Face Mills increase productivity.
Press Release Summary:
Series KSOM Octagonal Insert Face Mills are ¼ in. thick with ¾ in. inscribed circle. Tool-steel insert pockets are machined in hardened state so they won't deflect. Face mills can be fed at up to 0.030 in. feed per tooth. Screw and finger-clamps keep inserts from moving under extreme cutting forces. Ranging in diameter from 2.5-6 in., units provide 8 cutting edges per insert, 22° rake angle, and 45° lead angle. Four different grades are available.
Original Press Release:
New Kennametal KSOM Octagonal Face Mills Provide 2-3X Productivity Gains
(Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA) -- Kennametal has introduced a new line of KSOM octagonal insert face mills that provide substantial productivity gains, ranging from double to triple conventional levels, on a wide range of applications. The inserts in the new cutters have a 3/4 inch inscribed circle and are 1/4 inch thick, so they are strong enough for the heaviest cuts. The insert pockets are made of tool steel that is machined in the hardened state, so they won't deflect. The new cutters have both a screw and a finger-clamp to keep the inserts from moving even under extremely cutting high forces. The result is that these new cutters can be fed at up to 0.030 inches feed per tooth (fpt), compared to only 0.012 inch fpt for competitive cutters. The new cutters also have a high positive rake angle, which reduces cutting forces and makes it possible to achieve productivity gains even on machines with limited horsepower. "We performed benchmark testing of this product at four customer sites prior to releasing this product," said Nick Gaten, Milling Product Manager for Kennametal. "Each of the customers insisted on keeping the cutters when the tests were completed."
The benchmark tests showed large gains in productivity and tool life on a wide range of applications. For example, in machining profiles in high alloy steel railway tracks, the maximum feed rate with a competitive cutter was 73 inches per minutes. KSOM cutters made it possible to increase feed rate to 200 inches per minutes, nearly tripling productivity, while still increasing tool life by 30%. On another application, which involved machining low carbon steel, a 6-inch diameter KSOM cutter enabled increasing feed rate to 91 inches per minutes, from 26 inches per minute in the past, for a more than 3X productivity gain. The greatest savings with KSOM cutters usually come from increasing feed rates, because this approach can provide large savings in machine time. In cases where feed rates can't be increased, such as low horsepower machines, the new cutters can provide substantial tool life gains. Machining ductile iron, for example, they provided 160 minutes of cutting time per edge while competitive cutters only offered 40 minutes. It's also important to note that the new cutters provide 8 cutting edges per insert, while most competitive cutters offer only four.
The new cutters are available in diameters from 2.5 inches to 6 inches, with a 22-degree axial rake angle and a 45-degree lead angle. They are offered in four different grades. KC935M is an aluminum oxide coated grade that offers extremely high cutting speeds, providing significant productivity gains on a wide range of ferrous materials. KC522M is a titanium aluminum nitride coated grade designed for cutting higher strength materials, such as stainless steels, tool steels and high temperature alloys. KC915M is designed for semifinishing to roughing of cast iron and ductile irons and offers thicker, multilayer coatings for longer tool life. KC520M is a TiAlN coated grade designed for slower cutting speeds on cast and ductile irons, and enables wet milling of these materials.
For more information about Kennametal metalcutting products, please call 800-446-7738 or visit www.kennametal.com
