Modular mills make life fast and flexible

The tool can predictably take full-width slotting cuts in stainless steel and aerospace alloys at 1xD deep, and 50% cut widths at 1.5xD.

“In apples to apples cutting tests against our competitors´ tools, the DUO-LOCK connection was the only one that didn´t break,” said marketing portfolio director Avishay Zohar. “It is easily the most robust modular solution on the market today.”

The unmatched metal removal rate is due to a double-taper, face-contact mount and intelligent thread design. This provides run out accuracy better than 5µm (.0002”), axial repeatability of 10µm (.0004”) or better, and up to 25% higher torque and chip load capabilities than others in this market.

This also makes the WIDIA system a budget-friendly alternative to solid carbide end mills for shops of all sizes.

Zohar added: “Yes, we compete very well at the Tier I and Tier II levels in the aerospace, energy, and automotive industries, but it´s also a great solution for their suppliers, the smaller job shops with a handful of vertical machining centres that cut Inconel one day and 4140 steel alloy the next.”

He continued: “These shops stand to benefit the most from our system´s flexibility and competitive price point, because it reduces the need for expensive solid carbide end mills, and special order tools that may take weeks to arrive.”

Mark White, marketing portfolio manager at WIDIA, agreed:  “The DUO-LOCK connection was originally designed for heavy roughing and semi-finishing applications in difficult materials, but the platform has evolved since then. When coupled with the wide array of carbide, coatings, and geometries from our sister company Hanita, WIDIA provides manufacturers with a modular alternative to solid carbide end mills in 80% of their machining operations.”

Examples include the WIDIA-Hanita brand VariMill III, a 7-flute centre-cutting end mill with a 38° helix for high-feed machining of titanium and nickel-based super alloys, and the VariMill I, with a conical core and asymmetrical 4-flute design that eliminates chatter in extreme roughing and deep slotting applications.

For those shops that prefer a simpler toolholding approach, WIDIA offers a variety of integral shank taper, lobed, and HSK-style toolholders, as well as straight shank ‘cut to size’ adapters 10-32mm (0.39-1.25”) in diameter.

WIDIA is also offering a complete range of cutter geometries, from high-performance ‘corn cob’ style roughers to ball-nose and chamfering cutters. Many of these are available in 20° and 45° helix angles, with custom grinds and edge preps possible in a few weeks or less.

“Our replaceable tip system decreases tooling inventory, machine downtime, and operator headaches,” said White.

White added: “A single tool holder or adapter accommodates any number of cutting heads. Unscrew one, thread on another, torque it down and you´re ready to go, with no worries over tool run out or Z-axis offset changes. Together with the excellent cutting performance and superior tool life of VariMill, we feel it´s the most flexible, cost-effective modular solution available. I encourage shops of all sizes to give it a try.”