min for inserts whichwere made from IC20 (ISCAR uncoatedFig.5. Effect of the SUMOTEC treatment on a
PVD coated surface;A - untreated surface
B - treated surface

Fig.6. ISCAR's Grade IC6025 structure designed
especially for turning ISO M materials

17

18

carbide grade). Today, the coated IC5005 allows
speed values of up to 600 m/min. In another case,the milling of martensitic stainless steel during thesame years was performed at about 80 m/min for
IC50M (ISCAR uncoated carbide grade), now 300
m/minis the acceptable value when using IC5500(ISCAR coated grade).
These impressive numbers provide an excellent
illustration of how coated carbides have allowed
leaps in progress to be made in the area of
cutting speeds.

Coating technology continues to develop in two
principal directions – Chemical Vapor Deposition(CVD) and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD).
The main result of progress within the area of
CVD was the introduction of Alumina ceramic
coatings. This allows machining at elevatedspeeds due to its excellent temperature isolation
properties, high hardness and chemical stability
at high temperatures.
PVD coatings were introduced during the late1980s. PVD coatings performed a gigantic step inovercoming the complex problems that prevented
progress within the field of nanotechnology. PVD
coatings brought a new class of wear-resistantNano layered coatings. Such coatings (fig.3) are
a combination of layers having a thickness of up to
50 nm (nanometers) and demonstrate significant
increases in the strength of provided by coatings
when compared to conventional methods.
Modern technology allows both methods – CVD
and PVD – to be combined for insert coatings,
as a means of controlling coating properties.
In particular, ISCAR’s carbide grade DT7150
features a tough substrate and a dual MT CVD
and TiAlN PVD coating. This was originallydeveloped to improve the productive machiningof special-purpose hard cast iron. Another majoradvancement in insert technology relates topost-coating treatments. For instance, ISCAR
developed SUMOTEC, a treatment method for thealready coated surface of an insert. The advanced
SUMOTEC post-coating technology delivers
19improved strength and wear resistance to carbide
grades, enabling higher productivity.
In CVD coatings, due to the difference in thermal
expansion coefficients between the substrate
and the coating layers, internal tensile stresses
are produced. Also, PVD coatings featuresurface droplets. These factors negatively affecta coating and therefore shorten insert tool life.
Applying SUMOTEC post-coating technologies
considerably reduces and even removes theseunwanted defects and results in increasing thetool life of the grade and greater productivity.
(fig.4 & fig.5)
Continuous developments in carbide insert
technology have opened several areas of progress.
Advanced methods of pressing and sintering,coating processes, post-coating treatments, newoptions for surface treatment
and the optimization of cutting geometry resultin the manufacturing of indexable inserts thatmeet the machining requirements of today’s
metalworking industries.
ISCAR’s recently developed grade IC6025 is intended
specifically for turning materials related to ISO M
group (austenitic and duplex stainless steel). The
grade substrate is a multi-layered coating that features
post-coated treatment.The grade enabled significant
improvements in productivity related to turningmaterials in the aerospace industry. (fig.6)20

Among the very latest advanced carbide grades,
ISCAR has developed the IC806 grade forturning and grooving high temperature alloys.
ISCAR grade IC806 is a new, complementary
SUMOTEC PVD coated grade for machining
high temperature alloys, especially Inconel 718.
The microstructure of Inconel 718 consists of an
austenitic structure possessing high tensile andyield strength. The major problems encounteredwhen machining Inconel 718 are characterized
by very high temperatures on the cutting edge ofthe insert, this is due to the abrasive elements inthe materials’ composition (high nickel content of
50-55% and chrome 17-21%), which can cause
high wear rates, chipping, notching and insert

breakage. These factors contribute to reduced
tool life and high deformation of the cutting edge
even at low cutting speeds. Another complexity
associated with Inconel is its tendency to
become malformed; this is due to its metallurgicalsensitivity to residual stresses and self-hardening
effects during cutting operations. ISCAR’s aim isto effectively machine this unique material, andhas therefore successfully developed the IC806.
This is a submicron grade with TiAlN and ISCAR’s
SUMOTEC coating resulting in superior wear
resistant properties. IC806 has a hard submicronsubstrate with PVD coating and a special postcoating treatment that provides substantially
improved tool life and better reliability.

21

Multi-Mastering
New Applications
Launched at the begining of the new millennium,
the MULTI-MASTER family, is a range ofrotating tools with interchangeable carbide
cutting heads of relatively small diameters.
Despite its relative maturity, the popularity of thisproduct continues to grow. Although the ideaof replaceable cutting heads was known before
the MULTI-MASTER, securing the heads withthe use of thread connections, while the specialprofile thread is made directly on the carbide
head, was new.
Although this cutting-edge tool was met with initial
scepticism, it's performance in the field ensured
both early and continued success, so much sovarious tool manufacturers built their own systems.
Originally, the MULTI-MASTER was intended
mainly for the die and mold industry, however,
due to its performance advantages, versatility andoperating convenience, experience has shown that
the MULTI-MASTER application field is muchwider; today many different industrial branches
make effective use of the ingenious system.
Milling shoulders, chamfers, profile surfaces, slots
and grooves, faces and threads, rough sculpturing
by plunge-in milling, center and spot drilling,
countersinking–the Multi-Master covers all of theseapplications - and more!

22

Over several years, further MULTI-MASTER
developments have taken place in opening-up
more application opportunities and providing
new solutions. The first of these relates to thegear manufacturing industry.
The newly introduced MULTI-MASTER solid
carbide heads MM SS22M were specificallydesigned for milling involute splines inaccordance with the DIN 5480 standard.

