Cryogenic Machining Drastically Improves Cycle Times

Cryogenic Machining Drastically Improves Cycle Times

Liquid nitrogen insert cooling extends insert life and allows greater use of low-cost ceramic inserts for hard turning cryogenic machining operations. Cubic boron nitride (CBN) and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) inserts have traditionally been the tools of choice for hard turning applications. However, many shops contemplating hard turning are turned off by their high price. A new extreme-temperature coolant method has been developed to offer longer insert life, faster cutting rates and more affordable hard turning insert options. The Icefly cryogenic machining coolant system from Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania) delivers a jet of –320°F liquid nitrogen directly to the insert during turning operations. The liquid nitrogen raises insert hardness, which significantly reduces the thermal softening effect that an insert may experience as a result of hard turning inherent…
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Optimized Milling Strategy for Five-Axis Titanium Blisk Machining

Optimized Milling Strategy for Five-Axis Titanium Blisk Machining

Optimized Milling Strategy for Five-Axis Titanium Blisk Machining - Many of the new designs for both military- and civil-aircraft turbine engines feature blisk rotors instead of single-bladed rotor assemblies because of their significant weight reduction, greater resilience and reduced maintenance. Blisks are usually machined from a solid billet of hard, exotic materials, such as titanium and nickel-based alloys, which makes them difficult to machine and leads to long cycle times. Subsequently, these components become very expensive to produce. As a result, efficient machining methods need to be developed. Swiss machine tool builder Starrag (Hebron, Kentucky) has addressed these problems by developing a new tooling concept and milling strategy for roughing, semi-finishing and finish-machining blisks. The centerpiece of the improved Optimized milling strategy is the finishing operation, which helps to reduce the…
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