Tag Archive for: Tool Holder

Key Tool Holding Considerations

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Each tool holder style has its own unique properties that must be considered prior to beginning a machining operation. A secure machine-to-tool connection will result in a more profitable shop, as a poor connection can cause tool runout, pull-out, scrapped parts, damaged tools, and exhausted shop resources. An understanding of tool holders, shank features, and best practices is therefore pivotal for every machinist to know to ensure reliable tool holding.

Types of Tool Holding

The basic concept of any tool holder is to create a compression force around the cutting tool’s shank that is strong, secure, and rigid. These come in a variety of styles, each with its own spindle interface, taper for clearance, and compression force methods.

Mechanical Spindle Tightening

The most basic way in which spindle compression is generated is by simple mechanical tightening of the holder itself, or a collet within the holder. The downside of this mechanical tightening method of the spindle is its limited number of pressure points. With this style, segments of a collet collapse around the shank, and there is no uniform, concentric force holding the tool around its full circumference.

end mill in tool holder within a cnc machine

Hydraulic Tool Holders

Other methods create a more concentric pressure, gripping the tool’s shank over a larger surface area. Hydraulic tool holders create this scenario. They are tightened via a pressurized fluid inside the bore of the holder, creating a more powerful clamping force on the shank.

Shrink Fit Tool Holders

Shrink fit tool holders are another high quality tool holding mechanism. This method works by using the thermal properties of the device to expand its opening slightly larger than the shank of the tool. The tool is placed inside the holder, after which the holder is allowed to cool, contracting down close to its original size and creating a tremendous compressive force around the shank. Since the expansion of the bore in the tool holder is minuscule, a tight tolerance is needed on the shank to ensure it can fit every time. Shank diameters with h6 tolerances ensure the tool will always work properly and reliably with a shrink fit holder.

Types of Shank Modifications

Along with choosing correctly when it comes to tool holding options, tool shanks can be modified to promote a more secure machine-to-tool connection. These modifications can include added grooves on the shank, flats, or even an altered shank surface to aid in gripping strength.

Weldon Flats

A Weldon flat can be used to create additional strength within the tool holder. The tool holder locks a tool in place with a set screw pushing on a flat area on the tool shank. Weldon flats offer a good amount of pull-out prevention due to the set screw sitting in the recessed shank flat. Often seen as an outdated method of tool holding, this method is most effective for larger, stronger tools where runout is less of a concern.

ToughGRIP Shanks

Helical Solutions offers a ToughGRIP shank modification to its customers, which works by increasing the friction of the shank – making it easier to grip for the tool holder. This modification roughs the shank’s surface while maintaining h6 shrink fit tolerance.

Haimer Safe-Lock™

In the Haimer Safe-Lock system, special drive keys in the chuck interface with grooves in the shank of the tool to prevent pull-out. The end mill effectively screws into the tool holder, which causes a connection that only becomes more secure as the tool is running. Haimer Safe-Lock™ maintains h6 shank tolerances, ensuring an even tighter connection with shrink fit holders.

haimer safe-lock tool holder up close

Key Takeaways

While choosing a proper cutter and running it at appropriate running parameters are key factors to a machining operation, so too is the method used. If opting for an improper tool holding method, one can experience tool pull-out, tool runout, and scrapped jobs. Effective tool holding will prevent premature tool failure and allow machinists to feel confident while pushing the tool to its full potential.

Tackling Titanium: A Guide to Machining Titanium and Its Alloys

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In today’s manufacturing industry, titanium and its alloys have become staples in aerospace, medical, automotive, and firearm applications. This popular metal is resistant to rust and chemicals, is recyclable, and is extremely strong for its weight. However, there are several challenges that must be considered when machining titanium and selecting the appropriate tools and parameters for the job.

Titanium Varieties

Titanium is available in many varieties, including nearly 40 ASTM grades, as well as several additional alloys. Grades 1 through 4 are considered commercially pure titanium with varying requirements on ultimate tensile strength. Grade 5 (Ti6Al4V or Ti 6-4) is the most common combination, alloyed with 6 percent aluminum and 4 percent vanadium. Although titanium and its alloys are often grouped together, there are some key differences between them that must be noted before determining the ideal machining approach.

Titanium 6AL4V chips with helical hvti end mill

Helical Solutions’ HVTI End Mill is a great choice for high efficiency toolpaths in Titanium.

Titanium Concerns

Workholding

Although titanium may have more desirable material properties than your average steel, it also behaves more flexibly, and is often not as rigid as other metals. This requires a secure grip on titanium workpieces, and as rigid a machine setup as is possible. Other considerations include avoiding interrupted cuts, and keeping the tool in motion at all times of contact with the workpiece. Dwelling in a drilled hole or stopping a tool next to a profiled wall will cause the tool to rub – creating excess heat, work-hardening the material, and causing premature tool wear.

