KOMET® GROUP revolutionizes cutting tools with metal 3D printing technology

KOMET® GROUP is using Renishaw's metal additive manufacturing technology to produce an innovative range of cutting tools. The use of additive manufacturing technology not only speeds up the production of special tools, but also creates more complex shapes, including the outer shape of the tool and the internal cooling water channel.
background
Germany's KOMET GROUP is one of the world's leading suppliers of precision cutting tools and has been providing innovative products for the processing industry for nearly a hundred years. Headquartered in the town of Besigheim, the group currently employs more than 1,500 people (including subsidiaries) and has representative offices in 50 countries around the world. KOMET GROUP is a global technology leader in high precision drilling, reaming, milling, tapping and process monitoring.
In addition to developing, manufacturing and selling high-quality, high-end products, the company leverages years of accumulated technical expertise to analyze production processes, including very small details, and then develop customized solutions to help customers improve efficiency at all stages of the process.
challenge
In the process of paying close attention to innovation and sustainable development, KOMET GROUP technicians will inevitably encounter some special tool designs. If they are produced by traditional methods, the cost is too high or even just on paper.
Therefore, Dr. Reinhard Durst, R&D Manager of Hard Metal Tooling at KOMET GROUP, has been studying the potential of additive manufacturing technology for tool production in recent years, as well as additive manufacturing equipment sold in the market.
solution

Dr. Durst has been working with Renishaw last year. “Because of the technical and application level, Renishaw’s products make us convinced.” This transfer of knowledge and expertise continues throughout Renishaw’s new and growing Additive Manufacturing Solutions Center Network. Customers can rent the latest equipment from the Renishaw Solution Center and apply it to the project independently before purchasing the machine. Renishaw’s staff is always available to advise on the use of the machine. In this way, potential customers interested can understand the coffin manufacturing technology and how the technology meets their specific requirements with the help of professionals, without the need for a large upfront investment.

“Our goal is to achieve win-win results with our customers,” explains Ralph Mayer, Renishaw's German coffin manufacturing services manager. “Our support helps our customers shorten the learning curve and reduce errors. After the customer knows clearly that the machine will add value to them, we will ask if they have an intention to buy. At the same time, we collect valuable information about the industry's needs. Information can be used to further develop our machines and technologies."

“The parts produced using coffin manufacturing technology have a structural consistency of 99.9%, just like rolled or cast metal components,” explains Mr. Mayer. “However, the right strategy must be applied to each component. Our strength lies in being able to analyze the technical challenges faced by our customers and working with them to find the most effective solutions.”
Renishaw's metal coffin manufacturing system uses laser powder bed melting in an inert argon environment. A very thin bed of metal powder is placed first, followed by a high energy erbium-doped fiber laser to melt the shaped area of ​​the assembly and then cooled and solidified. The metal powder is added layer by layer and the above process is repeated. The thickness of the powder layer is usually between 20 and 60 μm until the part is processed. The thinner the powder layer, the better the precision and surface quality of the finished product.
result

Komet's first project with Renishaw was the development of a new range of PCD (polycrystalline diamond) screw-in milling cutters. The tool body is manufactured using Renishaw's metal coffin manufacturing system, which produces multiple bodies during each cycle of the system, then mounts the PCD blades and screws them onto the shank.


Using Renishaw technology to make tools, you can produce geometries that are almost impossible with traditional methods. “With the coffin manufacturing process, we were able to load more PCD inserts into each tool,” explains Dr. Durst.


“We changed the layout of the inserts and made the shaft angles significantly larger. Compared to conventional milling cutters, our milling cutter grooves are greatly shortened. These changes mean that the tools can help the user to increase productivity.” For example, using 32 mm Screw-in type cutter heads, the number of grooves and inserts has increased from six to ten, and the feed rate can be increased by more than 50%.


In addition, the ability to optimize the cooling waterway path ensures that the coolant is accurately supplied to each cutting edge through a separate channel, while the external design of the body helps ensure effective removal of chips from the tool face.
Since the material is only used where it is necessary to optimize the function of the component, AM can also reduce the weight of the component. Additive manufacturing techniques are also superior to traditional generation methods in terms of product delivery time when producing special or experimental tools at the request of Komet customers.

“Being able to freely design internal and external tool geometries means that if this additive manufacturing process is excluded from our future plans, the consequences are simply unimaginable,” Dr. Durst predicted. “This technology allows us to significantly increase tool performance and productivity, which in turn creates significant added value for our customers.”

Dr. Durst believes that the decision to work with Renishaw is very sensible. “For a company that has just been exposed to metal coffin manufacturing technology, it is very difficult to find the best laser parameters independently,” he said. “Renishaw uses its extensive technical experience to help us find the parameters needed to produce quality tools. The new design freedom offered by the coffin manufacturing technology and the cooperation with Renishaw are helping us develop more innovative tool solutions. Program."


For more information on Renishaw's metal additive manufacturing technology, please visit

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