How to succeed with oscillating cutting technology
Let WhizCut help you to take control of this new cutting technology with three tips for excellent chip control. Recurring shakes and bumps in swiss lathes previously only meant one thing: there is a problem of some sort! Nowadays, repeated small vibrations are a method of combating long chips. The engineering art of oscillating chip control – small well-ordered vibrations – is now offered by most machine suppliers. And all the big machine producers have chosen their own label for the method, for example:
- Low-Frequency Vibration (LFV) from Citizen
- Oscillation Cutting from Tsugami and Nakamura
- High Frequency Turning (HFT) from Star
- Cutting Step Feed Function (CSFF) from Okuma
- ABC plus from Tornos
Even though terminology differs, among the producers, the technology behind the different names are in many cases very similar: the machine’s servo motor vibrates quickly back and forth and the cutting process stops for a millisecond, which leads to: chips breaking.
Excellent chip breaking
The progress of oscillating turning is linked to the increased demand for automation within the industry. The more machines that are run unmanned, the higher the demands on well-functioning and consistent chip removal. Long and stringy chips are the number one enemy of many mechanical workshops and swiss machining companies worldwide. Chips make a real mess, sticking to the tools, the machines and to the part, increasing the heat and reducing tool life. Chips contribute to all things that increase your costs and reduce quality of the detail. Oscillating cutting technology is a method to break the chips and prevent chip entanglement — just like high pressure cooling and cutting tools with chip breakers. With the right tools for the process, oscillating technology will take your production to new heights.
Three tips for maximum chip control:
1. Use sharp inserts and minimal cutting forces!
It is common for manufacturers to choose an insert with edge hone that is suitable for intermittent turning. Oscillating turning has smooth transitions between cutting depths and the best results are therefore achieved with light-cutting inserts that are sharp. The component ends up with excellent surface finish and tool life increases. It is the stability of the tool together with the cutting edge that gives the finer surface. WhizCut’s P-line offers a combination of inserts with both axial and radial rake angles — that works great even in titanium.
2. Check the quality of your workholding!
It is very important to choose the right manufacturer of workholding devices: such as sleeves and guide bushings. Depending on the machine and technology, oscillation can mean greater stress on workholding tools than during normal use. WhizHold, for example, has a high material hardness in its ER collets, which gives better roundness and longer tool life. JBS the Flexible Guidebushing unit is perfect as well eliminating jammed bars and making it possible to run unground material.
3. Rethink! Do I have to use oscillation?
There are actually other good options such as: high pressure cooling and aggressive cutting geometries. Today you can find plenty of inserts that break most chips. Dare to make demands on your tool dealer to find the right insert for you. WhizCut has inserts with very aggressive chip breaking and also y-axis holders that help remove long chips from the part. Also, dare to turn up the pressure by using high pressure cooling for chip breaking: WhizCut’s WhizHip holder works all the way up to 300 bar. Just keep in mind it’s of utter importance to use a well-functioning oil mist separator for this operation. Italian AR-Filtrazioni is here an excellent choice with H13 Hepa filters and very strong machines that recycle 80% of the oilmist back into the machine.