Precise, efficient and easy to handle – Tools for fine machining bores from MAPAL
Interview with Michael Neumann, product manager for reaming and fine boring tools
Reaming tools have to meet the demands for highest accuracy and feature a minimum handling effort. In addition customers always pay attention to efficiency, the lowest possible logistical expenditure and maximum process reliability. Since the introduction of the single-bladed reamer in 1954, MAPAL offers state-of-the-art tools for fine machining bores. The challenges that have to be overcome today and the solutions MAPAL offers for them are the topic of the interview with Michael Neumann, Product Manager for reaming and fine machining tools.
Mr Neumann, how would you summarise MAPAL’s offer of tools for fine machining bores in three sentences?
We offer a suitable tool concept for every reaming process – standard as well as special tools. In the process, we cover a large diameter range between 0.6 and 350 mm. Our portfolio is divided into tools with guide pads, replaceable head reamers, high-performance reamers with cylindrical shank and special solutions for large diameters.
That’s a lot of different tool types – what are their characteristic features and how to customers find the optimum concept?
The factors that make the individual reaming tools different are the setting effort, setting options, achievable accuracy, tool life and reusability. Depending on the requirements and circumstances that a customer has, we find or develop the best tool for the customer from our portfolio. The tool life for efficient manufacturing is extremely important for mass production, for example. Without a setting room or trained employees, handling must be as easy as possible.
Is a trend recognisable with regard to customer requirements?
As in the entire history of reaming tools, the trend is to further optimise the processes and therefore shorten the machining times making manufacturing more effici ent. In addition, more and more customers require reaming tools that can be used without or with only a minimum setting effort. For in order to correctly set thetools and to thereby achieve the best possible accuracy, well trained specialists are necessary.
Nonetheless the bore quality remains very important for reaming. The best results are still achieved with guide pad tools as these tools can be set to an accuracy in the μ range and the tool is supported by the guide pads in the bore. For this reason, it is our job to further increase ease of use for our tools, make setting easier and shorten the setting times – all without cuts with regard to accuracy.
How does MAPAL complete these tasks?
Applications with very tight tolerance specifications that require a guide pad tool and at the same time personnel that are not appropriately qualified–these are the most difficult tasks. To significantly simplify setting, we use the EA (EasyAdjust)-System for our tools with guide pads. This is an initial step in this direction. Thanks to the EA-System, the back taper of the blade no longer has to be set. It is already integrated in a cassette manufactured to a high level of accuracy in which the indexable blade is inserted. However the radial setting of the blades must still be carried out. And yet: Thanks to the EA-System, around 60 to 70 percent of the time for setting is saved.
Thanks to the EA system, users save around 60 to 70 per cent of the time spent on setting parameters.
And what if no setting should actually be carried out?
Then the result is not accurate to the last μm. Nevertheless: We also obtain excellent results with tools that do not have to be set. For example, when reaming large diameters from 65 mm, we presented a new tool concept at EMO in Hanover: the HPR 400 plus. A short machining time is achieved with this multi-bladed reamer. On the other hand the inserts can be reliably and very easily replaced by the customer himself on site. As a result, the tool logistics are significantly simplified. The tool does not have to be sent to the manufacturer for reconditioning. This reduces the required tool stock. The customer only has to have the indexable inserts in stock. The special features of these tools are indexable inserts with four usable cutting edges. For the previous model, the HPR 400, only one cutting edge was usable. This significantly reduces the cost per part.
In order to further increase the cost-effectiveness when machining large diameters, the indexable inserts of the new HPR400 plus no longer have a single cutting edge, but have four cutting edges.
Does the tool have to be reset after the insert change?
No. Because inserts and insert seat are manufactured with a highlevel of accuracy.
Depending on the material, MAPAL offers optimally coated indexable inserts for reaming.
Are there also concepts that offer similar benefits for fine machining smaller diameters?
Unter anderem unsere neue CPR-Wechselkopfreibahle, die für den Durchmesserbereich 8 bis 40 mm verfügbar ist. Bei diesem CPR-System tauscht der Kunde einfach den Reibkopf aus, wenn das Standzeitende des Kopfs erreicht ist. Einstellen muss er dabei nichts. Dieses System bietet zudem einen weiteren Vorteil: Wir fertigen lediglich die Köpfe aus dem kostenintensiven Vollhartmetall. Dadurch wird viel Material eingespart. Dieses Werkzeugsystem bieten wir für die Bearbeitung zahlreicher Werkstoffe: Guss, Stahl, Titan, Aluminium, VA, CFK, GFK und zur Hartbearbeitung.
Für eine wirtschaftliche Gussbearbeitung bietet MAPAL die Wechselkopf-Reibahle CPR500/510 mit optimierter Kühlung.
Bei einem hohen Werkzeugvolumen ist das dann aber trotzdem ein hoher Anteil an kostenintensivem Vollhartmetall. Gibt es hierfür im Bereich des Reibens eine Alternative?
Speziell für solche Anwendungen mit sehr hohen Stückzahlen und einem entsprechenden Volumen an ein und demselben Werkzeug haben wir Schneidköpfe entwickelt, die wir mit Hilfe von Formen konturnah pressen. Obwohl für die entsprechende Form ein höherer Invest nötig ist, rechnen sich bei der Massenfertigung diese Art von Wechselköpfen, da die Werkzeuge selbst dann deutlich kostengünstiger sind.
Für die Fertigung von Bauteilen mit einer sehr hohen Stückzahl hat MAPAL Schneidköpfe entwickelt, die konturnah gepresst werden.
Noch eine letzte Frage: Wieso sollte sich ein Kunde für ein Reibwerkzeug von MAPAL entscheiden?
Zum einen bieten wir, wie bereits erwähnt, ein breit gefächertes Portfolio und haben jahrzehntelange Erfahrung bezüglich der Feinbearbeitung von Bohrungen. Zum anderen haben wir weitere Alleinstellungsmerkmale wie beispielsweise unsere Führungsleistenwerkzeuge. MAPAL ist zudem der einzige Werkzeughersteller, der eine CVD-Beschichtung zum Reiben von Guss entwickelt hat und erfolgreich einsetzt. Unser Schneidstoff HC418/419 sorgt für beste Oberflächen bei hervorragender Maßtoleranz und das bei einer deutlich höheren Standzeit verglichen mit PVD-beschichteten Schneidstoffen.
MAPAL schließt mit dem neuen Werkzeugeinstellgerät UNISET-V basic plus die Lücke zwischen einfachen mechanischen und hochpreisigen CNC-Einstellgeräten.
Eine neue Broschüre von MAPAL zeigt Lösungen in der Verfahrenstechnik für die drei zentralen Komponentenbereiche Pumpen, Kompressoren und Armaturen auf.
