a magazine from seco #1.2014

Blazing the energy trail together, one blade at a time

T h e b e s T i s y e T T o c o m e m o u l d e d T o p e r f e c T i o n b r e a k i n g T h e b o T T l e n e c k

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EdgE is a customer magazine from Seco Tools published in 25 languages worldwide. Seco Tools AB Marketing Department, 737 82 Fagersta, Sweden. Phone +46 223-400 00 Fax +46 223-718 60 Internet www.secotools.com Publisher Hans Hellgren E-mail hans.hellgren@secotools.com Managing

editor Jennifer Gauffin E-mail jennifer.gauffin@secotools.com Editorial production and layout Appelberg Publishing Group Project manager Anders Nordner Editor Jean-Paul Small Art directors Cecilia Farkas, Caroline Castoriano Gade, Johan Nohr Print Elanders Coverphoto Siemens

Editorial material in this publication is the copyright of the publisher, Seco Tools AB. Articles may be reproduced free of charge providing reference is made to Edge and the Managing Editor is notified. The trademarks and brand names used in this publication are protected by law.

Jetstream tooling® defeats the heat Removing heat from the cutting zone is one of the most important considerations affecting cutting tool per-formance. Seco Jetstream Tooling® removes heat quickly and efficiently, cooling precisely where it is required. Now two new features – lever clamping and duo outlets – are improving the task even further.

From pins to leversA new lever clamping design will replace pin-clamping systems for negative inserts, offering many advantages:

• Better stability of insert in the pocket• Easier handling when changing the insert • Requires only one hex key for both inducer

and insert

On the doubleA second coolant outlet has been added to the product, enabling jets of coolant to ‘impinge’ on both the top and underside of the cutting edge. With Seco Jetstream Tooling® Duo’s two coolant jets, both rake and clear-ance faces are cooled efficiently and tool life, chip control and surface finish are enhanced.

c o n t e n t s e d i t o r i a l #1.2014

Hans Hellgren

senior vice president,

sales and marketing

edge@secotools.com

APPlICATIOn: MIllIngHaas Automation operates at ever-higher degrees of ef-ficiency thanks to standard and customised solutions.

OuTlOOk: POwER TRAnSMISSIOnLuca Casagrande outlines five trends driving the power transmission industry.

MATERIAlS: PlASTICPrecision is vital for injection moulding specialists Precical in its pursuit of producing perfect products.

On ThE jOB: ROMICA CIOCAnGevalco Industrial’s head of acquisitions invests in high-end products from Seco Tools for milling.

InduSTRy: POwER gEnERATIOnCzech steam turbine manufacturer Doosan Škoda Power relies on its strategic partnership with Seco.

InSIghT: PATRICk dE vOS Our technical expert provides the best conditions for maximising the metal cutting process.

SuSTAInABIlITy: wATER TREATMEnT Seco’s new water recycling plant provides 66% of its water needs in Pune, India.

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Seco’s global presence in this issue

Don’t forget, you can read Edge on your iPad!secotools.com/edgeipad

With almost four decades of dedicated service, Shirley Dainty is the embodiment of Seco Tools’ values.

EvERyOnE wAnTS to be on top, but only a special few can maintain that position over a long period of time. For Seco Tools, that means getting to know our clients and the industries they serve. We have a vast array of products and services to do just that.

Sometimes, however, that’s just not enough. Occasionally, we need to work with our clients to come up with specialised solutions to help them maximise cost and production efficiency. In this issue of Edge magazine, the first for 2014, we see how Haas Automation has predictably increased production with a customised finishing tool from Seco. You can also read about Czech steam-turbine producer Doosan Škoda Power’s more than two-decade relationship with us. They’re extremely happy with both our standard products and the successful customised fir tree technology we provide for their machining needs. But don’t take my word for it; our offerings won us their Excellent Supplier award for 2012.

Speaking of customer dedication over long periods of time, we are also very proud to profile Shirley Dainty of Seco Tools UK, who has spent almost 40 years with us. Her commitment to operational excellence and customer satisfaction is the very embodi-ment of what we preach at Seco.

As always we’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to share your comments or ideas with us via the email address below.

In It for the long haul

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the best

Is yet

to come

helped by customised and standard solutions from seco tools, world- renowned machine tool builder haas

automation is looking to build on a record year.

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haas automation’s Director of Machine Shop Operations, Wayne Reilly, spreads his arms wide to indicate the scope of his company’s vast factory floor, noting that even someone with perfect vision couldn’t see where it begins and ends. “This,” he says, “is only building number one.”

The first of four structures, building number one houses the many spindles, robots, stor-

Square 6’s versatility and performance helped Seco win the Haas bid.

text: Eric volkman pHoto: Scott witter

age units, and other sundry work stations the company operates. These are used to produce the wide variety of machine tools it crafts for custom-ers around the world. All told, the four buildings cover 93,000 square metres of space in Oxnard, California, less than 100 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles.

The huge size and scope are needed because

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Haas Automation is the largest machine tool builder in the Western Hemisphere. It produces a dizzying range of CNC vertical and horizon-tal machining centres, lathes, turning centres, rotary tables and indexers, among other offer-ings. With so many products, it’s crucial for the company to manufacture its goods as efficiently as possible

That’s where Seco Tools comes in. The two firms have had a long and mutually prosperous relationship stretching back many years; at the moment, the collaboration is so close that Seco has one full-time and one-part time representa-tive on-site at the Oxnard headquarters.

