Making the grade in aerospace

To ensure that the most efficient, cost-effective cutting tools are designed and made available to the global aerospace manufacturing industry, Iscar’s aerospace industry manager remains in constant communication with all of the major sub- sectors involved.

Continual technical liaison allows the company’s R&D department to remain aware of all relevant trends in areas such as material developments and machine tool advancements. This high level contact and cooperation, the company believes, has supported the development and launch of a wide range of high quality Iscar cutting tools that have boosted the global aerospace manufacturing sector’s productivity and assisted in assuring product quality across many machining disciplines.

Typical of the challenges shared with Iscar were those related to the difficulties encountered when machining Ni based and titanium alloys that feature very high hardness values (40-47 HRC).

A solution to the problems when machining these materials – often used in newly designed jet engine parts – can be found in Iscar’s newly launched IC804 grade, and the extension of the company’s selection of uncoated IC4 items.

According to Iscar, as the continuing trend is towards ever harder parts, IC804 and IC4 provide users with substantial improvements regarding tool life and the application of higher cutting speeds. They also offer advantages when machining more conventional Ni based and titanium alloys at stable machining conditions.

IC804 features a hard submicron substrate, with an AlTiN PVD coating and a special post-coating treatment that claims to provide substantially improved tool life and excellent levels of reliability.

In addition, uncoated IC4 standard Iscar products are ideal for the efficient machining of titanium alloys and aluminium alloys with a high silicon content. Both IC4 and IC804 feature high hardness, especially suited for hard nickel-based and titanium alloys.

Shared features include, excellent flaking and chipping resistance, the continuous turning ability with nickel-based super alloys at stable conditions and the delivery of reliable and repeatable results.

Iscar www.iscar.co.uk