Seco Tools LLC (Troy, Michigan) has promoted Thomas Funke to Component Engineered Tooling (CET) Manager to drive the expansion and enhancement of this division. In this new position, he will oversee a team of engineers to deliver complete component tooling solutions to Seco customers. Under Seco’s Engineered Solutions umbrella, the CET group works gun drilling inserts with customers and develops complete and optimized processes for individual parts/components.

Mr. Funke has an extensive background in CAD/CAM and tool processing of complex components, mainly for the aerospace and automotive industries. Prior to his position as CET Manager, he led Seco’s Production CAM Program Department where he developed skills related to the improvement of machine programming techniques and machining processes.

“The goal of our department is to work closely with customers and help them improve their entire approach to part production,” he says. “Not only do we want to help them find or create the absolute best tooling solution, we want them to consider how this optimized solution will affect their overall production line and can positively influence their selection of machines, rod peeling inserts automation, fixturing, programming and more. A focus on cost per unit will ensure they make the right decisions for long-term success.” 

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.estoolcarbide.com/product/aluminum-milling-inserts-p-1219/

ANCA is celebrating the art of toolmaking with a Tool of the Year competition. Customers will submit their favorite tool online and the winners will be announced live at IMTS 2018.The prize is a trip for two to ANCA’s headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, to see firsthand how the technology is created and to meet the team.

Pat McCluskey, joint co-founder of ANCA, says that, “As well as showcasing our latest products at IMTS, we want to celebrate the Milling inserts deep grinding knowledge and daily dedication of our customers who create beautiful tools that have helped shape our world. We know that grinding a tool is a craft and a passion for many of our customers. Grinding the perfect tool is as much about art as it is about science.”

The judging panel includes:

Here is how to enter:

Social media submissions will run from July 27 through August 20, when ANCA will gather all entries and post them on its Facebook page as an album. Submitters are encouraged to promote the competition album within their social networks to gain likes on their image. The five finalists will be selected according to the number of likes they achieve on their pictures. These finalists will be announced August 25, whereupon they will be asked to send the actual tools to IMTS along with the names and logos of their companies, to be displayed in the ANCA booth.

At IMTS, the top five tools will be judged by a panel based on the following criteria:

Entries should adhere to the following criteria:

Alfred Lyon, cutting tool supervisor at AB Tools, says, “The grinding of rotary cutting tools Carbide Insert for Cast Iron takes craftsmanship and is considered art by myself and many others in the round tool industry ( as well as the machining community). On many of the various social media platforms the passion for the craft is inspiring. I am happy to be a part of a competition that would showcase the talent and capabilities of the tool grinding community.”

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.cuttinginsert.com/product/16ir-insert/

Okuma’s new LU3000-EX turning center is known for excellence in manufacturing precision parts in high-production environments and is designed for reliability, longevity and maximized uptime. AT IMTS 2016, this machine will be shown cutting a threading suite on 1045 steel with tooling from Iscar, a member of Partners in THINC.

The LU3000-EX is built as an integrated production system with one goal in mind—to provide the customer with a machine that makes precision parts with the highest level of efficiency for years of trouble-free production. This machine features a compact design, heavy-duty, cast iron base in addition to optimized CNC control, motors and drive systems that are specifically designed to work together for maximum machine performance.

With a powerful main spindle and dual servo turrets capable of simultaneous, synchronized control, the LU3000-EX has the power and flexibility to produce parts with the highest level of efficiency—two tools in the cut maximize production. Additionally, Okuma offers a shoulder milling cutters series of functions specifically designed to enhance and simplify simultaneous four-axis turning, including a single programming file for both turrets and the ability to program both turrets as if they were the upper turret operating on the left spindle.

Consistent quality is a key requirement for automotive production. The LU3000-EX, designed and built around Okuma’s Thermal Friendly Concept, is capable of producing high-quality parts across multiple shifts despite changing environmental temperatures. With its box-slant-bed design, the LU3000-EX experiences minimal thermal growth over time.

Building on a legacy of four-axis turning machines that dates back to the LC Series in the mid 1970s, the LU3000-EX exemplifies the latest in advanced machine and control technology, yet embodies generations of traditional Okuma TCGT Insert craftsmanship.