“We started in 2004 and gained some business but [we were] certainly not the largest vendor (by sales dollars) in the facility,” says Seco Tool’s Western Regional Manager, Grant Holford. “The beginning of 2009 started with Haas wanting to update processes, a bid was sent out and Seco won based on the performance of the Square 6,” one of the company’s signature milling cutter lines still in wide use at Haas Automation.

hOlFORd And hIS FEllOw representatives come up with both customised and standard solutions to help Haas Automation operate at ever-higher degrees of efficiency. And they need to be at the top of their game at all times because, Reilly says, “they never know what crazy thing I’ll come up with next” to improve one of his company’s manufacturing processes.

“Seco has put a lot into making us successful,” says Reilly.

Holford cites a specialised product the two companies conceived together as an example of custom work. “The Seco/Haas team developed a finishing tool for linear guides utilising a special CBN insert and cutter bodies,” he says. “These tools are designed specifically for the needs and requirements of the facility; the result was in-creased production with a predictable process.”

One of the more prominent standard Seco sol -utions at Oxnard is the aforementioned Square 6 line of milling cutters. Before using Square 6s, the company used traditional two-edged inserts in its square shoulder milling processes. These got the job done, but the cost per edge was high with only the two cutting edges.

On the other hand a Square 6, which boasts a three-edge-per-side geometry, makes quick work of crafting the desired part. As such, it signifi-

“s e c o h a s p u t a l o t i n t o m a k i n g u s

s u c c e s s f u l”HAAS AUTOMATIONFounded: 1983 by Gene HaasEmployees: Roughly 1,100headquarters: Oxnard, California. Overseas branches in Zaventem, Belgium; Shanghai, China; and Navi Mumbai, India.Production facilities: A four-building facility in Oxnard measuring 93,000 square metres.Products: Exhaustive range of machine tools, chiefly computer numerically controlled (CNC) vertical and horizontal machining centres. The company also manufactures lathes, rotaries, indexers and related products.

wayne Reilly, director of Machine Shop Operations at haas Automation.

cantly reduces the resources expended in the manufacturing process. Not only that, but thanks to its configuration, Square 6 consumes less horsepower and lasts longer in the cut.

It also provides a range of options, giving Haas the ability to make a variety of milling tools. Square 6 is available in three different pitches (specifically coarse, normal, and close), and a trio of insert geometries, namely ME for stainless steel, M for steel and cast iron, and MD for harder materials and/or higher cutting speeds.

REIlly SAyS ThAT although Square 6 might cost marginally more in terms of initial investment, it quickly becomes cheaper on a per-part basis. For Haas Automation, a high-volume manufacturer, the combination of Square 6’s speed and ef-ficiency allows it to make more machine tools at a higher rate of production while retaining the top level of quality for which the company is known.

Such improvements are critical for Haas Auto-mation. Products like the Square 6 have helped enormously to streamline operations, thus boost-ing its overall business; 2012 was the best year in the firm’s 30-year history, with revenues coming in at over 967 million US dollars. This was an

Versatile cutter that can be used for general applications in cast iron, steel, and stainless steel over a wide range of industries. Ideal for both roughing and finishing

16 cutting edges and positive insert geometry Three different pitches: Normal, Normal+, and Close

Inserts are positioned in the pockets by HSS pins, so indexing is easy and secure

Coated, pre-hardened body ensures long tool life. Inserts feature Duratomic coating, which brings a harder and tougher atomic structure to the insert and dramatically reduces insert wear.

Fixed pockets equal fewer spare parts and, consequently, reduce tool cost

r220.48 – double octomill face milling cutter

Used for various types of operations, including slotting and plunging, as well as face and square shoulder milling

Precision machined to ensure a true 90 degree angle

Cutter bodies are comprised of hardened steel and coated with nickel

Available in three geometries, and three pitches

Three cutting edges, symmetrically arranged on the top and bottom of the unit

Inserts are designed to reduce runout and noise.

the square 6 range

the Square 6 milling cutter is precision machined to ensure a true 90 degree angle.

haas has an extensive range of machine tools, specifically CnC vertical and horizontal machining centres.

increase of 11.5 percent over the previous year.Reilly says: “We use four basic measurements

of our business: products built, booked, shipped and invoiced. For each of these we exceeded 13,000 in 2012.”

Seco was a key part of that effort, and it will continue to be so going forward.

“Haas is constantly looking for process improvements,” Holford says. “As we finish one project, another begins.”

So far this year, in terms of orders taken, Haas Automation is 3 per cent ahead of its 2012 results. Yet the company is far from content to rest on that success. “We are never done,” says Reilly of Haas’ endless drive for innovation. “A lot of shops are satisfied with ‘good enough’, but not us.”

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3. preserving profitability due to the recent slowdown of global eco-

nomic growth , companies are forced to use every means at their disposal to cut costs everywhere – from raw materials to finished products. Margins for manufacturers are thus dramatically lowered. Though the power transmission industry is gener-ally conservative and recession proof, modern and more efficient machines and tools can help to increase competitiveness and preserve profitability.