23

The heads are intended for 1 and 1.5 mm module
sizes and a number of teeth ranging from 17 to
25. The main application area for the heads is theefficient production of small and medium batchesof spline shafts.
The use of modern, multitasking CNC machine
tools along with MULTI-MASTER involute profile
milling heads is an excellent cost-effective alternative
to spline hobbing on dedicated hobbing machines.

The milling of blades, especially those made fromdifficult-to machine materials such as titanium,
nickel-based alloys or specific heat-resisting
steels, is an application area that has successfully
adopted MULTI-MASTER products. Following
the demands of constant process improvement,
ISCAR introduced new high-flute density tapered
MM ET heads with variable pitch and central
coolant holes for chatter free finishing blade
airfoils. The recommended method of milling
airfoils is by tilting the tool and machining at small
depths of cut. Engraving – it turned out that
applying the MULTI-MASTER to this seemingly
simple operation is really promising. The principleof a family of different heads that can be mounted
on the same shank makes MULTI-MASTER very
versatile. In regard to engraving, the customer canuse engraving heads in assembly with the existingshanks, negating the need to purchase a set ofengraving tools.

24

Recently, the choice of the engraving heads
MM EPG expanded with the introduction of two
new geometries with 30 and 45° point angle tocomplement the existing 60 and 90° heads.
It is known that uncontrolled clamping torque
may lead to performance problems.
Over-tightening can cause the breakage of a
MULTI-MASTER thread while insufficient
securing can instigate vibrations, which reduce
tool life and affect machining accuracy.
Therefore an adjustable torque handle with aset of interchangeable wrenches and Torx bits
provides a reliable means of clamping
torque control.
Multi-Master has proven to be an efficient andmultifunctional tool that advanced the boundaries
of productivity by using this innovative family.

25

Drilling Profile
Construction
Beams
Structural beams with different cross-sectional
profiles (H-, I-, channel-beams, etc.) arecommonly used elements in areas such as civilengineering and railway, naval and other heavy
industries. The profile cross section significantly
increases stiffness in the required directions
and therefore ensures the safe functioningof structured frames under heavy loads. In
construction, structural beams are bolted, riveted
or welded. Hence, there is a need for making
holes in the beams to allow assembling.
In addition, there is a need to produce holes inbeam foundations and built-up frames such ascolumn bases, box girders, etc. Punching holes
is a very productive method for making holes
in structural elements; however, it is not freefrom disadvantages. Punching produces burr
formations that should be cut while bolting or
riveting. Typically, a punched hole is tapered andnot cylindrical. Punching leads to work-hardening
in close-to-hole areas which may affect materials’
properties and as a result, reduce elements’performance. Also, punching holes in alreadyassembled structures has serious limitations.
Drilling, despite its reduced productivity, has anumber of undeniable benefits with respect to26

the dimensional and form accuracy of a holeand its lack of effect on material properties. In
addition, drilling, in contrast to punching, places
no limitation on the thickness of anarea to be holed.
Drilling holes in profile structural beams and in theirassemblies is a common operation and is improving
in this high-demand task.

When producing metal structures, the more
popular machine tools for drilling beams, channel
steel and girders are CNC machines andlines, especially designed for such operations.
Usually this manufacturing plant houses largesize machines that feature several working
spindles performing drilling operations in various
directions, and mechanisms for the movement ofa machined workpiece and the spindles. As thesemachines are intended for workpieces of different
widths and heights, often drilling operations are
performed at high tool overhang. In many cases,
the workholding of profile-section structures
leaves much to be desired. Therefore when drillingbeams, girders and similar elements, the reliable
functioning of a cutting tool used in unstableconditions is an important factor.

27

ISCAR patented multi-purpose drilling heads
CHAM-IQ-DRILL and SUMOCHAM-IQ are
the ultimate solution for drilling structural beams
and frames. Their unusual cutting geometry concave cutting edges – considerably enhances
the self-centering capability of the drill. This
provides accuracy and eliminates the need forthe deburring of holes. In the majority of beam
drilling machines, the complete supply of wet
coolant is a problem. As a rule, it is not provided;and only dry or near-to-dry cooling is possible.
The designers of CHAM-IQDRILL and
SUMOCHAM-IQ heads and the tool carrying
them, take these factors into consideration,
making the products suitable to drilling withminimum quantity lubrication (MQL).
The drilling heads ensure high productivity, even
if operational stability is poor, and provide efficientand cost-beneficial solutions to the customer.

28

29

Turbine
Production
Process reliability throughout
the production chain

By switching from thread tapping to thread
milling in the production of its threaded bores
for screw insertion, the Siemens gas turbine
plant in Berlin has improved the reliability of theprocesses used during the manufacturing of its
gas turbine casings and has greatly reduced
machining times compared to the previously
used thread whirling procedure. The Siemens
Berlin plant manufactures the world's mostefficient gas turbines. Its output includes oneof the largest and most powerful gas turbines
manufactured by Siemens. The turbine has
a capacity of 400 MW, is approximately 13
m long and weighs 440 t. Despite these vastdimensions, machining has to be performed
within tolerances of hundredths of a millimetre.
According to the experts at Siemens, eventhe tiniest inaccuracies would have a negative
impact on the efficiency and performance of theunit. The turbine is manufactured with extreme
precision from more than 8,000 individual
parts. The casings and vane supports of thedifferent turbine types manufactured at the
Huttenstrasse site are usually produced from thematerials GGG40, steel and cast steel. Just a
few years ago, in order to perform its machining
operations, Siemens installed Europe's largest
boring machine – an Innse Beradi FAF 260 – anda Waldrich Coburg PowerTurn 6500 AS verticalmachining centre, situated next to one another.
30

Using this efficient state-of-the-art production
cell, it is possible to machine even large casing
parts in a compact space. The machine poolalso includes boring machines from Pama andSkoda, as well as vertical machining centersfrom Waldrich Coburg and Schiess. So it
comes as no surprise that Siemens' production
specialists also demand absolute precision
when it comes to the question of tooling.
Consequently, to cite but one example, ISCAR's
HELIDO S845 face mills have been used fora number of years for surface milling and othermilling operations on gas turbine casings andvane supports.

