Troy, Michigan – For aerospace shops struggling with holemaking and milling operations in hybrid stacked materials, the new JC899 Hybrid Stack finisher and JC898 rougher from Seco Tools are solutions. The JC899 finisher features a patented two-in-one geometry that eliminates problems with delamination and fiber pulling out when working with stacked materials such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) combined with titanium/aluminum. Together with the JC898 rougher, the JC899 finisher offers 3x-to-6x more tool life versus conventional drill/reamer combinations and generates holes and side walls with perfect surface finishes for up to 300% greater process efficiency.
The JC898 offers an advanced frontal teeth design for helical interpolation that reduces cutting forces and minimizes risk of delamination when working with hybrid stacked materials that can put a lot of pressure on Z-axis drilling operations and generate chips that can damage the machined hole’s surface finish. The new tools achieve faster, cleaner holes and side wall finishes without the extra time-consuming step of removing chips that lodge between the stacked material layers.
The patented JC899 finishing tool uses a two-in-one geometry to eliminate chips, removing the need for manufacturers to unstack and clean hybrid stacked materials after machining. The diamond-based STAX coating offers reliable processes and high-quality products, while the double geometry’s left-hand helix prevents delamination, fiber pullout, and chip marks from damaging the workpiece’s surface.
Unlike boring tools that involve time-consuming benchwork and complicated measuring for proper part repositioning, the JC898 and JC899 eliminate such post-machining work to significantly simplify CFRP-titanium and CFRP-aluminum hybrid material holemaking operations. The resulting processes are 2x as fast as those performed with alternative solutions and tool life has also been doubled.
Additionally, the JC898 and JC899 offer advantages for helical interpolation and side milling, increasing process stability and speed while minimizing need for post-machining and benchwork. By reducing stress imparted to stacked materials during machining, these tools improve workpiece quality, particularly for CFRP-titanium applications that may otherwise produce burrs.
The JC898 and JC899 handle lengths or stack heights from 15mm to 60mm. The JC898 is available in diameters of 8mm or 15mm, while the JC899 is available in 8.5mm and 14.8mm (finisher) as well as in a 0.375" diameter.