VIDEO: How Advanced Roughing Can Increase Tool Life and Metal Removal

“In some of your most difficult materials, you’ll see tool life hitting 2, 4, 10 hours,” says expert.

Back in the day, roughing during the machining process was often left to lesser machines, while the best machines were used to produce your net shapes.

Today, however, roughing is becoming a much more delicate process with unimaginable metal removal rates. In the video above, we talk about what’s new in advanced roughing with Eric Gardner, product specialist in solid tooling at Seco Tools.

“The higher acceleration capabilities of machines today, combined with a light depth of cut, can allow for extremely fast material removal,” said Gardner.

“Under the right conditions and with the right process, manufacturers could see a reduction of 40 to 70 percent in cycle times with advanced roughing. I’ve worked with customers making titanium and steel components and I’ve seen a project with a 35-hour cycle time go down to 15 hours by using a tool that was less than half the diameter of the previously used roughing tool.”

But with speed and friction, comes great heat – a problem that solves itself, Gardner explains.

“By using a light radial engagement of the tool with the material, you create much less heat because the flute is not in contact with that material for as much time. All of the heat is dissipated into the chip and thrown away from the cut.”

Life expectancy of a cutting tool could be expected to plummet when operating at such high speeds, but that isn’t the case with advanced roughing techniques. A significantly smaller tool, spending less time in direct contact with the material, ultimately has a longer life expectancy than a larger tool performing slower, deeper cuts.

“The life expectancy of a smaller tool is significantly better,” Gardner explained.

“It’s all about the heat. By transferring the heat to the chip and keeping it out of the tool, the tool life will be measured in hours instead of minutes. In even some of your most difficult materials, you’ll see tool life hitting two, four or even ten hours.”

To learn more, watch the video above and visit the Seco Tools website

Written by

James Anderton

Jim Anderton is the Director of Content for ENGINEERING.com. Mr. Anderton was formerly editor of Canadian Metalworking Magazine and has contributed to a wide range of print and on-line publications, including Design Engineering, Canadian Plastics, Service Station and Garage Management, Autovision, and the National Post. He also brings prior industry experience in quality and part design for a Tier One automotive supplier.