Dialogue with WALTER and TITEX/PROTOTYP

WALTER Development Manager Jurgen Daub and his colleague Josef GieBler, TITEX/PROTOTYP developer, took a closer look of the developments in the PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond) and CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) field, for which their customers use carbide cutting tool materials and where diamonds are being used. Both are equally interested in the materials which they may be able to reckon on in the future-CFK and new titanium alloys. IMNA: What highlights are you expecting this year? GieBler: Modular solid tools are a hot topic at the moment, i.e. replaceable cutting heads - not only in milling cutters, but also in tapping tools. A further interesting topic is the new cutting-edge preparation methods and the associated measuring technology. Daub: Another trend is the even greater sector orientation. We have already achieved a strong sector focussing with the engineering field, this will, however, be made more in-depth. Complete machining is as ever still in fashion. In this connection, we are very well positioned. Today WALTER, TITEX and PROTOYP can together cover about 80 percent of all machining applications. The aim of the customers is 100 percent complete machining; and we are collaborating very intensively on this. IMNA: What are your top topics? Daub: Showing the closeness of the TITEX, PROTOTYP and WALTER unit is our new generation of side and face milling cutters, which over time will replace the present milling cutters with cassette insert, and also our new B4213 insert drill. They are true innovations not just product expansions. Additional highlights are our new, innovative Tiger.tec?cutting tool materials WAK10new and WSM30. GieBler: We have updated our titanium milling cutter range, miniscule thread milling cutters for micro machining and new thread cutting tools. For drilling, micro machining is also an important topic, deep-hole drilling and high-performance machining. We offer individual tools to customers, and we also present solutions which suit the customer誷 particular application. IMNA: You mentioned new titanium milling cutters and new turning insert materials? GieBler: We were referring to PROTOSTAR Ti our new titanium milling cutter series. They were specially designed for machining TiAl6V4 and comparable titanium materials. It is a complete product range for roughing and finishing. This represents a quantum leap in titanium machining productivity. With it we are in particular addressing small and medium-sized customers, for example, in the supply industry. For large customers in this sector, this usually amounts to special tools, the technology, however, remains the same. We have also already carried out initial tests with the new titanium 5553, whose cutting properties are even more difficult. The customers have shown great interest in the machining of this new material. Daub: This year we are also aspiring to set benchmarks. This time the focus is on turning. In this area, we have, with Turn.tec, also newly designed a range of non ISO indexable inserts. These have - similar to when milling with our Xtra.tec?inserts - a negative basic shape with highly positive cutting geometries. The advantage for the customer clearly lies in the cutting costs as the new inserts have twice the amount of cutting edges. Thanks to the positive geometries, we also reduce the cutting pressures, which significantly increase the process reliability in high-speed cutting. The market success with Xtra.tec?persuaded us to expand these positive inserts for turning. Here is must be emphasized: the user must not necessarily replace his standard tool holder to use our new inserts. We supply the corresponding shims so that the new inserts also fit in the standard ISO insert seats. IMNA: What have TITEX and PROTOTYP been focussing more while on microAir Jordan 1