2. process quality and repeatability To face the high competitiveness

of emerging markets, the repeatability and quality of processes are increasingly the most important aspects of manufacturing for the majority of indus-tries, particularly in aerospace. In this industry, manufacturing processes must be certified by international civil aviation authorities for safety rea-sons. Other industries are also following this trend. As a result of this attention to continuously guaran-teed quality, most competitive power transmission suppliers will tend to be more reliable, providing a better service to the gear end users.

4. higher manufacturing risks Raw materials, machines and

tools are becoming more expensive, while processes are now more com-plex, diverse and shorter than ever. Sophisticated equipment and the often costly workpieces can be easily dam-aged in the haste of the process. To partially reduce these risks, skilled and costly trained personnel are needed.Business sustainability, with wiser and more attentive strategies, will require increased vigilance. In the recent past some mistakes might have been allowed, but today and in the future one false move could mean bankruptcy.

5. from high-speed steel to carbide In this business a lot of companies

still use old machines. To meet the mar-ket requirements, some firms upgrade their machines by either refitting the old ones or purchasing new ones. On the other hand, traditional high-speed steel (HSS) tools seem more convenient as they are apparently cheaper, but they don’t provide prompt lead times. While for small batches they are still a good solution, a common mistake is to keep using them for all applications. The use of indexable car-bide tools with the appropriate insert grade in several cases provides not only higher productivity but also reac-tivity, flexibility and shorter lead times, satisfying the neurotic market.

e n d st r

1. unpredictable market demands Today the power transmission market

is getting more and more impatient. It expects instant responses to its huge and often unpre-dictable demands. Therefore production plan-ning has to be extremely flexible as it’s getting harder and harder to meet the requests. Reactivity is crucial and a dedicated team has become fundamental to meet the customers’ needs, and whims too.

Production and Sales Manager Luca casagrande at casagrande Ingranaggi s.p.A in Milan, Italy, took some time to talk to edge about the power transmission industry, how it is directly connected to most industrial segments and the trends that will affect its future.

IN THE POWER TRANSMISSION INDUSTRY

10%5i lluStration:

Istockphoto & Caroline gade

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making high-end moulds is anexacting task that requires precise and

reliable machining tools.text: jan Tazelaar pHoto: Svante Örnberg

m o u l d e d t op e r f e c t i o n

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Precical makes high-end moulds for the aerospace, power generation, foodpackaging and medical technology industries using solid carbide and insert tools.

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yOu PROBABly dOn’T even need to move your head to see a plastic artefact, whether it’s a pen, cup, light switch or keyboard. Every day and everywhere we are surrounded by hundreds, maybe thousands of plastic objects and virtually all of them are created the same way: by plastic injection moulding.

In short, injection moulding is a process by which plastic granules are heated and then injected under high pressure into a mould cavity, where they cool and harden to the cavity’s configuration. After the part has solidified, the mould opens ejecting the moulded part.

This exacting work is done by dedicated compa-

Precision is vital whenmachining moulds becausethe more precise it is, the

longer it can produceperfect components.

Precical

nies such as Precical, which is located in the town of Hermalle-sous-Argenteau in Belgium. The company is run by the son of the founder, and specialises in the conception and realisation of high precision moulds for plastic, aluminium and magnesium injection.In addition, Precical manufactures mechanical parts, extrusion dies and special machines, amongst other endeavours. “We realise products from A to Z; from engineering to end product injection,” says Eric Troupin, Precical Director.

Soon after Precical set up its metal stamping workshop in 1975, operations expanded into mould making, which required a whole range of machining tools. “There was only one manufacturer of conical HSS tools at the time: Jabro, a Dutch company, and it became Precical’s main supplier back in the late seventies,” says Lahoucine Akechtabou, Product Specialist for Seco solid tools.

When Jabro switched to manufacturing solid carbide tools, Precical was eager to take advantage of this breakthrough, which tripled cutting speeds. Another significant step occured when Seco became Precical’s supplier of inserts. In 2002 Seco acquired the Jabro brand, and ever since the matter of tooling has become a one-stop-shopping affair for Precical.

“We have tried others,” says Christophe Cagnina, Technical Engineer at Precical. “But time and again, Seco gives us the best value for our money.”

leT your eyes wander for a momenT.

Founded in 1975, Precical specialises in the concep-tion and realisation of high precision injection moulds for industrial purposes. The state-of-the-art company offers personalised production processes thanks to its integrated conception and design department. Moreover, Precical collaborates with applied research centres and with raw material producers who specialise in plasturgy.

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Today Precical manufactures products used in a variety of industries including medical, pharmaceu-tical, electronics, electricity, automotive, aerospace, defence, packaging and food, to name a few. While these industries may seem diverse and dissimilar, they have one thing in common: each one uses prod-ucts that require high precision moulds.

Thanks to Seco, Precical also succeeded in imple-menting high speed machining (HSM) technologies at its facility, allowing the company to machine hard materials with smaller cutting tools that have longer lifetimes. “Earlier, machining 45-47 HRC hardened

Precical uses Seco inserts andsolid end mills for its moulds. Mould making requires exceptional precision because the

polymer components to be moulded are supposedto be 100 percent ready and shouldn’t require any

additional machining. Any flaw would be copied maybemillions of times, which is the kind of multiplier that needs

to be avoided at all cost. The Jabro solid end mills from the Tornado, HPM and Mini programmeslive up to that requirement. The Tornado rangehas been specifically designed for mould and

die making, and helps to keep Precicalat the forefront of mould making.

flawless

steels was a challenge,” says Troupin. “Nowadays, it is normal to machine steels with hardness between 54 and 64 HRC, thanks to the technology evolution and services of Seco.”

