productivity losses in attended production, making it almost impossible for machines to run unattended in lights-out operations. This particularly holds true when machining with toolholders or toolblocks with conventional coolant nozzles that are not located close to the cutting edge. made in high-pressure systems, most systems that drench coolant over a cutting tool and the component being machined to reduce often move, making them inaccurate when it comes to directing coolant to the cutting zone. Such systems also lack adequate control for
coolant pump. The need for a second highpressure pump is thus eliminated. It is to overcome the drawbacks of existing coolant delivery systems that developers of coolant delivery tooling systems, such as Seco, have worked to optimise system performance by boosting the pressure and precision with which coolant streams are directed into cutting zones. Systems such as Seco’s Jetstream Tooling® incorporate strategically placed coolant exit holes machined into swiveling top clamps (inducers) on insert holders. Coolant pressure, enable the acute, high-velocity stream of coolant to easily penetrate and lubricate the primary heat zone just behind the cutting edge.
zone, it can also heat up locally to a point where a steam vapour barrier forms. This vapour then actually insulates the cutting zone and keeps heat from dissipating. To combat this situation, high-pressure cooling systems can remove heat fast enough and with enough pressure to prevent such vapour barriers from developing.
Seco has discovered that providing a coolant “wedge”, very close to the cutting edge, proves most effective. This means that the system’s exit outlet positions the jetstream of coolant between the insert rake cutting zone and chip, contributing to the lifting and breaking off of the chip.
Manufacturers must also keep in mind that there are differences between high-pressure coolant delivery tooling systems. The most common of those differences involve distance from the cutting zone, or how far away a system’s coolant outlet is from the workpiece/cutting tool interface. Some system outlets may not be close enough to effectively and accurately reach the optimum point within the cutting zone for the
The latest generation of Jetstream Tooling® for turning, grooving and parting-off provides holders with coolant outlets directed towards rake faces, but also towards insert clearances
outlets situated further away from the cutting zone must use higher pressures to compensate for the increased distance.
When coolant delivery tooling systems provide both cooling and optimised chip control, manufacturers also eliminate downtime and gain problem-free, lights-out machining capability.
If a system’s coolant outlets are too far from the cutting zone, additional pumps may be needed. Comparatively, this results in higher costs to achieve the same level of results provided by a system that has outlets closer to the cutting zone. When coolant is channeled through holders then through inducers, as with Seco Tools’ Jetstream Tooling® system, coolant outlets can be arranged in very close proximity to the cutting zone, achieving better results with pressure generated from a machine’s standard
underneath provides optimal cooling just below the cutting edge. This extra coolant jet directed towards insert clearance increase tool life by
turning speeds and feeds, extend cutting tool life some cases, speeds and feeds can be doubled or even tripled, and tool life can also often be doubled. This increases productivity and
Industry Asia-Pacific 7-2013
21