The FBX drill for flat-bottom drilling offers up to 200% higher metal removal rates compared to traditional ramping techniques when machining high-temperature alloys, stainless steel, other steels, and cast irons. The drill is part of a three-step tooling concept that maximizes metal removal rates and decreases cycle times when machining aerospace structural components.

Combining the advantages of a flat bottom drill and a Z-axis plunge mill, the FBX drill speeds up machining compared to the traditional time-consuming, low metal removal rate first process step of entering the material using ramping techniques. The flat bottom design eliminates radial forces while four cutting edges provide increased feed and speed rates. Once the drill has shaped the basic structure of the component, the next process steps are roughing and finishing with indexable and solid end mills.

Four cutting edges provide stability in challenging applications such as chain hole drilling and plunging, while large chip flutes ensure hassle-free chip evacuation. Supported by a series of exchangeable coolant nozzles to help eliminate heat buildup, the drill point has a center insert with two cutting edges and chip splitters for maximum feed capabilities.

Drill bodies are available in 60mm, 75mm, and 90mm diameters, in 150mm and 95mm lengths. The modular drill connects to bolt taper flange (BTF) mount adapters, available in various spindle connection styles.

Kennametal Inc.

A technology promising to someday revolutionize manufacturing is artificial intelligence (AI). If you’re thinking of a humanoid robot watching people to learn a simple task, you’re missing a more immediate application of AI in manufacturing – metrology. Surprised?

Advances in imaging technology, software, and computing power are making it easier to automate observation, identification, and reporting of flaws on parts, which improves quality in manufacturing.

Dr. Jonathan Lee leads research and development (R&D) for Nanotronics, a science technology company that developed a system combining AI, automation, and sophisticated imaging to detect manufacturing flaws and anomalies.

I asked what’s changed to propel his company and others toward a marketable solution enabling AI-assisted part inspection. Is it better cameras? Stitching software? Smarter and faster data crunching? Well, it’s all of those.

Lee answers, “Year-on-year improvements in the price and performance of commodity hardware are making ever more complex models and processing practical. As costs come down, there are more installations, and that brings in larger data volumes, driving the creation of more specialized models, and increasing customer confidence in deploying AI and automation.”

At Nanotronics, they study human-machine interactions and assembly processes with automated tools, and feed that back into design and process changes.

“We enable our customers to enhance their own efforts to maintain effective process control, and to tighten the loop between detecting some defect, determining its source, and ultimately mitigating any issues,” Lee says. The company’s nSpec product combines advanced computer vision, machine learning, AI, optical microscopy, and robotics to recognize, classify, and measure nanoscopic flaws, allowing for real-time correction.

They take this further with Intelligent Factory Control (IFC), their term for combining legacy process control data, imaging, or other sensor data, and using them to reduce process variation, increase yields, reduce rework, or provide insight into the root causes of process variation.

IFC enables machines to autonomously correct irregularities in the production process, making self-inspecting, self-optimizing factories an achievable goal.

This sounds like a perfect tie-in with Industry 4.0.

Lee agrees, saying, “More data from more sources increase the likelihood that we can assign causality to issues seen in inspection. Digital twins give higher fidelity models of what should be, which permits us to be much more aggressive in detecting deviations to track and correct.” The goal is to change a production process item by item to hit required quality metrics with minimal rework, or across multiple variables rather than one feature at a time – all without needing constant human attention and supervision.

Nanotronics is building a high-tech manufacturing hub in New York’s Brooklyn Navy Yard. The new facility will allow the company’s AI researchers, computer scientists, and other experts to work with skilled machinists on a manufacturing floor. The objective is to develop innovations that will reduce a factory’s footprint, producing less waste while bolstering speed, from R&D through production. – Eric

Liquidtool Manager monitors metal cutting coolant using plug & play technology and a cloud-based platform for intelligent, automated, and reliable measurement.