Troupin feels it is this commitment to technology that sets his company apart from its competitors: “In this business, it is difficult to compete against emer-ging countries on pricing matters. Service, quality, proximity, engineering and know-how make the dif-ference. So, in all our activities, we are investing in the best technology, tools and cutting tools required for the satisfaction of demanding customers.”

Precical and Secohave had a long-term relationship centredon innovative ideas

and products.

“when i joined Gevalco Industrial in 1999, I was the seventh employee in a staff of seven – manager included – in what was then a five-year-old company.

Since there were so few us, we all did many things. After a 15-year-long career as a rectifier on CNC lathes, I went back to drilling. I subse-quently moved into quality control, and finally took over in the acquisitions department in 2007.

Seco Tools was a brand we were well aware of at the time. The first CNC lathe we bought from Switzerland came equipped with Seco tools. We enjoyed working with these tools, but when the supply that came with the lathe required replacing, we did not consider Seco because we were small and still finding our way financially.

However, after Gevalco partnered in 2003 with the French owned SOFOP, we were encour-aged to think big and spend more. The money we spent on high-end products has since paid off.

This is why we changed both our view and our

Quality investment

o n t h e j o B

Romica Ciocan knows that purchasing high-end tools pays off in the long run.

Seco Tools has been a provider to Gevalco Industrial since 2007. Its tools are used in about 40% of Gevalco’s milling operations which produces parts for the aeronautics industry. While Seco EPB are the only tools Gevalco uses for the boring applications, 70% of the operations performed at Gevalco have to do with milling. Boring and drilling come second and third in work volume.

pHoto: Serban Mestecaneanu

acquisitions strategy, and now purchase the best for our supplies of tools, which includes Seco.

Seco is by no means our only supplier, but it’s one of our most important ones. Together, we do not encounter problems; rather, with the mindset of the people at both Seco and Gevalco, we face new challenges to solve jointly.

Supplier to the aeronautics industry

“ The money we spent on high-end products has since paid off.”

Romica CiocanAge: 50Occupation: Head of AcquisitionsEmpolyer: Gevalco Industrial location: Branesti, on the outskirts of Bucha-rest, RomaniaFamily: Married with

two childrenhobbies: Reading travel books and map-ping imaginary travels around the worldEducation: High-school and several training courses, some of them provided by Seco Tools.

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i n d u s t r y : p o w e r g e n e r at I o n

tailor-made

partnershIp

Custom-made cutter For roughing fir tree style blade roots

Equipped with standard and special indexable inserts

www.SECOTOOlS.COM//TuRBInE-TOOlIng

ludek votava and his team at dŠP depend on customised solutions.

for more than a century Doosan Škoda Power (DŠP) in the Czech Republic has manufactured steam tur-bines. Since 1904 the company’s prod-ucts have been used in power generation facilities around the world; from the Temelín nuclear power plant in its home country to combined cycle power plants throughout Europe, China, India and South America. Business is booming for the Pilsen-based company, which plans to expand its current Czech workforce from 1260 to 1,700 by 2017 as it aims to double orders for new steam turbines and retrofits.

text: Brian kenety pHotoS: vladimir weiss

Czech power equipment manufacturer Doosan Škoda Power needs, and gets, customised solutions to machine its turbine blades.

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ability, on-time delivery, flexibility and techni-cal support,” says Votava. “Seco has regularly been among the top 20. Together we’ve created a Design-to-Cost team with one goal: to reduce cutting time and boost productivity. Seco doesn’t wait for our demands – they come up with solu-tions.”

OvER ThE PAST TwO dECAdES Seco has pro-vided DŠP with customised fir tree technology for machining steam turbine blade roots. The Seco application at DŠP has three special tools: one for roughing by a conical cutter equipped with standard indexable inserts; a customised cutter with standard and specialised inserts for roughing the fir tree profile; and a JARBO solid carbide cutter for finishing the root profile. The strategy has reduced DŠP’s tooling costs, along with its cutting and production time.

“In the past 20 years, there’ve been major political changes [in the Czech Republic] and of course in technology worldwide,” says Jaroslav

In order to meet these goals, DŠP relies on strategic partnerships with suppliers. Seco Tools – decreed the inaugural Excellent Supplier in 2012 at DŠP’s first Supplier Day – has been a key partner since 1993, says Ludek Votava, DŠP Director of Procurement & Sourcing.

“We continually evaluate our more than 700 suppliers based on criteria such as quality, reli-

i n d u s t r y p o w e r g e n e r at I o n

Customised fir tree technology is essential for machining steam turbine blade roots.