31

The tools excel due to the high processreliability they provide and their reduced
cutting force. Ultimately, Siemens staff
needed to convince themselves of the qualityof the threaded bores for screw insertion on
the surfaces of the different casing parts andthe fronts of the casings. This is a challenging
machining task. "The situation back then
was that if any machining errors occurred
during the thread tapping of a large casing,it was very difficult or even impossible for
us to carry out repairs because there is too
little material in these areas to insert a bush,"summarised Markus Zapke, head of Tooling,
Equipment and Processes of Siemens
Gasturbinenwerk, Berlin. The first alternative
to be tried was thread whirling, however,this proved to be extremely time-intensive.
Three years ago, Michael Bender, the Power
Generation industry specialist at ISCAR, wasable to transfer the thread milling technology

32

used at the Siemens plant in Duisburg to theBerlin site. "The technical challenge of thread
milling screw bores lies in the great depthof the large threads which make large tool
protrusions necessary," explained Bender.
He explained that one common thread typeis, for example, the M100x6 thread with adepth of 159 mm. Because of the large tool
protrusions required, thread whirling tools
are often used. Despite the large cavity
sizes, only one turn is machined at a time
and the resultant cutting forces are therefore
low. However, the disadvantage is the longmachining time due to the long cutting path.
"In this context, ISCAR's Millthread multiturnthread-milling tool has the potential to save
us an enormous amount of time," continued
Bender. Even though the tool simultaneously
mills multiple thread turns, its special cutting
geometry and harmonized tooth numbers
result in a very soft cut and low radialresultant cutting force.

33

"We now use thread milling here for threads from
M27 to M100," says Bender. "The MILLTHREAD
thread milling system excels in particular forlarge size threaded bores for screw insertion, forexample on the gas turbine surfaces where thehalves of the casing are subsequently joined, as
well as on the front surfaces or at the flanges.
"Compared to conventional whirling, this special
technology makes it possible to cut machining
times on average by a factor of 3 to 4. Comparedto thread tapping, on the other hand, theadvantage lies in the greater process reliability
rather than in increased productivity. In light of
the high component costs, this is another very
persuasive argument in favour of the system,"stresses the industry specialist. It soon became
clear that the tool system was exceptionally well
suited to the Siemens applications. Nevertheless,some difficulties occurred with certain
combinations of thread types and milling tool
diameters. More specifically, with the thread sizes
M56x5.5 and M27x3 – "two sizes which are rightat the limit when it comes to profile distortions,"
as Bender describes it. After the corresponding
trials had been completed in the ISCAR Test
Centre in Ettlingen Germany, it proved possible tomanufacture the thread types in flawless quality
and release these for the customer. According
to Zapke, the geometry of the indexable cutting
inserts was also beneficial. "In itself, thread milling
was nothing new for us, however, the shape of theinserts was new.
These inserts are rotated and permit a soft cut.
All of this have enabled ISCAR to manufacture
these components, which have a critical influenceon improved cycle times. Although there are othersuppliers of thread milling tools, ISCAR offers afull product portfolio.
Whenever we change a technology used in thecompany, we always make sure that the system canbe used not just at one specific workplace but also
in other areas.

We produce threads from M6 through to M100x6,
and with ISCAR's thread mills we can cover our34normal range of threads very well." Currently fivemilling heads of different dimensions and diameters
are in use at the Siemens gas turbine plant in Berlin.
The various thread sizes make it necessary to use
suitable take-ups with different protrusion lengths.

According to Bender, if the tool take-up diameters
are optimally harmonized with the diameters of themilling cutter bodies then the result is the greatest
possible stability and vibration-free machining. The
employed inserts are standard products with avariety of pitches and can be replaced in a matterof seconds. "Another important consideration isthat, thanks to the optimization and restructuring of
the production sequence, from the boring machine
through to the PowerTurn, an entire component
clamping operation can be omitted during themachining of the flanged threaded bores at thefronts of the casings," stresses Reich. "Instead ofhalf the operation being performed at the boringmachine, it is now performed upright at the verticalmachining center," he continues. Thanks to the useof the ISCAR milling cutter, it has therefore beenpossible to fully optimize this production step.
As part of another technology transfer, this time at
the Siemens steam turbine manufacturing facility in
Görlitz, the introduction of the MILLTHREAD thread
milling system has once again made significant
savings possible. "In one current application, it
has been possible to perform the machining of 62
M90x6 threaded bores for screw insertion, eachwith a thread depth of 96 mm, at the surface of asteam turbine casing part three times faster than
before," adds Bender. Reich summarizes as follows:"The ISCAR system is now an accepted part ofeveryday work at the Berlin plant."

