Technology Sheets

Machining electrically conductive ceramics with spark erosion (EDM)

Because of their extreme hardness, ceramic materials and their composites are very popular for mechanical applications that are susceptible to wear and tear due to heavy loads. The other side of the coin is that conventional techniques do not usually suffice to work these materials. Some are even impossible to grind, because oxides deposit on the grinding wheel.

Method to transfer colour images to metal with a laser

Three photonic laser techniques to transfer colour images with high resolution to metal surfaces: oxidation of metal and interferences, formation of nanoparticles and plasmon resonance, structuring of a periodic circuit and diffraction of light.

Robot significantly reduces production time of large moulds

The arrival of machine hammer peening opens the way to fast finishing of large milled injection and deep drawing moulds. Instead of manual polishing, an industrial robot does the work in a shorter time. This process also offers a number of other advantages.

Sensory Tool Holder

A sensory tool holder is an inline tooling adapter that is capable of measuring three different dynamic responses within the tool – these being the bending moment, the tension and the torsion. With applications to both milling and turning operations, a sensory tool holder can continually collect data during a given operation and wirelessly transmits this data to a nearby laptop.

Predictive Maintenance

End-to-end digitisation of physical assets within a value chain and their integration into a digital ecosystem is the focus of the fourth industrial revolution [1]. Ubiquitous sensors and microprocessors installed on machines, embedded systems and smart devices along with the increasing horizontal and vertical networking of value chains will result in unprecedently seen amounts of data.

Rough milling with the Vortex method reduces machining time

With high-speed rough milling, correct programming can prevent exceeding the limit value of the radial cutting width and breaking the tool. In curves and transitions, however, the cutting width can temporarily increase, while this is not what is needed.

Feature Recognition techsheet

The change in the market forces machining companies to update product design, complexity, quality, durability and delivery times. This is made possible by the development of computer technology. During the development of a 3D model in CAD (Computer Aided Design), data can be adjusted quickly.

Environmental impact of cryogenic machining

Sometimes the question arises to what extent cryogenic cooling is environmentally-friendly, as the gases used are a consumable, unlike other refrigerants that can be reused. Cryogenic processing does have interesting environmental advantages.

Cryogenic cooling: an overview

Almost 10 years after the introduction of cryogenic machining, a lot of research has been conducted on this technology, its application and pros and cons. However, despite the positive results, the step to the industry does not seem to be so obvious.

Choose the right endmill to optimise your milling process

Solid carbide endmills are the most commonly used tools in almost every machine shop. Process engineers are always concerned with productivity gains by reducing the tooling cost, machining time and bring down the cost per part to increase the margins. The selection of the machining conditions either rely on the experience of the operator or the recommendations from the tool manufacturer.

Cryogenic machining, also for soft(er) materials

Cryogenic cooling during machining stands for machining at very low temperatures. This has advantages both for tools made of heat-resistant materials, where the heat can be high during machining, and for the machining of softer materials, which will flow more easily during machining.

What a mobile cobot can do in production

Our consortium partner, Sirris, was given the opportunity to make temporary use of a KMR iiwa with the aim to extensively test and explore the potential of a mobile cobot.

Creating functionalities with laser texturing

Femtosecond lasers are ultra-fast pulsed lasers, which are used to remove material. The material is not heated, but immediately turns into a plasma. In addition, the technology is extremely suited for the very precise application of functionalities via textures.

Epicycloidal milling is up to 20 % faster than trochoidal milling

Among the different working strategies for ‘high performance cutting’ (HPC), trochoidal milling is an efficient way of processing (difficult materials), and is one that also utilizes a longer cutting edge. In order to increase productivity even further, (i.e. reducing the cycle times) the materials and processes laboratory at University of Karlsruhe has developed another strategy for trochoidal cutting, namely epicycloidal cutting.

CAD, CAM and Verification

Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) software has been developed since the late 1950s and is an essential component of modern manufacturing. The term CAD covers a range of applications from 2D drafting packages to full 3D design packages with simulation and analysis tools.

Real-Time Production Scheduling in Job-Shops

Small and medium machining shops are often arranged as job-shops. In a job-shop the production is usually done in small batches, and the machines are arranged in functional units, or cells (milling cell, drilling cell, etc). Each part or product to manufacture needs to follow a sequence of operations (a route) to be performed in different machines.

Turning in hard steels with PCBN cutting material.