“ I don’t remember when we ever had a problem with a new special tool.” Jaroslav Milsimer DŠP Director Turbines Department

Doosan Škoda Power Doosan Škoda Power has specialised in steam turbines for producing

power since 1904. Across its entire range, from the ŠKODA MTD10 to the ŠKODA MTD80, the company uses a flexible, modular construction system readily adapted to meet customers’ needs, be it for a combined cycle and steam-tail application, a modern coal power plant with stringent emissions, or a nuclear power plant. Its modernisation and refit projects worldwide total a 55 GW of installed capacity, including for third party products. Since 2010, DŠP has focused on construction, design and production activities through the global network of parent company Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction.

Milsimer, DŠP Director Turbines Department. “We had to change our business model to keep up with technological demands, and keep prices low to remain competitive.”

The initial set of customised tools used to ma-chine DŠP’s first blades made from titanium – for fir tree connections – has internal coolant supply channels with exits along the machined profile. Seco and DŠP are also co-operating to improve ‘fork-style’ blade roots, machined by a set of spe-cialised disc mills, with the aim of making slots in a single pass.

As for drilling holes for coupling fork-style rooted blades into stator guide wheels, Seco has customised its standard Feedmax SD265A solid carbide drill line for DŠP to reach targeted tech-nical parameters in just one pass. This can pose a challenge as the holes, drilled through two different materials, must be produced in tight tolerance H6. The application replaces a previ-ous one that used two different tools – a drill for opening the hole and a reamer for finishing it. By

Component: turbine blade root material: 1.4938 + Qt operation deSCription: finishing of fir tree profile maChining objeCtive: reduce production cost and increase reliability of the applica-tion maChine tool: mazak fh 10800 maChining data: Spec solid carbide fir tree cutter n = 650 / rpm vf = 350 mm /min ap = 85 mm (profile length) ae = 0.2 mm (allowance along the profile)

Component: Stator wheel material: Smg3 operation deSCription: plunge boring with special Stead-yline holder maChining objeCtive: reduce production cost and increase reliability of the applica-tionmachine tool: horizontal machin-ing centre fUQ 150 (toS Kurim) machining data: Spec boring head diameter 40 mm n = 1100 / rpmvf = 230 mm /min side step = 2.5 mmoverhang 550 mm

Component: turbine blade root material: 1.4938 + Qt operation deSCription: roughing of fir tree profile maChining objeCtive: reduce production cost and increase reliability of the applica-tion maChine tool: mazak fh 10800 maChining data: Spec fir tree cutter with spec. indexable inserts n = 500 / rpm vf = 350 mm /min ap = 85 mm (profile length) ae = 2-14 mm (profile depth)

CuTTIng dATA FOR TuRBInE BlAdES

Seco’s tools helped cut production costs at dŠP by 60%.

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supplier’s day awards On 2 May 2013, Doosan Škoda Power held its inaugural Supplier’s Day, during which they handed out the Excellent Supplier 2012 award to Seco Tools. The award is based on a variety of criteria including the following: favourable pricing, flawless delivery, broad technical support in the implementation and use of tools, quality, reliability and flexibility.

implementing a single tool, Seco cut the applica-tion’s production costs by 60 per cent.

“Since 2003 we’ve expanded our co-operation with Seco, modifying the tools for a variety of applications – complete fir tree technology, sta-tor blade mounted into guide wheels, drilling holes for coupling pins for the mounting of rotor blades, to name a few,” says Milsimer, adding, “I don’t remember when we ever had a problem with a new special tool.”

Apart from customised tools, DŠP uses hun-dreds of Seco Tools’ standard products, including the Minimaster system to peel mill aerofoils; a

range of turbo cutters for high-precision applica-tions and challenging machine setups; slotting with disc mill cutters and SNHQ inserts for higher metal removal rates under stable machin-ing conditions, and LNKT inserts under unstable conditions; and tools for finishing/plunging via its Steadyline of vibration damping shell mill holders, which improve surface finish and tool/spindle life, and the dynamic rigidity of milling assemblies.

“We need Seco for every project because every steam turbine has blades and every project has diaphragms,” Milsimer says.

dŠP director Turbines department jaro-

slav Milsimer uses hundreds of standard

products along with customised tools.

Custom-built disc milling cutters get the job done in one pass.

i n s i g h t p r o d u c t I o n e c o n o m y

lEARn MORE in seco’s sTeP education programmes — www.secotools.se/step

PATrIck de Vos, corporate Technical education Manager at seco Tools Group, muses on potential bottlenecks in metal cutting processes and offers a systematic approach for solving some of them, enabling successful production.

Breaking the bottleneck

wITh SO MAny dIFFEREnT production processes in the manufacturing industry, potential problems can pop up everywhere. Take metal cutting, for example; there is seemingly no end to the tools available.

This raises some questions: Are all those tools real-ly needed? Are they used at the peak of their possible performance? In metal cutting processes there are always situations that require improvement. These are often seen as ‘bottlenecks’ blocking the ability of manufacturing companies to run an efficient and effective company.

Simplifying and correctly applying fewer ‘different’ cutting tools to achieve the final goal of an efficient production economy can often be a large part of the answer.

Production economy is a term used to describe all actions taken to optimise a metal cutting produc-tion process. Global production economy could be described as assuring maximum security in, and pre-dictability of the process, while maintaining highest productivity and lowest production costs. This definition leads to the correct scenario to achieve the final goal of every manufacturing process, namely

producing correct and finished workpieces with minimum effort, in the shortest total time possible and at the lowest cost possible.