35

ISCAR ‘Automotive-ated’to Provide Advanced
Tooling Solutions
Constantly changing factors such as unstableoil prices, ever more demanding environmental
protection legislations and the evolution of more
efficient technologies ensures a continuallychanging global automotive market place.
These factors also increase the ongoingcompetition between car makers and OEMsand dictate today's automotive industry
manufacturing trends.
This article focuses on one of these trends – ICE
Optimization (Internal Combustion Engine) /Engine Downsizing Revolution
Today's engines are becoming smaller, lighter,more economical and environment-friendly,
increasingly refined and quieter, whilst delivering
25-30% more power and torque than previous
generation power units.

The now ubiquitous turbocharger plays a keyrole in ICE Optimization. A turbocharger uses
the engine’s previously wasted exhaust gases torotate a turbine that activates an air compressor.
When propelled into the engine’s combustion
chambers, the resulting air/fuel mixture
significantly increases the engine's performance,and vastly improves its efficiency. An unwelcome
consequence of the use of a turbocharger is thatthe heat generated increases. Turbine housing
temperatures to 900°C in diesel engines, and36

up to 1100°C in gasoline powered units. As it is
crucial that these components function efficiently
at such high temperatures, turbine housings are
manufactured from austenitic, heat-resistant caststeels, which have relatively high-creep strength,
good thermal stability and excellent castability.
This material solution would be perfect if turbine
housings could be machined easily, however
many turbocharger manufacturers face problems
when using standard tools for machining turbine
housings. Standard carbide inserts are often only
able to machine a few parts before failing. In manycases, these tool breakage problems can lead tocrash downs and machine and other expensive
equipment damages.

As a leading supplier to the global automotive sector,
ISCAR's automotive department was called upon
to assist in rectifying the above issues. Essentially,
there were two main problems to solve: prolong
the life of the tool’s cutting edge and design special
cutting tools to minimize the machining times of thesecomplicated parts, which are being produced inmillions all over the world.

Time Saving Face Milling

For example, ISCAR's Ø100mm face milling cutter
SOF45 8/16-D100-10-32R, equipped with 10
standard inserts S845 SNHU 1305 ..MS32 easily
removes up to 6 mm stock of a Heat ResistantAustenitic Cast Steel at Vc=150 m/min and
f=3mm/rev and reaches a tool life of 25-30 parts.
Competitors’ products barely achieve 12 parts peredge. Additional time savings are gained from theelimination of several standard operations by theprovision of a single, combined and multifunctional
tool. For example, ISCAR's tool is able to perform
5 different operations; rough boring, filleting, finish
boring, counter boring and chamfering in one single
axial move. Assuming that each operation takes anaverage of 5 seconds off the machining time by using
the illustrated tool, ISCAR is able to save 20 valuableseconds per cycle.
As a consequence of the above, additional
unforeseen savings are also achieved by theelimination of tool changing times. Assuming thateach tool change takes approximately 5 seconds,
another 20 seconds from the cycle time is cut.
To summarize, by implementing such effective tools,

37

38

ISCAR is able to eliminate 40 seconds from cycle
times, which contributes directly to customer's
profitability. These conservative figures do not take
into account other advantageous factors suchas energy savings, set-up times, machine andequipment amortization savings, etc.
Cylinder Blocks
Approximately 10-15 years ago, the mostcommonly used cast iron cylinder blocks werelargely replaced by bi-metal blocks (aluminium
blocks with inserted cast iron liners). Today, more
and more car makers have replaced this methodwith thermal spray processes (or CBC– Cylinder
Bore Coating), i.e. a special coating layer, which
is applied directly on aluminium cylinder walls.
There are a few different thermal spray methods:
PTWA (Plasma Transferred Wire Arc Spraying),
APS (Atmospheric Plasma Spray), TWA (Thermal
Wire Arc Spraying), etc. These coatings deliver
many advantages to engine/car performance, thetwo most important being: Weight - engines aremuch lighter without the presence of heavy castiron liners. Lubrication – friction between cylinders
and pistons is reduced due to the coatings’
microstructures.
A major manufacturing issue with the CBC coatingis that its hardness is relatively high and its thickness
is relatively uneven. Therefore, a cylinder honing
operation to achieve the final size can be a longand complicated process. ISCAR's engineers havetargeted the honing cycle to enable these times tobe minimized.

They did so by first replacing a few time consuming
rough-honing stages with one very fast boring
operation. The tool is equipped with 4 to 6 ISCAR
PCBN inserts, which are individually adjusted to a
precise diameter.
PCBN enables operations to run at very fastparameters. For example, for boring Ø100mm
cylinder we work at Vc=400-700 m/min and
f=1-1.2 mm/rev. In some cases, when the chip
evacuation becomes an issue, the PCBN insert isdesigned with a dedicated chipformer on its top.
39

When the boring operation is accomplished, thecutting edges move towards the cutter's centerto prevent scratching the cylinder surface on exit.
There are two common mechanisms (dependingon the machine): actuation by a linear draw bar,which has only 2 positions (‘on’ during the boring
operation and ‘off’ during the feed out) andactuation by a fully numerically controlled rotationbar, which can change the tool diameter in realtime. For example, for producing conical, barrelor other shaped holes, for internal grooving or forbore diameter correction/compensation (due tothe insert's wear).

PCBN Inserts

A key factor in the success of these operations
is the selection of the appropriate PCBN grade
related to the material being machined. The
correct balance between the hardness andtoughness of the grade has to be considered.
Although using PCBN with coolant is notrecommended, some automotive manufacturers
insist on a wet machining process. In thesecases, the machining environment (emulsion oroil coolant, MQL, dry machining, etc.) has to beconsidered. The cutting edge geometry derives
from the machined material, cutting parameters
and a depth of cut (T-land, E-land, S-land, sharpor honed edge, etc.).

