Kennametal and Haimer Sign Agreement to Supply Kennametal's Breakthrough KM4X Spindle Connection
Manufacturers to benefit from combination of leading toolholding and spindle connection solutions
In an agreement signed July 23, 2013, Kennametal has granted global toolholding leader Haimer GmbH (Igenhausen, Germany) license to provide Kennametal's new and advanced KM4X spindle connection solution throughout Haimer's global markets. Haimer, a global leader in toolholding technology and provider of the innovative SAFE-LOCK™ pullout-prevention technology, together with Kennametal sees significant benefit for manufacturing customers.
"The KM4X spindle connection is the most rigid system in the world today. This design enables manufacturing companies to maximize their capital investments. KM4X enables higher metal removal rates, which facilitates higher machine tool utilization and reduced cost per part, while increasing the manufacturer's available capacity," says John R. Tucker, Vice President and President of the Industrial Business Segment for Kennametal Inc. "Having an innovative technology partner like Haimer supply the KM4X connection in addition to toolholders like SAFE-LOCK™ will create a powerful production advantage for manufacturing companies around the world."
"This agreement is a perfect fit because it confirms both Haimer and Kennametal as leaders in high-end innovative technologies for world manufacturing," says Andreas Haimer, director and member of the executive board of Haimer GmbH. "We are honored and plan to actively support and educate our markets to the benefits of these mutually beneficial technologies.
The spindle connection, the interface between the machine tool's spindle and toolholder, has to provide the torque and bending load capacity compatible with machine-tool specifications. Cutting forces, particularly in roughing or machining high-strength materials, generate bending moments that will exceed the interface's limits prior to reaching torque limits. By combining high clamping force and optimized interference levels, KM4X provides a robust connection, extremely high stiffness, and bending load capacity for greatly improved performance in machining high-strength alloys and other materials. This means extremely high metal removal rates and more completed parts per day.
"We give a lot of seminars related to toolholding, particularly how to increase rigidity, accuracy, balance and security in metalworking," says Brendt Holden, president of Haimer USA (Villa Park, IL). "One of the most common questions we receive is ‘what's the best style of spindle interface?' With a unique high-strength spindle connection that also can accelerate to high rpms safely, we believe we now have the best answer."
Advanced Materials Require Advanced Manufacturing
The continuing development of high-strength, lightweight materials such as titanium alloys, Inconel, and new aluminium alloys are eagerly sought by manufacturers in many industries, including aerospace and defense, energy, and transportation. These new materials present significant machining challenges in themselves. Add the competitive pressures in these global industries, and finding advanced manufacturing solutions becomes a top priority.
Machine-tool builders have responded with milling and turning centers that feature improved stiffness and damping on spindles and sizable machine structures and motors, all to provide the significant horsepower, torque and thrust forces required while minimizing undesirable vibrations that deteriorate part quality and tool life.
"In most cases, the tool-spindle connection determines how much material can be removed on a given operation," says Doug Ewald, director, global product management, tooling systems at Kennametal. "This is because this interface must withstand high loads and yet maintain its rigidity. With the ongoing advances in cutting tools and machining centers, a spindle connection that makes the best utilization of available power possible is an important consideration to investigate early in production planning."
Rigid toolholding is critical as well. "From a technical perspective, the KM4X spindle connection makes it possible for us to utilize the full potential of our toolholders," says Oliver Sax, director of product management at Haimer. "Outdated dual-faced steep-taper systems were limiting the potential of modern machine tools. Feedback from Kennametal customers led us to investigate the new KM4X spindle connection more closely. After analyzing the data, we found KM4X to be the leading interface for the high-torque, high-rpm fine balanced toolholders Haimer provides."
"This is a full-system partnership between companies with identical philosophies," says John Jacko, vice president and chief marketing officer at Kennametal. "With the KM4X spindle connection and Haimer toolholding technology, there is no reason why companies should hold back investigating high-torque, high-speed machining capabilities for both existing and new equipment. This means achieving the maximum potential of your machine tools."
"This agreement is a perfect fit because it confirms both Haimer and Kennametal as leaders in high-end innovative technologies for world manufacturing," says Andreas Haimer, director and member of the executive board of Haimer GmbH.
By combining high clamping force and optimized interference levels, KM4X™ by Kennametal provides a robust connection, extremely high stiffness, and bending load capacity for greatly improved performance in machining high-strength alloys and other materials.
SAFE-LOCK™ by Haimer combines form-fitting grooves in the tool shank with positive locking in the chuck to prevent tool pullout at high cutting forces.
Kennametal
Celebrating its 75th year as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers seeking peak performance in demanding environments. The company provides innovative wear-resistant products, application engineering and services backed by advanced material science, serving customers in 60 countries across diverse sectors of aerospace, earthworks, energy, industrial production, transportation and infrastructure. With approximately 13,000 employees and nearly $3 billion in sales, the company realizes half of its revenue from outside North America, and 40% globally from innovations introduced in the past five years. Recognized among the "World's Most Ethical Companies" (Ethisphere); "Outstanding Corporate Innovator" (Product Development Management Association); and "America's Safest Companies" (EHS Today) with a focus on 100% safety, Kennametal and its foundation invest in technical education, industrial technologies and material science to deliver the promise of progress and economic prosperity to people everywhere. For more information, visit the company's website at www.kennametal.com.
Kennametal Inc.
1600 Technology Way
PO Box 231
Latrobe, PA 15650-0231
USA
Kathy Linden
Phone: 724 539 5698
Fax: 724 539 6766
kathy.linden@kennametal.com
Kennametal Shared Services GmbH
Wehlauer Strasse 73
D-90766 Fuerth
Carsten Gromoll
Phone: +49 911 9735 557
Fax: +49 911 9735 551
carsten.gromoll@kennametal.com
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