Described below is a basic micro-economic optimisation strategy for opening some of these bot-tlenecks in metal cutting processes.

1. Select the best possible production environment or working conditions. Some selected equipment could create constraints later during the optimising process.

2. Decide on a 1 to 1 optimisation (non-productive times have already been minimised) or a more global approach (do not concentrate on machining costs and times only, but on total process costs and times).

3. Select the best possible tooling adapted to the situation and the target (versatile, safe, best performing, etc).

4. Select largest depth of cut possible for each operation; i.e., minimum number of passes (constraints due to avail-able machine power and torque and stability of work-piece fixturing and tool clamping)

5. Select highest feed possible for each operation (think on constraints for workpiece quality and risk for tool failure).

6. Calibrate depth of cut and feed for operational safety, in regards to chip formation and evacuation, vibrations, fix-ture security and stability, workpiece deformation

7. Select appropriate machining optimisation criterion (minimum cost or maximum productivity).

8. Use cutting speed to calibrate optimisation criterion.

This article gives a very brief description of pro-duction economy and offers a general optimisation strategy for metal cutting production processes.

Patrick de Vos, Patrick.de.Vos@secotools.com

economic cutting datam= Taylor’s constantTe = Tool life min costke = Tool costkL = Machine costCMT = Labour cost

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Te = ( -1)m

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p r o f i l e s h I r l e y d a I n t y

a passion for excellence

AS ThE lOngEST SERvIng employee at Seco Tools in the UK, Operational Manager Shirley Dainty is passionate about cus-tomer service, and believes that it should permeate every aspect of the organisation.

“Operational excellence is at the core of everything we do, as we try to meet and exceed cus-tomer expectations every day,” she says.

With almost 40 years in the company Shirley has worked alongside and, on occasion, had strong differences of opinion with five different managing directors. One of the things she has learned over the years is to have the cour-age of her convictions, and stand up and be counted for what she believes in; this is something she also wants to encourage in her colleagues.

“I like to challenge the status quo and look for both continuous improvements and ways to work smarter, ” she says. “That’s how much I care about the success and reputation of Seco Tools and the Seco family.”

Her journey at Seco Tools started on 11 February 1974, when she got her first job as a secretary to the Custom Tools Manager. After 10 years in this role it was a change in manager who thought “women should be kept barefoot and pregnant” that prompted Shirley to seek a new position. She was offered the chance to work in internal sales, and was appointed Sales Office Supervisor. It was there that her interest in operational excellence was awakened.

Shirley identified and then changed inefficient working

“ The customer is the focus of everything we do.” Shirley Dainty

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Position: Operations Manager and member of Executive Management Team based at Seco Tools in the UKCareer background: Started working at age15 for a small engineering company and joined Fagersta Bruk (later Seco Tools) in 1974. Having started as a Secretary/PA to the Custom Tools Manager, she spent 10 years in Custom Tools and then moved to the Internal Sales Depart-ment and was appointed Sales Office Supervisor. In 2004 she was appointed Logistics Manager, and in July 2013 she was hired to her present position as Operations Manager.Family: Partner Joe, a builder; sister Jane and brother-in-law James train racehorses; and her mother who is a wonderful role model and continues to inspire with her cour-age and optimism for life. Outside interests: Family, friends and love of animals, in particular, her pets: Hadidi, a 20-year-old retired racehorse, and Chase, a 15-year-old Persian/Ragdoll cat that was rescued. Shirley used to play competitive league hockey and tennis and still enjoys sport, but at a more leisurely pace. Most of all she enjoys laughter whilst sharing good food, good wine and the company of family and friends.

shirley dainty

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Shirley Dainty believes that Seco’s passion for customers, family spirit and personal commitment resonates most in the company’s logistical operations.text: Elaine McClarence pHotoS: Adrian gale

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improved career opportunities. “Customers soon came to ap-

preciate that their orders could be dealt with in a far more expedient manner,” she says.

Her dedicated approach to removing non-value-added pro-cesses, and her thirst for constant improvement are the keys to her continuing success.

“ThE CuSTOMER IS ThEfocus of everything we do,” says Shirley, who points out that everyone is part of the chain that serves the customer, so in a real sense each employee is part of the process. “Setting clearly defined goals for everyone that encour-ages them to take ownership is essential.” She believes that to be successful everyone should em-brace the company’s shared values.

Seco’s recent move to new premises in the UK has Shirley

practices to benefit Seco and its employees, while also positively influencing customer service. “In those days the men took the cus-tomer calls and ladies processed the orders,” Shirley remembers. “This was clearly not the best practice.”

She organised training for the ladies, giving them a basic ISO ed-ucation and use of the catalogues, equipping them with the skills to answer customers’ calls. This change in working practices led to greater employee motivation and engagement. It also created

Career Shirley Dainty became Operations Manager

in July 2013. Today she oversees a variety of teams, including customer services and reception, warehouse and facilities and custom tools. In short, Shirley and her team are responsible for the entire supply chain process, from initial enquiry to completion.

p r o f i l e s h I r l e y d a I n t y

excited as the location has been designed to increase collabora-tion between teams in the organi-sation, as well as offer customers a better visitor experience. “I believe this will be the blueprint for Seco Tools globally,” she says.