Hard turning with PCBN cutting material is defined as the process of single point cutting of part pieces that have hardness values over 45HRC. CBN is mainly used to turn parts in the region of 58-68HRC.

What is PCBN?

Impact Hammer Test (TAP Testing)

Tap testing, also known as modal testing, is an experimental method that is used to excite the machine-tool system in order to extract its harmonic information such as natural frequencies, modal masses, modal damping ratios and mode shapes.  This is normally done in static conditions, using the impact hammer as the excitation mechanism, and an accelerometer as the sensor.  In theory, the tool t

Machining CFRP/GFRP Composite material.

The unrelenting passion of the aerospace industry to enhance the performance of commercial and military aircraft is constantly driving the development of improved high-performance structural materials. Composite materials are one such class of materials that play a significant role in current and future aerospace components. Composite materials are particularly attractive to aviation and aerospace applications because of their exceptional strength and stiffness-to-density ratios and superior physical properties. A composite material typically consists of relatively strong, stiff fibers in a tough resin matrix.

Why we can machine graphite with Diamond tools.

Graphite has specific properties that make machining a challenge. It’s strong, but also brittle, and is susceptible to chipping if not handled properly. Cutting Graphite (or carbon) is different from cutting Metals. Metal exerts plastic deformation when a tool edge cuts it producing a curl or chips.

Carbide inserts Wear Failure modes.

Tool wear describes the gradual failure of cutting tools due to regular operation. It is a term often associated with tools used for example on turning, milling, drilling and other types of machining operations where chips are made. We could also say “We started with a new cutting edge and at the beginning of the operation everything was working well.

Model based definition

Model Based Definition is a new strategy of product lifecycle management in which the CAD models (Computer aided design) change from simple models with only the geometric data to extensive information sources containing all product manufacturing information (Alemanni, Destefanis, & Vezzetti, 2010).

A new method for finishing 3D Near Net Shape components

‘Near Net Shape’ components (NNS) are products that are almost in their final or finished form, and just need some finishing work in order to come within the required specifications, such as dimensional precision and surface roughness. Removal technologies are still the most common processes used for making the final finish that leads to the functional product. Therefore tool path generation for controlling CNC machines is essential.

Low surface roughness and extremely high precision thanks to ELID grinding

Grinding through electrolytic in-process dressing (or ‘ELID’ for short) is an efficient technique for processing extremely hard and brittle materials such as ceramics (ZrO2, Si3N4), cermets and hardened steel. This grinding technique allows metal-bound grinding discs to be used, which are after all highly durable and difficult to adjust compared with discs with resins or glass. Moreover, ELID grinding allows a work piece with good geometrical accuracy in combination with a highly smooth surface to be obtained, making a polishing stage redundant.

Abrasive water jet turning: for rough working hard materials that are difficult to machine

Abrasive water jet turning is a reducing technology that uses a high pressure water jet with granules - read: ‘abrasive’ - particles. How does it actually work? Water and particles are mixed together to become a high pressure water jet in the spray nozzle. Next the combined translatory movement of the water jet and the rotating movement of the work piece ensure that cylindrical shapes can be processed.

3-2-1 Rule of Work Piece Clamping

Over the past years, manufacturing has made considerable progress. New machine tools, high-performance cutting tools, and modern manufacturing processes enable today's industries to make workpiece faster and better than ever before. Although work holding methods have also advanced considerably, the basic principles of clamping and locating are still the same.

Additive manufacturing vs conventional machining process for complex geometry parts

Conventional machining process like milling, drilling, rolling, forming and so on, are still the most common go-to manufacturing operations for medium to large volume production. Additive manufacturing (AM) has been disrupting the manufacturing environment in the past decade with new possibilities for customised small volume production. Optimised manufacturing, for example, is very difficult to achieve with conventional machining processes, whereas with the help of additive manufacturing, this is easy with relatively fewer tooling changes, and much less time involved with the manufacturing operation.

Collaborative Robotics

Introduction

Industrial automation and robotics are nothing new within manufacturing. However, a new paradigm is emerging which blends manual and robotic activities.

Milling with Ceramics

The use of ceramic cutting tools is on the rise, that news is less dramatic than it seems, because solid ceramic end mills and inserts are usually easier to use than carbide tools. Changing to using ceramic cutting tools doesn’t need really any special process changes. Contrary to what people might think about ceramic tooling.