Visit the company's IMTS showroom for more information.

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.estoolcarbide.com/product/high-quality-cemented-carbide-drilling-inserts-tpmt220612r-22-tpmt220612r-23-tpmt16t312r-22-tpmt16t312r-23-for-deep-hole-machining/

ANCA’s LaserPlus laser measuring system, an enhancement to the touch probe on the company’s MX and TX grinding machines, provides repeatable measurement to 0.0001" and automatic machine compensation while reducing scrap during production of precision cutting tools. The ANCA LaserPlus is said to assure tight tolerances and process stability in tool grinding. It uses a non-contact laser beam to accurately measure tool features in seconds, including micro tools too small for touch probe measurement, the company says. The system can measure OD, ballnose, corner-radius and profile tools.

The laser body consists of two turrets, one containing the transmitter optic and the other a receiver optic. A measurement is registered when the laser beam is interrupted. The laser measurement process is fully automated, including compensation for any out-of-tolerance conditions, thus supporting unmanned machine operation. The system can measure and maintain an accuracy ranging to ±0.002 mm (0.0001") over a large batch of tools, measuring the top and bottom of the tool and checking tool runout, the company says. The maximum Cutting Inserts diameter the LaserPlus can accept for top and bottom measurement is 20 mm (¾").

The laser is mounted inside the machine and will not interfere with the grinding processes while automatically measuring tools in the machine collet. With an ingress protection (IP) rating of 68, the laser is protected from dust ingress and can withstand long-term immersion in liquids. The laser optics are protected by a pneumatically operated shutter. Each shutter is closed during grinding and an air purge minimizes any contamination gathering around the optics.

Assuring accurate laser measurements when using coolant in a mist-filled environment can be a challenge because residual oil imparts an opaque film. The LaserPlus system includes two solutions. The tool spins at specified intervals and different rotational speeds; Cemented Carbide Inserts additionally, a compact air blast unit aims a jet of air to disperse any residual oil from the tool. According to the company, these two actions ensure the tool is free of any dirt or contaminates. 

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.cuttinginsert.com/pro_cat/drilling-inserts/index.html

The Speroni Magis benchtop tool presetter from Big Kaiser is now available in a CNC version for operator-independent measuring results. Electronics and motors enable fast movement and repeatable positioning of the X and Z axes and spindle, delivering full CNC measuring with an uncertainty in the two linear axes of ±1 micron. The machine can automatically execute measuring cycles, adding speed and precision. The presetter has a standard X-axis range of -2.00" to +14.00" (-50 to +350 mm) and is available in three column sizes, with Z-axis travels Indexable Inserts measuring 16", 20" and 24" (400, 500 and 600 mm) respectively, making it well-suited for most offline tool measurement and presetting needs, the company says.

A thermally stable, pearlitic, class 40 cast iron construction; a tool management database storing data for unlimited tool assemblies; 270-degree access to the tools while in the spindle; and sub-pixel and sub-micron resolution all support high accuracy and repetitive positioning and assembly. The series is also available with optional built-in retention knob clamping that provides a strong and repeatable seating in the spindle, mimicking that of the machine tool. 

The unit’s progressive-scan CCD camera is equipped with high-accuracy telecentric optics that provide virtual magnification of 45× with the option to zoom to 120×. Additionally, an Episcopy Front Ring Light system provides a light source for manual inspection of the tool tip/insert on the vision screen. The system is complete with a variable adjustment knob for the proper inspection of the different types of coated inserts.

The included workbench provides an enclosed, yet ventilated, storage area with a lockable door to prevent tampering. Additional bench features include molded pockets for inserts and screws, storage for wrenches, and holders for multiple reduction sleeves and other accessories.

As for interface, Carbide Turning Inserts the CNC is designed to be simpler than other controls, combining necessary features and functions in a user-friendly, single-screen. The presetter is equipped with Speroni Edge 2.0, which enables CAM interfacing and can be implemented with RFID systems. 

The Carbide Inserts Website: https://www.cuttinginsert.com/product/snmx-insert/