Shirley is as passionate today as she was when she joined Seco, and enjoys being involved in a range of global projects that give her the opportunity to share expertise and knowledge.

“For me it’s all about those that want to join you on the journey to success,” she says. “I truly believe that it’s the people at Seco that make our offering unique. I love to watch colleagues grow in confidence and achieve their full potential, and I believe a major part of my role is to help mentor others, regardless of their department; after all, we are all members of the Seco family.”

Shirley’s top three leadership tips: have courage Be passionate Stay focused

top tips

with almost four decades at Seco Tools in the uk, Shirley dainty loves looking for new ways to improve operations.

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text: R.F.Mamoowalai lluStration: Mitch Blunt

s u s ta i n a B i l i t y

hEn TwO COnSECuTIvE monsoons failed to occur resulting

in acute water shortages in the Western Indian city of Pune in 2012, the local Seco Tools facil-ity began looking for alternate sources of quality water. Seco Tool’s operations in Pune require 120 cubic metres of water every day. Ravindra Kohakade, Deputy General Manager, says 75 percent of the water is used in industrial processes, such as coating, sinter-ing, blackening and insert clean-ing. “This made us dependent on the government and private water suppliers,” Kohakade says. “But for our key industrial processes it is not advisable to depend on external resources.”

Seco’s answer was to set up a water recycling plant in Pune. The plant is Seco’s fourth in India and its biggest yet, and boasts a production capacity of 80 cubic metres a day. Beginning in 2013, it was built over six months at a cost of INR 4 million (EUR 47,000). Seco’s dependence on water suppliers has fallen by 70 per cent since the plant was finished.

“We save money on water, and our return of investment will only take 18 months,” he says.

The Pune facility has also installed solar panels, planted hundreds of trees and been active in water harvesting. As a mechanical engineer, Kohakade is passionate about such environmental initiatives and says Seco is a leader in sustainability ventures in the small and medium enterprise sector on the road between Pune and Nagar.

kEEn TO SEE such green initiatives replicated in other industries, he has voiced this at several meet-ings in a bid to share information and ideas on envi-ronmental awareness and sustainability with other industrial organisations. Apart from giving lectures in colleges, he recently shared details of Seco’s latest water recycling plant with members of the Deccan Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture. Kohakade says, “there was a lot of interest and

questions about our experience.” He says over the past five years

Seco has “invested a lot in water treatment and established various effluent recycling plants using different technologies.” The latest plant provides up to 40 cubic me-tres a day, while the other plants give 20 to 30 cubic metres.

Further green ventures are planned for a 2.5 hectare plot Seco acquired to expand its Indian operations. Initiatives include solar panels, water harvesting and water treatment plants.

v a l u e

Seco’s new water recycling plant can provide around 66% of its water needs in Pune, India.

“ Seco has invested a lot in water treatment.”

Ravindra Kohakade, Deputy General Manager, Seco India

W

in every dropSeco’s new water recycling plant in India drastically reduces its dependancy on water from external sources, and is another example of the company’s drive to be greener every day.

text Cari Simmons

Read more about Seco’s product offeringedgeupdate.com

24

unIversalexpansionThE SECO dISC MIllIng RAngE continues its expansion to meet all industries’ needs. 335.25 disc milling cutter is now released in a version adjustable in width from 26-32 millimetres with size 17 inserts. Cutters are available from diameter 160 to 315 mm with an optimised chip space and number of teeth to get a reliable machin-ing operation.

All the inserts feature four cutting edges, optimised free cutting geometries and a built-in wiper flat. Together with a complete range of grades and corner radii, this allows the disc cutter to meet all application needs with high productivity at the best cost.

335.25

335.18

335.19

i n B r i e f

a cut aBoveThe Double Octo High Feed R220.21-ON09, a series of high-feed cutters for face milling applications, is now available in metric sizes. These high-feed cutters are mainly used on large applications in steel or cast iron applications. The unique pocket design, together with the ground slots on the inserts, provides a very high-precision tool with excellent reliability and extended tool life. Using double Octo inserts (ON09) with 16 cutting edges offers a productive and economical solution in the same tool.

size mattersWith its insert mounted on the periphery side, the new Square T-04 cutter covers smaller dimensions for a bigger depth of cut. This is good news for customers who can expect increased productivity when machining. The new product ensures proper insert support with high precision of the pocket seat and an easily accessible centre lock screw. The Square T04-08 range, which covers dimensions from 16mm up to 63mm cutter bodies, is equipped with the LOEX08 insert with 8mm depth-of-cut capability.

hyper wiperThe W-MF4 is a new double-sided high feed wiper geometry for stainless steel machining. It is designed with an adapted wiper segment making it ideal for semi-roughing or improving surface finish. This new wiper geometry design has a minor impact on surface integrity and is comparable with a conventional in-sert without a wiper. This is particularly beneficial, especially when considering the W-MF4 provides longer tool life or increased productivity compared with a conventional geometry. The new wiper geometry will be available in Duratomic CVD-coated grades, TM2000 and TM4000 and in PVD-coated grade CP500.

good viBrationsThe new Steadyline vibration damping Combimaster holders feature Steadyline technology, a system that dampens the vibrations during machining for better stability, precision and balance, resulting in longer tool life and higher productivity. The new product is ideal for machining in complex conditions. It is available in two versions: the tapered K820 for increased rigidity, and the cylindrical K821 for optimum access to the workpiece.

