There was a time when cutting tools had the potential to outperform the machines that ran them. However, advances in machine technology that provide higher speeds, greater precision and repeatability along with software developments to program high-efficiency toolpaths have now turned the tables on that model, and many shops are probably not using cutting tools to their full potential.
A lack of stability at any point between the spindle and work piece will result in chatter that requires a reduction in speeds and feeds, slowing production with the need for additional passes. Chatter, or excessive vibration at the tool and the workpiece, can occur in any process, though it is most typically associated when endmilling in corners and contours. As harmonic vibration patterns setup, tools begin to perform unevenly with some flutes cutting more aggressively than others. The result is poor surface finishes and shortened tool life at best or scrapped parts and broken tools in the worst-case scenario.
To get the most from their tools and maximize production, shops need to eliminate as many negative variables as possible. Using a standard toolholder in a high-performance machine with a high-performance cutting tool is like putting regular unleaded gasoline in a racing car. For maximum tool use and production, advanced toolholding systems like REGO-FIX powRgripâ (PG) provide the stability necessary to maximize tool use. Once the tool, collet and toolholder are assembled in the PG system, operators gain a level of harmonic damping and process security for superior surface finishes and tool life not found in other toolholding systems.
As opposed to other toolholding systems such as those that use heat or hydraulics, the REGO-FIX powRgripâ (PG) toolholding system is mechanical and backed by a 5-year/20,000-cycle warranty. It is comprised of the PG collet, toolholder and manual or automatic clamping unit, and it strikes the optimal balance of longevity, performance and ease of use.
The PG toolholding system allows shops to reduce tooling inventory with one system for all types of tool shanks and materials in h6 tolerance and sizes from 0.0079² to 1.0² (0.2 mm to 24.4 mm). The recently released PG48 tool holder accommodates cutters up to 40 mm (1.500”) in diameter and ensures total indicated runout (T.I.R.) of under 3 microns (0.0001”) for tool lengths up to 3 x diameter. This latest addition to the PG line is specifically designed for large diameter tools in aggressive machining applications.
With PG, total indicated runout (TIR) is less than 3 mm, and the interrupted surfaces at the toolholder-to-collet and collet-to-toolholder interfaces provide excellent vibration damping for high accuracy and security.
In less than 10 seconds and with the simple touch of a button, the automatic hydraulic clamping unit clamps the PG collet into the toolholder with a force of up to 9 tons, creating the safest, strongest and most accurate toolholder in the industry with higher clamping forces than shrink-fit systems. Furthermore, the tool is ready to use as soon as it comes out of the clamping unit without operator safety issues and added time for cooling.
At the end of the day, you need to get parts off the machine and out the door as fast as possible. If you don’t, the competition will. Maximizing your tools’ potential and using them to full capacity with the PG toolholding system is the way to stay ahead of the competition.
If you’re not familiar with the REGO-FIX PG toolholding system, click here to learn more. Better yet, you can try PG in a free trial. Follow this link to apply for your exclusive powRgrip test and trial to discover the industry’s most cost-effective and long-lasting toolholding systems that will help you get the most from your tools. Standard test and trials generally run three to four weeks and do not obligate you to any purchase. With REGO-FIX, you can always try before you buy.