A new logic for metalcutting

Precision carbide cutting tool maker Iscar has released a raft of new products to address the latest trends in modern metalworking. PES finds out more.

The slogan ‘Where Innovation Never Stops!’ appears on the walls of Iscar production facilities around the world and has been synonymous with the company for several decades.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not interrupt the innovation process, and between 2020-2021 the cutting tool specialist introduced the NeoLogiq marketing campaign comprised of advanced cutting tools and tooling solutions for modern metalworking.

The significant and accelerated changes in manufacturing such as digitisation and the shift to electric drive in the automotive industry have resulted in new demands for cutting tools. Iscar has responded with an expansion of its NeoLogiq range. According to the company, ‘Machining with No Boundaries’ is the term that sums up the NeoLogiq mindset.

Holemaking advances

Iscar’s Cham-IQ-Drill, the family of assembled drills that mount exchangeable carbide heads, has been upgraded with new heads in the 33-40mm diameter range These heads can be mounted on any drill with the appropriate pocket size. The main feature of the new heads is a multifunctional cutting geometry, which enables the effective drilling of a wide range of materials such as steel, stainless steel, heat-resistant special alloys, and titanium (ISO P, M, and S groups of application) assuring hole precision within IT10-IT9 accuracy grades. Iscar says its customers will benefit from using the new heads; more interchangeability means less tools to stock.

The Iscar Logiq-3-Cham is also based on the concept of exchangeable carbide heads with three flutes for improved productivity and is now supplemented by new carbide heads for achieving nearly flat bottom holes. Flat bottom holes are necessary for screw head sockets, spring seats, washer ports, etc. The heads ensure drilling up to an 8-hole depth-to-diameter ratio without a pre-hole. The new design facilitates generating holes with a nearly flat bottom in a single pass. The heads are mounted on existing Logiq-3-Cham tools that significantly expand the application range of the family and reduce inventory costs.

Longer drilling applications

ModuDrill is a family of modular drills with replaceable carbide heads that carry indexable inserts and provide an alternative solution. Mounting an exchangeable extension holder on a drill body increases the drilling depth by an additional 200mm when machining holes in a diameter range of 33-40mm.

In high-speed reaming, a combination of a carbide reaming head with a rolling device in one single tool results in a short operational time for achieving accurate hole diameters along with a mirror-like surface finish.

Modular turning

A modular tool concept is the way to reach high levels of versatility and NeoSwiss is a new tool system with quick-change heads, that follows this concept. There are different types of heads for indexable inserts. The system is suitable for turning, parting, grooving, and threading applications. Through the use of an innovative high-clamping-force mechanism, the heads are mounted on a toolholder. The mechanism provides an accurate cutting edge position each time and utilises high position repeatability. The system intended mainly for Swiss-type machines enables removing heads and replacing inserts within the tight confines of CNC machining centres.

Locked up rigidity

Iscar has also developed a new lever dual lock securing mechanism for improved clamping rigidity intended for ISO turning inserts. The new design, referred to as the Combi-D-Lock family, combines the advantages of two conventional clamping methods through the use of a lever and a top clamp. An insert is locked in two directions from the top and the bottom. This provides better stability and rigidity, and in comparison to the conventional lever improves tool life and increases productivity.

Logiq-F-Grip features a new highly advanced tool family for parting solutions. The central component of the family is a robust tool block that mounts a four-pocket adapter. There are cases when the rib, a reinforcement element of the block, interferes and prevents clamping the block on typical turret positions. NeoLogic overcomes this problem by providing additional blocks with the rib placed on the alternative side of the block.

The Logiq-F-Grip parting system was designed to achieve extra stability and vibration-resistant high productivity parting and grooving operations. The highly engineered system is an assembled tool block that comprises a durable holder and a high-stiffness quad blade with pockets for mounting inserts.

Milling innovations

NeoDo S890 is a family of 90° indexable face mills for rough and semi-finishing operations. The mills mount durable square double-sided inserts with eight cutting edges. NeoDo S890 facilitates face and square shoulder milling while providing an additional option for milling close to shoulders where there are workpiece or workholding fixture constraints. Iscar customers have requested additional corner radii and tool diameters, therefore, this tool family has been expanded with additional pressed to size inserts with a 0.8mm corner radius and cutters in diameters 32 and 25mm including endmill design configurations.

A durable double-sided round insert is now available. The combination of an innovative pocket design and a special peripheral shape of the insert provides reliable insert clamping and fail-proof insert indexing. Depending on the depth of cut, there are up to six insert indexes on each side (up to 12 indexes total).

When indexing, there is no need to remove the insert clamping screw. The main application of the new cutters is for rough and semi-finish milling complex surfaces, especially in die and mould, power generation, and aerospace parts. The range of solid carbide endmills has been expanded by adding new tool diameters and corner radii.

Toolholder upgrades

Iscar SpinJet, a family of coolant-driven high-speed compact spindles for small diameter tools intended to upgrade existing machines to high-speed performance, is now supplemented with Micro 90 intended for miniature rotating tools in milling, drilling, countersinking, thread milling, engraving, chamfering and deburring operations. Micro 90, made of a solid titanium shell and assembled from just six parts, enables rotating velocities that range from 35,000 to 53,000rpm while the main machine spindle remains idle.

When it comes to thermal shrink fit toolholders, the chuck thickness is a factor that limits the working space of a tool which often causes an increase in the tool overhang to reach a machined surface. To address this, Iscar’s X-Stream family of thermal shrink toolholders is a series of slim design chucks to eliminate such a restriction. The new chucks follow Iscar’s coolant jet channel technology providing direct coolant supply to the tool cutting edge.

Evolving to meet demand

Changes in metalworking technology place new demands on cutting tools and to meet these demands, cutting tool manufacturers develop new products to assure increased performance. In turn, The industry’s response to the products spawns new requirements.

Iscar’s NeoLogiq series is based on new tools that were developed with its customers’ input. The company says its clients can expect more development to assure advanced machining in the new era of metalworking.

Iscar
www.iscar.co.uk