Its sensor is magnetically mounted on the machine to be monitored, connected to the company’s WLAN or LAN, and operated with the corresponding app via tablet, smartphone, or PC. The sensor, compatible with various coolants, regularly takes coolant from the machine tank and measures the sample with a built-in refractometer and thermometer. Users can add values such as pH, nitrite, and water hardness manually. Sensor data stored and analyzed in the cloud-based manager are displayed directly via graphics, statistics, and reports – allowing deviations to be detected early. Users can also exchange experiences among members worldwide in the Liquidtool community.

Liquidtool Systems AG

Large FOV vision system

The AVR300 multi-sensor vision system has been enhanced with a 0.14 magnification lens featuring the largest field of view (FOV) on the AVR series at 2.36" x 1.90" (60mm x 48mm). X, Y, Z travel is 12" x 8" x 8" (300mm x 200mm x 200mm).

Superimage technology allows multiple images to be stitched together so more of the part can be viewed in one larger image. Together with the system’s touch probe technology, the AVR-FOV 0.14X can accurately inspect features on large or complex parts, as well as on multiple small parts.

Equipped with the M3 software package from MetLogix, a traditional mouse and touchscreen make user interaction intuitive. Auto part recognition creates a part measurement program of the desired part features for inspection, which can be saved automatically in the system or to a network.

The L.S. Starrett Co.

High torque/speed live lathe tools

Live lathe tools with 5:1 and 1:5 gear boxes for high-torque and high-speed machining applications are now available.

Speeders improve surface finish and reduce cycle times when machining small holes and soft materials, without lengthy acceleration ramps. Reducers optimize the lower speed, higher torque requirements of large holes and tough materials without sacrificing horsepower.

In-line holders use ER-style collets and are available on extensions to machine between chuck jaws. Designed to fit popular lathe models, angle head versions machine in bores down to 5/8" diameter. Secondary ID machining operations such as oil grooving and keyway cutting can be integrated into turning operations. Heads and drivers are modular, and available in face and OD mount configurations.

Eltool Corp.

Tavares, Florida-based GWS Tool Group acquired CJT Koolcarb Inc. and its polycrystalline diamond (PCD) operating subsidiary, GenHam Diamond Tools, furthering GWS’ product capabilities in holemaking, brazed construction carbide tools, and PCD round tools.

Carol Stream, Illinois-based, CJT makes carbide and carbide-tipped drills and reamers for aerospace and automotive companies. CJT’s subsidiary, GenHam Diamond Tools in Montrose, Colorado, adds custom PCD-tipped round tools for non-ferrous and composite machining to GWS’ offerings.

This is the second acquisition in 2021 for GWS Tool Group, which acquired Taurus Tool & Engineering in January, following three previous acquisitions in 2020.

Located near Batavia, Illinois, Taurus manufactures precision custom cutting tools, including complex HSS and carbide step tools, custom thread-on modular tooling, and combination tools that eliminate multi-tool operations.

Beckwood Press Co. recently delivered a 400-ton hydraulic hot forming press to a major supplier of titanium aerospace structural components in the U.S. Midwest.

Featuring 48" x 96" platens capable of reaching temperatures up to 1,800°F via multi-zone electric cartridge heaters, the press has automated, insulated doors on the front and rear of the press preventing heat loss during the cycle and facilitating safe part loading and unloading. Hinged access doors on each side allow for periodic progress monitoring. Beckwood’s Active Leveling Control (ALC) system maintains ±0.004" bed-to-ram parallelism despite off-center loading or die warpage due to high temperatures.

This is the second titanium hot forming press installed at this location since 2017.

To become more sustainable in its machining practices, Seco Tools has partnered with Fusion Coolant Systems, developers of an environmentally friendly coolant technology that can lower carbon footprint while increasing performance. Fusion’s systems use supercritical carbon dioxide with little or no oil to achieve tool life and performance improvements, and health, safety, and environmental benefits.

Brian Ahlborn, CEO of Fusion Coolant Systems, says, “The Seco team has worked to exploit this technology in their tooling on applications that have now been running for several years in several industries. Our relationship has grown naturally, helping customers solve complex problems.”

Seco Tools North America President Rob Keenan says, “We’ve had a working relationship with Fusion Coolant Systems for many years. So, it really was just a natural transition to formalize this partnership.”