Exchangeable, modular and replaceable describe tooling solutions

By Bhalchandra Chorghade, Editor, CNCTimes.com

Cutting tools have evolved from a brazed tool to a mechanically clamped indexable tool and now a replaceable tool. Tungaloy is at the forefront of evaluating new concepts and ideas for more productive tools and developing these solutions for overall improvements for our customers. Through this article, we share Tungaloy’s unique exchangeable head solutions for milling, drilling and reaming operations.

The modular concept is not new. In fact, childhood games such as the jigsaw puzzle follows this concept to bring a preconceived idea into a shape.

And, building blocks are actually an exchangeable block type toy which began an engineering aptitude for many. Tungaloy’s exchangeable head tooling solutions are an adaptation of this idea and helps in building multiple useful tool assemblies. With just about 50 odd blocks, we created hundreds of logical shapes. We built cars, trucks, buses – Automotive, we built aeroplanes and other flying objects – Aerospace, Trains – Railway, houses, bridges – Infrastructure, simple machineries – Equipment’s and general engineering

Tungaloy has emerged as a leading metal cutting solution provider, with exchangeable head tools, for building stronger Automotive, Aerospace, Equipment and general engineering, infrastructure and railway industries.

What makes exchangeable head or modular head tool a better option to our customers?

An exchangeable head tool is designed as a cutting head and a holder with precise connection between the two. This offers multiple advantage to customers.

Flexibility: The tool body is made from high-quality steel, which is more flexible compared to solid carbide. Hence, it can be used at optimum parameters, even under adverse conditions and unusual application such as uneven entry & exits or not so rigid fixture setup. A solid carbide tool would tend to chip or break in adverse conditions or when applied at high productive parameters.

Reduced non-productive time: An exchangeable head equals ease of indexing. With a conventional end mill, reamer or drill the tool must be taken out of the machine, be replaced with a reground or new tool, and then put it back in the machine. This process adds to a lot of non-productive time or simply put – wasted time. With an exchangeable head tool, it is indexed right on the machine saving time thus increasing productivity.

Best R.O.I: Cost of a solid carbide tool is very expensive compared to an exchangeable head solid carbide tool. Every single recondition of the tool costs about 1/10th of the original tool cost but does not guarantee original tool performance. In addition, it also requires time consuming overhang setup. Head exchangeable tools are not regrindable and have a constant overhang. Hence, exchangeable head tools, offer the best ROI.

Excellent process control: With no regrinding and no frequent offset input, exchangeable head tools offer excellent process control as it uses a fresh cutting edge every time. Due to the manual intervention of a reground tool, there is always possibility of error.

Lower inventory: When using Solid carbide tools, customer must keep a minimum of 3-4 tools to run the production cycle, without the risk of running out of tools. With exchangeable head tools, a minimum inventory of heads is required.

Tungaloy takes care of safety stock for customer thus lowering the customer’s expenses.

One exchangeable head can be used on drill bodies of different length, with Tungaloy’s DrillMeister

Build tools to need: Just like building blocks, we can create a tool assembly in the required diameter and length with modular tooling systems well within the principles of tool design.

TungModular blade system enables customer to build different tool assemblies for different grooving applications – shallow grooving, deep grooving, face grooving, groove turn system etc.

The first row of Tungaloy’s deep shoulder mill (TungTri TLA) is an exchangeable ring which enables customers to build longer tool assemblies based on their requirement.

https://tungaloy.com/whats-new/blogs_exchangeable_head_tooling_solutions/

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