tackling titanium Seco has launched new PVD coated milling grade that can machine all kinds of titanium alloy mater-ials. The new grade MS2050 is a combination of a new coating technique with substrate optimised for difficult conditions. The wear-resistant PVD coating is designed to avoid reaction with the work piece material, increasing cutting speeds and tool life resulting in a decreased cost per part. Seco Tools has also launched a new M06 geometry within the XOEX10 insert range to further improve machining performance in stainless steels and titanium alloy materials.

m6’s casting callSeco broadens its offerings in cast iron turning with the highly productive M6 chipbreaker in Duratomic grade TK2001. It provides tool life and reliability at high cutting parameters in roughing of ductile cast iron and other more challenging cast irons.

a l s o i n t h e t o o l b o x

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i n B r i e f

CROwnlOC PluS AddS TO ITS P geometry with two new geometries: M and L. Both geometries range from 12-19.9mm. The M geometry is designed to minimise heat generation thanks to a free cutting drill point and is optimised for stainless steels and high temperature alloys. The M geometry has a TiAlN coating with low friction TiN on the top to minimise the risk of getting built-up-edge and together with a 10% Micrograin substrate adding high cutting edge toughness, application security is provided. Crownloc Plus L geom-etry is designed to obtain maximum chip control in ductile long chipping steels, like carbon and low alloyed steels, thanks to the flat geometry with a 140 degree point in the centre. The L-geometry is suitable for demanding applications like angled exits due to the support of the double land margins that stabilise the drilling process at breakthrough and is also very suit-able for countersink operations for bolt heads. The diameter range covers the most common metric bolts sizes.

novel geometries

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give an inchThe Seco range of heavy machining toolholders is now available in imperial (1.25 x 1.25, 1.5 x1.5, 2 x 2 and 2.5 x 2.5 inches) as well as metric sizes, including right and left hand versions.

Two new geometries M and l offer added edge toughness and chip control, respectively.

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More cool grooves nEw AddITIOn OF X4 inserts for parting off and grooving for lock rings (FG) and radius grooves (R). Each insert has four edges rigidly fixed with a single screw that stays on the tool for a secure insert change. The screw can be fastened and released from top or underneath. The new addition comprises neutral inserts for lock rings (FG) with width from 1.15 to 2.65 mm and full radius inserts (R) with width from 1 to 3 mm with a cutting depth up to 6 mm. The toolholders are equipped with Jetstream Tooling Duo providing longer tool life and good chip control under low or high pressure.

playing it coolJeTsTreAM TooLInG now comes with a cool-ant inlet connected to the shank from the back in addition to inlets on the bottom of the shank. This eases the implementation of Jetstream Tooling toolholders in more machines, providing efficient chip control and high productivity. The alternative coolant inlet will be available on shank tool hold-ers for positive inserts (centre-lock) and negative inserts.

intuitive heads Seco has released the compact EPB 610 rough boring heads for rough boring applications. The compact design has a short body to maximise the rigidity of the boring assembly. The boring heads also

have reduced weight for faster tool changing and spindle acceleration. No training is required to master these easy-to-use and intuitive boring heads, which come in four sizes ranging from Ø39 to 115mm.

Blades of steel A new blade for parting-off in turning applications is now included in Seco’s Jetstream Tooling range. Designated 150.10 JET, the blade has two high-pressure nozzles directing the coolant straight to the

cutting zone, one jet from above and one from below. The combination of coolant, speed and pressure gives better cooling than flooding the tool, and it makes the chips shorter and evacuates them more efficiently.

The double-sided blade is made of rigid high-speed steel, and it comes in two different sizes with several widths. Designed for stainless steel and superalloys, the 150.10 JET blade gives longer tool-life or increased productivity, depending on the choice of cutting data.

stronger than everThe EPB 5835 Hydraulic Chuck is designed for extra strength with an increased outside diameter and shorter length for better rigidity. It is suitable for high performance cutting in rough milling applica-

tions where the main objective is to maximize the chip removal rate. The new chuck exceeds the limits of material removal rate and minimises vibrations during machining. Tools can be changed quickly with an Allen key.

a tough act to followSeco is launching the extremely tough PVD-coated CP600 grade for the positive insert (centre-lock) range. The bulk toughness in the carbide, combined with the sharp edges, secures difficult internal appli-

cations especially with demanding stainless steels, often found in the food and beverage industries. Challenging turning operations in narrow bores or in parts with heavy interruptions can now be done more safely by preventing machining stops from sudden tool failures.

02897518 ST20136413

SuggESTIOnS? do you use seco tools to make a compelling product? contact us at edge@secotools.com.

HAPPYNEW YEAR

FOR MORE ThAn A CEnTuRy, the time ball at One Times Square in New York City has helped Americans ring in the New Year. Every year at 23:59, millions of revellers watch, live and on televi-sion, as the ball descends 43 metres down a specially designed pole signifying the beginning of a new calendar year. The winches for the pole are manufactured by Seco customer Thern Inc.

SECO TOOlS uSEd:

h25tp2500tp0500

inserts for turningturbo milling cutter

tK2001 and tK1001indexable cutter bodies

Seco solid-carbide drillsSquare Shoulder cutters

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