Gundrills

ValvesGas exchange valves, particularly exhaust valves,
are always under intensive thermal loads.
As previously mentioned, the temperature of
the exhaust gases reach more than 900°C, thisconstitutes a big challenge for valve materials
and can lead to excessive wear andpremature fatigue. A few leading
companies have developed newtechnologies to solve this problem.
One of these solutions is to gundrill
the valve stem up to its head and to
fill this cavity with sodium. During theengine's operation, the sodium absorbs
the generated heat and melts.

40

ISCAR's solid carbide gundrills deliver
outstanding surface finish, which is crucial forhollow valve applications. Diameter range: Ø0.9 –Ø16 mm (full solid carbide).
• Drilling accuracy from IT7• Excellent straightness and concentricity• Maintains high precision hole center alignment• Surface roughness of Ra 0.4 - 1.6 µm
can be easily obtained• Reboring operations are often unnecessary
The shaking effect forces this liquid to move up
and down along the stem, which dissipates theheat from the valve head to the stem and cools
it. As a result, the valve head remains cooler andhence lasts much longer and the risk of valve
burning, pre-ignition and loss of compression is
reduced. When undertaking these manufacturing
operations, in order to enable the sodium toslide easily inside the valve stem, the surface
finish of the internal cavity needs to be as fine aspossible. For this particular application, ISCAR
suggests working with gundrills with an integral
tip and body made of solid carbide with either
steel or a carbide driver. These drills are designed
for conventional machines, machining centers,
lathes and dedicated gundrill machines. They are41

available from Ø0.9mm and provide superior
rigidity and optimal coolant flow rates.
As a result of being made of solid carbide,
when compared to brazed versions, thesegundrills can work with up to 100% higher
feeds and speed parameters. ISCAR's experts
offer a very wide variety of gundrill geometricalshapes, which are designated for different
drilling rates, hole accuracy and surface finish
quality. The drill's shape, together with its
profile must be matched to the workpiecematerial. In fact, this is exactly what our
specialists did in this particular case. However,selecting the correct gundrill geometry is only
one important step towards a successful result.
A suitable cutting edge treatment (rake facepolishing and edge honing to the right size)enhances the surface finish even more. It also
improves the drill's performance and prolongs
tool life. In addition, the gundrill body itself isbeing polished. It becomes very smooth andenables the chips to slide easily inside thegullet on their long evacuation.
The best results in gundrilling hollow valves havebeen achieved by using one of ISCAR's finest
submicron carbide grades IC08 that is protectedby a AlTiN nano-layer PVD coating.

CamshaftA relatively new concept for making much lighter(up to 45%) and remarkably cheaper camshafts,
in comparison to the traditional method ofmachining from cast or forged bar stock, isassembling camshafts from modules. Thissystem uses thermal expansion as the process
principle, some OEMs fix pre-heated individual
cams on to a pre-cooled precision steel tube.
Others fix individual cams on to the steel tube
then, by using hot air pressure to expand thetubes diameter in the places where it engages
with the cams. In both cases, the lobes ofeach individual cam are precisely arranged inaccordance with the geometry of the camshaft.
The individual cams are produced either frompressed and sintered powder metal or from42

43

hardened steels. As there are millions of thesecams produced each year, manufacturers are
eager to reduce machining cycle times to aminimum. As OEMs need to remain flexible, toreact immediately to the frequently changing
market and when possible - to spend lessmoney - they prefer to invest in special cutting
tools rather than purchase new machine tools. In
order to minimize cycle time in this area, ISCAR
has developed a revolutionary concept– a single
innovative insert that is able to complete theentire CAM machining process. The remarkable
insert is able to complete face turning, internalrough turning, internal finish turning andchamfering. The extremely durable, tangentiallyclamped insert faces all 4 operations, including
CAM lobe profile, at the highest possible cutting
parameters with equal ease and completes the
CAM machining cycle within a few seconds.
For deep hole drilling in forged camshafts,
ISCAR offers a different approach – a deep drill
with an exchangeable carbide insert.

TRIDEEP Drill

This new idea brings many advantages to OEMs. It
makes the process much more cost-effective whencompared to using conventional gundrills.
Special SUMOCHAM Step Drill

The standard insert is always available in stock,it has 3 cutting edges and it negates the needfor re-grinding. The insert has a positive pressed
chipformer and serrated cutting edges thatsplit chips into multiple small segments, which
reduces machining torque (i.e. enables it to workwith higher feeds) and improves chip evacuation.
In addition, a small wiper at the end of the
cutting edge provides a very fine hole surface.
ISCAR's TRIDEEP drilling line (GD-DH…) holds
IT10 tolerance field and covers a range ofØ16-28 mm. A standard TOGT insert has threeserrated edges that create thin and short chip
segments for smoother cut. These efficient, costeffective tools are highly recommended for deep
drilling camshaft applications and can be usedon both lathes and dedicated gundrill machines.
The GD-DH drills are available at 10, 15 and 25
drilling lengths to diameter ratios. As tailored44‘specials’, ISCAR is able to produce up to
2400 mm long TRI-DEEP drills.
Pistons
Much shorter and thin walled (sometimes
friction welded) steel pistons are lighter thanthe conventional examples and are able towithstand much higher loads than those madefrom aluminum. T-piston geometry becomes
more complicated and requires new andcreative engineering ideas for machining difficult
to access surfaces.
A special tool for machining four piston ringgrooves in one plunging operation. Bottom
photo: ISCAR's profiling tool with precise
and easily replaceable GRIP type insert
machines, hardly accessible and a complicatedcombustion bowl on the upper part of a piston.
ISCAR's goal in machining steel pistons is to
reduce the number of tools needed in order toshorten cycle times. This requires a high levelof creativity due to the fact that the machined
areas are relatively hard to access.
Although the tool has to be thin enough topenetrate into the piston without collision, it has
to be strong enough to withstand high cutting45

