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The RoboGrind CNC tool production center from Excalibur Tool has six CNC machine axes and an integrated Fanuc five-axis industrial robot. The center is designed to produce high-quality cutting tools from solid carbide or HSS, minimizing labor through the use of unattended, “lights out” manufacturing. The center can operate autonomously for as long as 12 hours. The Fanuc LR Mate industrial robot is integrated to the center, so even double-ended tools can be produced automatically with no end chipping, cemented carbide inserts the company says. Having six CNC axes allows the center deep hole drilling inserts to produce end mills, step tools, brazed tools and other special tools in one clamping. An optional telephone dialer can issue an alert to a cellular or home phone when the center needs the tool pallet reloaded, or in the event of a machine fault.

ANCA’s ToolRoom RN34, with support for complex endmill geometries, is designed to improve cutting tool manufacturers’ productivity in the aerospace, die/mold, general machining and shoulder milling cutters power generation industries. The high complexity of endmills designed to minimize quality issues resulting from chatter influenced the development of Tool Balancing in ToolRoom RN34 release. According to the company, direct communication between design and simulation software packages has simplified and eased tool balancing.

While the ability to design and manufacture chatter-avoiding variable helix/lead and pitch pieces, as well as variable helix/lead pieces with angle changes along the flute, are long-standing software offerings, variable helix/pitch introduces uneven weight distribution throughout the tool and requires balancing at higher rpms.

To simplify creation of balanced tools, a graphical drag-and-drop designer cutting edge replaces the constant helix ballnose option. This new ballnose cutting edge, featuring optimized irregular helix curves, becomes available when switching from 2D projections of the cutting edge to 3D projections. These tools are recommended for die mold, power generation and aerospace applications.

Grinding a standard ballnose cutting tool with the correct chisel angle and relief, straightness and ball profile line form is difficult, but ToolRoom RN34 has simplified it by automating the entire process. The end-user only needs to choose CNMG Insert the proper chisel style and new cycles will populate the grinding parameters automatically. This enables center cutting of ballnose tools and eliminates wear and tear of the tip section.

Other features within the latest version of ToolRoom RN34 include revamped ToolTypes. These include double-radius endmills, threadmills, lollipop cutters, countersink tools, pocket grinding applications, embedded grinding files, new grinding methods, chipbreaker operations, constant helix fir tree cutters, protection for grinding files, double margin drills, other enhancements in profile software and other ToolTypes.