Heat Generation

Heat is a formidable enemy, and heat generation must be considered when selecting speeds and feeds. While commercially pure grades of titanium are softer and gummier than most of its alloys, the addition of alloying elements typically raises the hardness of titanium. This increases concerns regarding generated heat and tool wear. Maintaining a larger chipload and avoiding unnecessary rubbing aids with tool performance in the harder titanium alloys, and will minimize the amount of work hardening produced. Choosing a lower RPM, paired with a larger chipload, can provide a significant reduction in temperature when compared to higher speed options. Due to its low conduction properties, keeping temperatures to a minimum will put less stress on the tool and reduce wear. Using high-pressure coolant is also an effective method to reduce heat generation when machining titanium.

mitsubishi evo camshaft cutters machine from titanium with helical solutions end mill

These camshaft covers were custom made in titanium for Mitsubishi Evos.
Photo courtesy of @RebootEng (Instagram)

Galling and Built-Up Edge

The next hurdle to consider is that titanium has a strong tendency to adhere to a cutting tool, creating built up edge. This is a tricky issue which can be reduced by using copious amounts of high pressure coolant aimed directly at the cutting surface. The goal is to remove chips as soon as possible to prevent chip re-cutting, and keep the flutes clean and clear of debris. Galling is a big concern in the commercially pure grades of titanium due to their “gummy” nature. This can be addressed using the strategies mentioned previously, such as continuing feed at all times of workpiece contact, and using plenty of high-pressure coolant.

Titanium Solutions

While the primary concerns when machining titanium and its alloys may shift, the methods for mitigating them remain somewhat constant. The main ideas are to avoid galling, heat generation, work hardening, and workpiece or tool deflection. Use a lot of coolant at high pressure, keep speeds down and feeds up, keep the tool in motion when in contact with the workpiece, and use as rigid of a setup as possible.

In addition, selecting a proper tool coating can help make your job a successful one. With the high heat being generated during titanium machining operations, having a coating that can adequately deal with the temperature is key to maintaining performance through an operation. The proper coating will also help to avoid galling and evacuate chips effectively. Coatings such as Harvey Tool’s Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN Nano) produce an oxide layer at high temperatures, and will increase lubricity of the tool.

Tooling Solutions

Helical Solutions offers the HVTI-6 line of tooling optimized for High Efficiency Milling (HEM) in Titanium and its alloys. Helical’s HVTI-6 features its Aplus coating which offers added lubricity and high temperature resistance for improved tool life and faster speeds and feeds.

As titanium and its many alloys continue to grow in use across various industries, more machinists will be tasked with cutting this difficult material. However, heat management and appropriate chip evacuation, when paired with the correct coating, will enable a successful run.

machining titanium

How to Tackle Deep Cavity Milling the Right Way

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Deep cavity milling is a common yet demanding milling operation. In this style, the tool has a large amount of overhang – or how far a cutting tool is sticking out from its tool holder. The most common challenges of deep cavity milling include tool deflection, chip evacuation, and tool reach.

Three Harvey tool extended reach tool holders in 3, 5, and 6 inch lengths

Avoid Tool Deflection

Excess overhang is the leading cause of tool deflection, due to a lack of rigidity. Besides immediate tool breakage and potential part scrapping, excessive overhang can compromise dimensional accuracy and prevent a desirable finish.

Tool deflection causes wall taper to occur (Figure 1), resulting in unintended dimensions and, most likely, an unusable part. By using the largest possible diameter, necked tooling, and progressively stepping down with lighter Axial Depths Of Cut (ADOC), wall taper is greatly reduced (Figure 2).

Infographic showing result of tool deflection and excess overhang on a part's finish
Infographic showing progressive step drilling procedures and depths of cut with varied length of tools

Achieve Optimal Finish

Although increasing your step-downs and decreasing your ADOC are ideal for roughing in deep cavities, this process oftentimes leaves witness marks at each step down. In order to achieve a quality finish, Long Reach, Long Flute Finishing End Mills (coupled with a light Radial Depth of Cut) are required (Figure 3).

Inforgraphic showing Deep Cavity Milling and witness marks from multiple step downs

Mill to the Required Depth

Avoiding tool deflection and achieving an acceptable finish are challenges that need to be acknowledged, but what if you can’t even reach your required depth? Inability to reach the required depth can be a result of the wrong tool holder or simply a problem of not having access to long enough tooling.

Fortunately, your tool holder’s effective reach can be easily increased with Harvey Tool’s Extended Reach Tool Holder, which allows you to reach up to 6 inches deeper.

Confidently Machine Deeper With Harvey Tool’s Extended Reach Tool Holders

Evacuate Chips Effectively

Many machining operations are challenged by chip evacuation, but none more so than Deep Cavity Milling. With a deep cavity, chips face more obstruction, making it more difficult to evacuate them. This frequently results in greater tool wear from chip cutting and halted production from clogged flute valleys.

High pressure coolant, especially through the spindle, aids in the chip evacuation process. However, air coolant is a better option if heat and lubricity are not concerns, since coolant-chip mixtures can form a “slurry” at the bottom of deep cavities (Figure 4). When machining hardened alloys, where smaller, powder-like chips are created, slurry’s are a commonality
that must be avoided.

Deep Cavity Milling image showing result of failed chip evacuation when milling