There has been a major shift in manufacturers' attitudes toward sustainability in recent years. Research by Schneider Electric and Omdia concluded that 49% of manufacturing companies expect improved performance and cost savings when investing in sustainability. But while the focus of sustainability discussions tends to be on Industry 4.0 solutions, companies should not overlook the significant role that machine tools can play.
Machining companies now realize that a good sustainability strategy means the difference between success and failure - especially in light of today's ongoing supply chain challenges and shortages of both materials and knowledge and skills. However, there are hurdles for the manufacturing industry to become more sustainable. Nearly a third of manufacturing leaders surveyed by Schneider Electric and Omdia said their organizations and outdated assets and infrastructure are an obstacle to going green. 27% of them identified cost or budget as a major obstacle, and 19% cited culture change as a challenge, or the risk of changing their existing processes.
As a solution to these hurdles, manufacturers should instead focus on the significant benefits of better machining tools for production durability. A longer tool life can certainly support durability and also offers a number of other benefits, including a reduction in the number of tools needed in a production run, and reducing the need for costly tool replacements.
Another advantage of tools that last longer is the ability to produce more versatile products for two reasons. First, a longer-life tool can be used for a greater number of production cycles before it needs to be replaced or reconditioned. Second, the longer-life tool retains its precision and performance over a longer period of time, resulting in improved quality and consistency of the products being produced.
That is not to say that achieving a competitive edge in manufacturing is not a challenge. On the one hand, it is demonstrated that reducing costs with the right tools and optimization strategies can dramatically reduce machining times and increase tool life by as much as two times or more. On the other hand, continuous research and development into the current challenges facing machining companies is essential to ensure that tools are technologically ready and up to the challenge.
Let's focus on solid carbide finger milling cutters. Several factors determine tool life in milling, such as the various types of wear, including column wear and flank wear, and breakout of the cutting edge that often results from vibration in the workpiece or machine tool. Several design aspects of a finger mill affect its wear resistance, including the base material, coating and geometry of the tool. In particular, the geometry affects the functionality of the tool - as described in the report Study on tool life and its failure mechanisms by India's Kamala Institute of Technology & Science (KITS), "The geometry of the tool has a certain important influence in terms of tool life, with chip groove and clearance angles being important, among others."
In addition, the choice of material or type of a tool can have a significant impact on its speed or feed in machining processes by influencing factors such as wear resistance, tool hardness, heat resistance and friction and chip removal.
The development of physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings for tools is one such sustainable alternative. PVD is a process in which the coating is deposited on the surface of the tool, with the aim of improving its service life and functionality - and in particular the tool's tool life. This has led to new coating solutions that further improve tool life, process reliability and producibility. Manufacturers cite 30% higher cutting data recommendations in the primary application areas of ISO P and ISO M.
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