Modern, high-performance materials make road vehicles safer, aircraft lighter and engines more efficient. Machining materials such as high-strength steels, alloys of aluminum, magnesium and or titanium, plastics and composite materials nevertheless places the highest possible demands on the tool technology.

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When it comes to maintaining competitiveness, businesses attach great importance to staff training. In any event, that was one of the main findings of a recent survey by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). The LMT Academy is therefore expanding its programme to include regular Web seminars over the Internet. The sixth such event is taking place in January.
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Lightweight construction using high-tensile steels, aluminium and carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics is a subject that has been occupying car industry development departments for years and will become even more important in the future. According to a new McKinsey study, the proportion of these materials in vehicles is set to increase from 30% today to up to 70% in 2030.
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How high is renewable energies’ share of total electricity production in the world’s larger economies? In Germany, for example, according to the German Wind Energy Association, the figure was already 19.9% in 2011. Wind energy’s share of the electricity mix amounted to 7.6%. The LMT Group is also involved in the production of wind turbines.
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The LMT Group Academy is starting the new year with a wide-ranging programme – the sixth Web seminar is being held before the end of this month and local technology seminars will begin in March. We spoke with academy director Dr. Diethard Thomas to find out why the programme is so important for users.
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The production of dies and moulds from high-tensile steel is one of the most demanding machining tasks. Cutting tools are subjected to maximum loads during 5-axis operations. As a result, the industry is constantly seeking to develop innovations that increase productivity. The latest example in this sector is the Nanomold Gold indexable insert coating developed by LMT Kieninger.
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The situation on financial markets has long also been a major instability factor for the German car industry. Nevertheless, according to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the sector expects “a car year with potential” in 2012 – “if the financial markets regain confidence”. The industry is even expected to slightly better the record year of 2011.
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We can expect new materials and a plethora of applications so that overall the market for fibre-reinforced plastics will become increasingly complex. That, at least, is the conclusion of the 2011 composites market report of the Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) in Germany. Yet this development is also a reflection of the success of modern composite materials in many industries.
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The series of recordings of EMO Internet presentations is now complete. The videos on the subjects of “Threadrolling”, “Turning and Milling” and “Tapping” are now available. You now have another opportunity to see the spectacular demonstrations from various production centres. The main issue here is always: How can we further improve the productivity of existing production processes?
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The development of precision tools is now practically inconceivable without coatings. What are the advantages for users? Where is this development heading? We asked Dr. Marcus Morstein, head of Research & Development at Swiss coating experts PLATIT AG, for his views.
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LMT Fette is presenting the world’s first coating for thread rollers. The new Protec Power coating enables an additional performance boost for non-cutting thread production. Tool life can be prolonged by up to 30%.
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Unique designs, high-quality materials and faultless finishing are important factors not only in car manufacturing, but also in many other industrial sectors. A good example is the production of eyewear by the innovative ic! Berlin company. As a specialist in the machining of plastics, LMT Belin is able to contribute special expertise in this field.
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Faster, more efficient, more flexible – increasing demands are being made when it comes to the machining of modern production materials. At EMO 2011 the companies of the LMT Group demonstrated numerous ways of raising the productivity of existing production processes. The fair review looks back at six successfull fair days.
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Composite materials like CFRP are on the threshold of being used in mass production – for example, in the car industry. EMO visitors were able to discover how the necessary automated CFRP finishing is carried out in a robot milling cell during a live broadcast over the Internet – direct from the Technical Centre of our partner KraussMaffei. Did you miss it? The recording of this spectacular demonstration is now available for you to watch.
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At EMO 2011 the LMT Group presented three new products for the mould and die making sector. You can see for yourself how the new Nanomold Gold coating for indexable inserts and the new SuperFinish geometry boost performance: recordings of the live broadcasts from the LMT Technology and Innovation Centre are now available.
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One of the largest problems when machining with WPR-type ball nose copy inserts is the different cutting speeds at the centre and the periphery of the insert. LMT Kieninger, the die and mould making specialists within the LMT Group, have developed a new kind of coating structure that promises substantial performance increases: Nanomold Gold combines individually adjustable layers and layer thicknesses.

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How about a combination of extremely high cutting speeds and extremely low wear and tear? The new TeraSpeed coating for LMT indexable inserts does just that, allowing users to benefit from record cutting speeds and tool life in the machining of cast materials. This innovation offers a dramatic increase in cost-effectiveness as a result of a major breakthrough in coating technology. LMT TeraSpeed is the world’s first AlTiN coating to be deposited using a CVD process. The inserts will become available in July.

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Fast processes, high-precision threads, perfect surfaces – the advantages of thread-forming with LMT Fette rolling systems are overwhelming. But what are you supposed to do when there isn’t enough room available around an external thread? LMT Fette is offering the perfect solution for this threading tasks in the shape of the new RC 4014 axial rolling head.

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