forces. ISCAR's GRIP line products provide
the required rigidity and versatility. The userfriendly insert clamping concept that doesn’t
have removable parts, generates very highgripping forces that secure the insert in thetool pocket even when cutting directions arebeing changed, i.e. the tool is able to perform
face grooving, right- and left side turning andprofiling operations (without vibrations) andto leave a smooth and shiny surface. Also, toefficiently evacuate chips from the complicatedcavities, ISCAR provides a wide variety of
chipbreaking geometries that split chips
into small segments and enables quick
chip removal.
As a short tool life means a high number ofmachine stops, i.e. – inefficient machining,
ISCAR has proven that the use of its Jet HP
concept, which brings a high pressure coolant
jet right to the cutting zone, has delivered much
improved life per cutting edge. In addition,
the Jet HP coolant method contributes to an
efficient chipbreaking process. Automotive
manufacturers’ timeframes for launching new
platforms and models become shorter every
year, therefore OEMs continuously pressurize
Tier 2 and 3 suppliers with demands for evershorter delivery times. Although the majorityof ISCAR's automotive projects are designed
at its headquarters, the company’s logistics
coordinator pays special attention to therequested lead times. ISCAR has production
facilities all over the world, and in many cases,
for the manufacturing of special tools in the
shortest possible time, ISCAR chooses a facility
that is closest to the customer's location.
In addition to the time and logistics aspects,
this concept brings many economical46

Crankshaft Flange Machining

advantages (less tax, lower shipment costs,etc.). ISCAR's skilled and experienced
specialists provide outstanding supportand service all over the world. Our teams
accompany customer production processes
until the final run-off completion and fullproject acceptance.
The environmental restrictions for much cleaner
manufacturing play an important role in today's market.
ISCAR’s contribution to building a better world
today and in the future includes offering anefficient carbide recycling program, longer
lasting tools, products with reduced power
consumption characteristics and the supply
of MQL compatible tools.

47
47Turnmilling
Kinematics
Turnmilling, a process where a milling cutter
machines a rotating workpiece, combines
milling and turning techniques and has many
advantages. Multitasking machine
tools make this beneficial method more andmore popular and offer an inviting prospect
for the manufacturer.
Machining of non-continuous surfaces or
eccentric areas of rotary bodies, machining
rotating heavy-weight parts or materials thatgenerate long chips - here turnmilling cansignificantly improve performance and solve
various production problems. A practicalquestion that rises while dealing withturnmilling is: how to calculate cutting
data during this process?

Turnmilling

1 The relation between tool rotation,
workpiece rotation and the pitch
In turnmilling, the tool follows a spiral path (likein turning) with a predefined pitch. The pitch ispractically the width of cut (ae) of the cutter andfor high performance the recommended values forae are (0.7…0.8)·Dt. The pitch should not exceed
the cutters diameter, this will result in a spiral
protrusion along the workpiece.
During a single rotation of the workpiece, the tooltranslates a pitch distance along the workpieceaxis with an F table velocity.
The time that is required for the workpiece tomake a single rotation is t= n1 [min]w
Recall also that,
Pitch=Ftable*t and Ftable=z*fz*nt.

A Scheme of Turnmilling Movements

48

Hence:Where nw is the RPM of the workpiece, rpm,
Ftable is the vecolicity of the cutter along theworkpiece axis (axial speed feed),z is the number of inserts,
fz is the feed per tooth in the axial direction,
mm/tooth, and nt is the RPM of the tool, rpm.
2 The pitch angle
The pitch angle - θ, can be easily calculated.
If the machined workpiece diameter is:(ap is the depth of cut), then the pitch angle is:

3 Effective feed – f'z and the velocity of
the cutter along the spiral direction - Vf
The workpiece rotational motion increases thefeed on the cutter because it rotates towards thecutters body. Vf is defined as the cutter velocity
along the spiral direction. During a single rotationof the workpiece, the cutter translates

Therefore, the velocity of the cutter in the spiraldirection (effective speed feed) is:Vf can also be written as:

49

The relation between the effective feed (fz') at
the spiral direction and the feed (fz) at the axial
direction is:orFig. 1. The Side View

4 Real width of cut – ae

Fig. 2. The Top View

50

5 Cutter positioning
To avoid a clash between the tool (or the internaledge of the insert) and the workpiece, the distance
Ew between the tool axis to the workpiece axis
should be
where w is the width of the wiper flat of an insert.
This recommendation takes cutter positioning(fig.3) to the safe side. As can be seen in fig.1,
even ifor even lower (depends on theworkpiece diameter and the geometry of the tool),no clash will occur.
A case, at which the cutter body is cleared withrespect to the workpiece, and the inserts have aninternal cutting edge (like for ramping operations),
allows machining with Ew=0.

