Factors to consider before choosing cutting tools
Cutting tools may not demand high investment in overall production process but it plays a vital role in productivity of the end product. Many people do not pay much attention in choosing right cutting tool and incur loss.
Things to consider before choosing the cutting tools
Cutting tools play an important role while defining a strategy for machining process. It becomes more important when all the new materials like Ni and Ti based alloys, composites and other difficult to cut materials are coming in. The right selection of cutting parameters, grades and geometries not only do the efficient machining, but also helps to maintain the geometrical tolerances of workpiece, improves productivity and maintains the cost per component ratio (See picture below). The selection of right cutting tools is based on the material to machine, power available on machine, fixture stability, machine dynamics which leads to the right selection of cutting tool material, grades, geometries, depth of cuts and the feeds.
Factors impact the productivity of the end product
The selection of right strategy to machine the component/operation is the key to success. Rather than going for the conventional way of machining, adopting the right strategies that suits the application can improves the material removal rates. The other important factor is to maintain the average chip thickness ratio which improves the productivity in multiples. This can be done by selecting the right cutting speeds and feeds depending on radial engagement of the tool. One more important aspect is the know-how training for the effective utilization of the cutting tools and machining process.
Current Scenario
We are living in a highly competitive world and to compete, everyone in the industry wants to update themselves. In fact, the customers are going for the high-end machine tools and to take the maximum output from that, they are using the cutting tools which can be highly productive, offers geometrical tolerances to avoid the rejection/rework rates, predictable, consistent and suits to the defined strategy. Several Indian customers are still hesitant to use the high-end products because of the fear for the mis-use of the product on the shopfloor and incidences like power failure which leads to the breakage of the tools. Also, at times shopfloor personals are not adequately trained in cutting tool technology to gain the maximum out-put from it.
India is ready to adopt high-end technologies
In recent years there is shift in thought process, now, Indian companies are tuned to adopt the new technologies to provide better quality product. With the introduction of latest machines tools and software, it becomes important to use the latest cutting tools, which the Indian companies are adopting to remain competitive and to produce the quality products. In fact, they are looking for the more productive ways to complete the process to lower down the cost per component. It is also our responsibility to update and demonstrate them regarding the latest innovations, techniques and strategies which help them to achieve their goal and to become a cutting tool partner in there machining process rather than being a mare tooling supplier.
About Author:
Rajesh Gupta, Dy General Manager – Technical Support, Seco Tools India (P) Ltd is having over two decades of hand-on working experience in metal working industry. He is with Seco Tools since last 15 years.
Image Courtesy: Seco Tools India (P) Ltd
