Changing times for gear milling

May 14, 2013 12:38 pm

With its new hob concept, CoroMill 176, Sandvik Coromant has taken a large step forward in gear milling technology and performance
Cutting tool solutions underpin the gear milling revolution“What was seen as impossible 18 months ago is now a reality, performed on a daily basis,” said Kenneth Sundberg, Global Business Development Manager, Gear Milling Solutions, Sandvik Coromant. This summarises the company’s development efforts in a technology area that is relatively new to this leading cutting tool manufacturer.
Sandvik Coromant saw the need and potential for a performance shift in gear milling around 2005. Sure enough, machine tool and software technology as well as industry applications began to evolve, so did cutting tool solutions. The driving motivation for this shift from solid HSS tools to indexable insert tools was higher productivity, increased tool life and the elimination of re-grinding and recoating.
Changing the gameWith its new hob concept, CoroMill 176, Sandvik Coromant has taken a large step forward in gear milling technology and performance. A higher level of tool precision and rigidity has been achieved through a new patent-pending interface between insert and tool that also enables higher metal removal rates and enhanced surface quality.“The level of rates we now run at is completely new to the gear milling industry,” emphasised Mr Sundberg. “In fact, we can double or in some cases triple output with CoroMill 176. We are also making use of the Coromant Capto tool holding to add strength and stability to gear milling tools.”
Product developments such as CoroMill 176 have emerged after close collaboration with a select number of leading manufacturers and machine tool makers, all of which have set very high requirements. Such companies appreciate increased competition among tool manufacturers and especially the fact that indexable insert tools are now being offered to accommodate a far bigger range of gears.
Sandvik Coromant can now offer solutions for most gear milling applications, including transmission components in industries such as wind power, mining, marine, industrial gearboxes, agriculture, land moving and heavy vehicles. With regard to the latter, some are sceptical that the tight precision demands required for the high-speed transmissions deployed in many heavy vehicles can be met using indexable insert tools.
“While the ambition was there from the start, I was doubtful that we would be able to offer solutions for this application as early as during 2012, mainly because we have been competing with solid, precision-ground HSS tools,” stated Mr Sundberg. “But actually, we now meet quality 9 (according to DIN) on a regular basis. Under favourable conditions we can even achieve quality 8.”
Part of this impressive performance is because Sandvik Coromant tools are delivered with mounted inserts, and with a measurement protocol according to DIN 3968. Naturally, subsequent insert indexing requires a clean environment and skilled operators to reach these levels consistently.
Fresh approachSandvik Coromant enters the gear milling arena with a new outlook, a strong technology base and a long experience as a leader in metal cutting to challenge existing means and methods. Another advantage Sandvik Coromant can offer is a dedicated gear milling team able to provide global support. Manufacturers of gears can rely on the company to support their business from initial investment through to the day-to-day running of machinery.

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