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- Steeltec put through its paces in the “chip tunnel”
Steeltec put through its paces in the “chip tunnel”
The trend towards using increasingly stronger steels has been continuing for some years now in the auto industry and other sectors. Among other things, they enable designers to use less material and thereby develop lighter components. As a result, turning grades for the harder metal have to be much more wear-resistant for long periods of time. Against this background, Boehlerit’s new Steeltec LCP15T indexable insert has been designed for turning steel with a smooth, uninterrupted cut.
- Boehlerit’s new Steeltec LCP15T
Producing a component out of high-quality steel has a significant positive influence on its design. It is possible to considerably reduce the amount of material required because high-strength steels have more stable mechanical properties. On the other hand, however, the tools used have to be able to cope with the greater strains of the cutting process – otherwise tool life and ultimately process reliability will suffer.
Filmed with a high-speed camera
The efforts that tool specialists undertake in developing cutting materials and geometries are superbly illustrated by the example of LMT alliance partner Boehlerit. The experts in Kapfenberg, Austria, test new indexable inserts in a so-called “chip tunnel”. A high-speed camera is used to film chip breaking and flow, and subsequent analysis makes it possible to draw conclusions about the developed cutting geometry.
High speeds possible
Boehlerit’s new Steeltec LCP15T indexable insert has now also completed this enhancement process and been optimized for the turning of steel with a smooth, uninterrupted cut. A new, harder gradient carbide guarantees longer machining reliability, while a more wear-resistant MT-CVD carbide layer makes possible higher cutting speeds. The share of the TiCN layer has been increased. At the same time, Kappa Al2O3 (HV2350) has been replaced by more wear-resistant Alpha Al2O3 (HV2700) and the thickness of the layer increased by 25%.
Geometries for different applications
Not only the carbide and the coating of the indexable insert have been optimized, but also its geometry. This has resulted in a turning geometry for fine turning of steel with a smooth cut (FP = Fine ISO P), for fine and intermediate geometries (FMP = Fine Medium ISO P) and for medium machining of steel (MP = Medium ISO P). In addition, there are indexable inserts for light roughing of intermediate geometries (MRP = Medium Roughing ISO P) and for heavy-duty roughing (RP = Roughing ISO P) as well as the BC/BCU (Boehlerit Copy Universal) for copy turning with good chip breaking for steel and superalloys.