Fig. 3. Cutter Positioning51

6 Material removal rate
The material removal rate (Q) in
can be calculated by:

Calculations:
1 Machined workpiece diameter

2 The pitch angle
ExampleA hollow steel rotary workpiece of diameter
D=250 mm is roughly machined by turnmilling
technique with the use of indexable milling
cutter SOF 8/16-D050-04-22R carrying inserts
ONMU050505-TN-MM IC830.
The workpiece material is low-alloy steel AISI
4340 (~DIN W. Nr. 1.6582, ~JIS SNCM 447),
HB 260…280.

3 The feed at the axial direction

4 RPM of the workpiece

The machining stock is 3 mm.
A planner needs to find cutting data, numericalvalues for CNC programming and metal removal
rates for this operation.
Cutter data
Nominal diameter D=50 mm
No. of teeth Z=4
Initial cutting conditions
The planner decided to remove all stock by
one pass and, for ensuring optimal cutting, toperform milling with width of cut 70% of D.
So, depth of cut ap=3 mm and pitch=35 mm.
Based on ISCAR recommendations, theplanner set cutting speed Vc=170 m/min(tool rotational velocity nt=1082.3 rpm
accordingly) and feed per tooth at the
spiral direction fz’=0.2 mm/tooth.

52

5 Velocity of the cutter at the spiral direction

6 Width of cut

7 Material removal rateTurnmilling Calculator
Turnmilling, a process whereby a milling cutter
machines a rotating workpiece, combines milling
and turning techniques and has many advantages.
Multitasking machine tools make this beneficial
method more and more popular and offer invitingprospect for the manufacturer. Machining of
non-continuous surfaces or eccentric areas ofrotary bodies, machining rotating heavy-weightparts or materials that generate long chips – here
turnmilling can significantly improve performanceand solve various production problems.
The practical question is: how to calculate thecutting data during turnmilling? ISCAR proposes
a way of correctly defining the data.
To summarize:• Cutter positioning relative to the workpiece bodyshould be done with precaution. If appropriate
inserts are used, and the cutter body is far fromthe workpiece, no eccentricity is required; andthe cutter can be positioned with Ew=0.
When uncertainty appears, it is recommended
to be on the safe side and use• If the feed is given at the workpiece axis
direction (fz), then the workpiece rotational
velocity can be calculated by:• If the feed is given at the spiral direction (f'z),
then the workpiece rotational velocity can becalculated by:

53

The
Power of
SeminarsInternational customer seminars are conducted
regularly at ISCAR Tefen Headquarters

54

Every year ISCAR holds a dozen customer seminars
at the company's headquarters in Tefen. During
several days, seminar attendees attend a series
of informative lectures and presentations, witness
practical demonstrations of cutting tools at work in
the Technical Center and visit production facilities.
ISCAR strongly believes that participating in theseminars is a very effective means, not only to
improve customers’ knowledge related to cutting
tools and to receive comprehensive updates
regarding new products, but also to gain knowledgeof ISCAR’s advanced manufacturing, quality control
and the company’s staff. These seminars provide
an opportunity to learn a little about ISCAR’s history
and to become acquainted with the culture andphilosophy of the company.
Indeed, as gaining an understanding of the role of
ISCAR cutting tools is the most important issue, who
better to explain these important topics than Jacob
Harpaz, the CEO of ISCAR and president of the IMCGroup. Attending the renowned ISCAR seminars
provides a chance to receive first-hand
answers related to a range of fundamental topics,
such as the impact of the cutting tool on machining
productivity and profitability, what is the tool IQ
and what does SUMOTEC post-coating treatment
contribute to carbide grades. The open atmosphere
during the presentations also provides a good
opportunity to put a question to Jacob Harpaz,and to hold a short discussion.

ISCAR invests highly in customer seminars aroundthe globe. Thousands of customers partake in thisexciting event where they learn from
IMC president and ISCAR CEO, Jacob Harpaz.

By witnessing practical demonstrations of the
cutting tools at work in the Technical Center,attendees are able to analyse the cutting
data and the process parameters. Also, if
desired even "touch" the generated chips anddiscuss the performance of the tools with themachine tool operator. The demonstrations
help to illustrate and confirm the material
covered in the presentation and to enable
a personal opinion to be formed regarding
tool advantages. Visiting ISCAR production
facilities provides a close contact opportunity

to become familiar with the company’s
technology, plant and personnel. Without
doubt, seeing once is better than hearing
twice. We believe that the seminars, organized
as above, are informative, interesting, and very
beneficial to all attendees. They represent an
important link in a whole ISCAR service andsupport chain that is designed to create a
productive partnership with our customers.
The extremely positive feedback we receive
confirms that attendees appreciate our approach.

55

Advanced
Vending
Systems forHigherProductivity

Industrial vending machines have been providing anefficient means of storing and issuing consumabletooling for more than 20 years. Whilst the US was
the first country to seriously adopt such convenientsystems, over the past 2 decades their use has
become widespread throughout global industry.
Today there are 10’s of thousands of units inservice. The use of these systems continues togrow as potential users realize the multiple benefits
that they deliver. Also, as multi-national companies
diversify their geographic manufacturing bases,a host of best practices, including the efficient
dispensing of cutting tools to the shop floor,
tend to migrate across borders.
Industrial vending machines bring major mutual
benefits to both the cutting tool provider, inparticular the distributor or integrator, and theend-user.

Sellers are eager to provide their customers witheasy and reliable access to their products as aguarantee of repeat business, and are keen to
exploit potential growth opportunities. A vending
machine strategically located on a shop floor helps
to stabilize the business relationship between thecustomer and vendor and help to ensure thatbusiness is not lost to competitors who deliver
cutting tools in a traditionally less convenient way.
Whereas, purchasers are seeking to guarantee
the instant availability of tools to ensure that theirproduction does not stop. In addition, they see theimplementation of an industrial vending machine
system as a way to minimize the cost and risk ofownership of stock, by optimizing stocklevels or entrusting the ownership ofstock with their supplier throughconsignment arrangements. In thelast few years, there has been an
exponential growth in vending
businesses, with many of the
major players investing heavily
in new equipment installations.

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Average ROI is estimated to be six to 18
months, whilst data indicates that vending based
distribution returns double the growth rate of nonvending based business. The type of systems
available vary from the basic helix style machinesdesigned for simple supply and replenishmenttasks, to sophisticated, high-end systems thatprovide users with full control over hundreds ofstock items in a single unit, together with theadvantage of powerful tool management software.
The latter is particularly attractive to moreadvanced users and medium-to-large customers,
who need the kind of innovative functions, built-in
flexibility and superior reporting capabilities, notoffered by more basic machines.
Cutting-edge systems have a number of key
advantages, their storage arrangements are
based on more convenient drawers or carousels,
and include multiple, individually locked bins per
drawer or shelf. Each separate bin can store adifferent stock item - ideal for users who carrya large variety of cutting tools and other items
in low-to-medium quantities.

This format enables a more comprehensive
management of stock, as many more products canbe securely stored, and the issue of tools
is effectively controlled and closely monitored.

Also, the ergonomic nature of these systems
means that space is fully utilized, so less hardware
is needed, keeping capital costs down. Recent
advances in software functionality now provide evengreater benefits to end- users. The more advanced
vending systems use clever logistics algorithms tomaximize the availability of tools whilst minimizing
stock levels and obsolescence. In a modern
manufacturing environment the importance of tool
availability cannot be understated. Machine toolsthat cost hundreds of thousands of dollars arechosen for their speed and performance. Suppliers
compete for orders based on speed of delivery. If
the required cutting tools are not in stock, spindles
remain idle leading to delays in the supply of goods.
The indirect costs and risk of inefficient
tool management are unacceptable.
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Although predictability is a key factor inensuring availability, the most recent software
packages offer clever user-defined featuresthat allow users to customize stock levels foritems that are used infrequently. This can beachieved by overriding the calculated minimum
stock level, or inputting changes in relevant
parameters such as frequency, usage and leadtime, automatically generating changes to thecalculated minimum stock level. Changes canbe achieved on the spot, rather than waiting
for a weekly or month end process, so that thesystem is always up to date.
There have also been significant advances ina range of other areas that make these newgeneration systems extremely intelligent. It isof vital importance that only the right tools areused for a job. The Bill of Materials normallydefines the required cutting tools, however tobe sure that only these tools are actually used,
a limitation can be defined in the software, sothat at the time of issue, the user inputs the partnumber, after which only the tools in the Bill ofMaterials can be issued for use.

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59

Are Trade Shows
Worth It In the
Digital Age?
In today’s digital world, there are many ways toconnect with customers. At ISCAR, we analyze
whether the enormous investment associatedwith trade shows is still worth the effort. In
some countries trade show attendance has
dropped making them less significant. Yet theleading industry trade shows, those which canbe considered as Olympiads, continue to show
increased numbers of attendees. It is difficult tomeasure the ROI, yet the great turnout at the last
IMTS, AMB and JIMTOF are proof that meetingpeople face to face offers much more than just a
digital imprint. ISCAR booths continue to be oneof the main cores, centers of attraction where asmile and a warm greeting promise the building of
new or existing customer relationships. It’s wherebusiness happens. Aside from exhibiting tool60

displays, ISCAR’s personnel manning the booths
measure their attendees by acquiring track leads,
conducting surveys, connecting with distributors
and maintaining existing business relationships.
The lounge area is where gatherings often prove
to be a valuable meeting place to discuss andreacquaint with existing customers. So, to again
answer the question of whether or not trade shows
are worth it, yes! Especially now in the digitalage where we need to blend different forms ofmarketing media to reach customers.

AMB is one of the top 5 trade
fairs worldwide
Germany’s AMB is the leading industry trade fairand one of the top 5 trade fairs worldwide formetal cutting technology. In 2016, more than
1,450 exhibitors from 33 countries showcased
their latest developments for machining metal.
Nearly 90,000 visitors attended the show at
the high tech grounds of Messe Stuttgart.
ISCAR’s unique double decker booth provided
an outstanding architectural structure to hostthe many visitors which came to see the live
Chameleon body painting event.

AMB Exhibition

90,000visitors

4%

compared

to 201461

IMTS showed the highest number of
exhibitors in history
America’s largest manufacturing show, theInternational Manufacturing Technology Show,is one of the largest industrial trade showsin the world. In 2016, this show hosted thehighest number of exhibiting companies ever,totaling 2,407 exhibitors. A total of 115,612
registrants visited the show, the third highest
total ever and the record for a six day show.

IMTS Exhibition

62

115,612

visitorscompared
5% to 2014

JIMTOF Exhibition
JIMTOF - 28th Japan International
Machine Tool Fair
The number of visitors at JIMTOF 2016 steadily
increased with nearly 147,602 visitors from over 80
countries. As JIMTOF is primarily an Eastern Asian
trade show, it is interesting to note that the numberof visitors from overseas countries exceeded
10,000 people. ISCAR’s booth was the center of
attraction among the many Japanese carbide tool
manufacturers. This phenomenon is not obvious,
as competing for a dominant position among theJapanese companies is very challenging.

147,602
visitors

8%

compared

to 201463

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