The Productivity Centre at Dormer Tools has now installed the new hyperMAXX CAM roughing module from Open Mind to enhance the productivity benefits that the cutting tool manufacturer provides to its end users.

Since relocating to its new facility over two years ago, Sheffield-based Dormer Tools has invested significant resource into selecting technology partners to enhance the capabilities of its Productivity Centre department. Among the technology partners are Sandvik Coromant, Kelch, System 3R, Heller, Hexagon Metrology and Open Mind and this culmination of leading manufacturers enables Dormer to solve the cutting tool and production issues of its customers and the partners’ customers by implementing a combination of innovative technologies. The company has three technical engineers in the Productivity Centre with an additional ten on the road busy with customer surgeries, technical projects and customer and staff training.

Dormer Tools’ machining applications engineer, Matt Johnson explains how he first came across Open Mind’s hyperMAXX roughing module. “I was invited by an Open Mind engineer to supply tooling for a demonstration piece at Warwick University and witness the benefits of the new package,” he reveals. “Using Open Mind’s hyperMILL, the previous machining time for an 18mm deep pocket in a 316 stainless steel part was 25 minutes. I supplied our S356 solid carbide end mill and changed the cutting parameters to slightly reduce feeds and speeds, but machine the full 18mm depth in one pass as opposed to the previous program that used three 6mm deep passes.

“This strategy reduced the cycle time,” he adds, “but then Open Mind engineer turned on the hyperMAXX roughing cycle and asked me to treble the recommended Dormer feed and almost double the speed rates for the cutter. My apprehension was quelled by the engineer’s confidence and the results certainly spoke for themselves.”

Most cutting tool manufacturers measure productivity benefits by calculating the QMax value for the machining cycle. This cubic (cm/minute) value is the depth of cut multiplied by the step over multiplied by the feed, divided by 1,000.

“In this demo the original QMax value was 17.1cm³/minute but using the Dormer 12mm cutter at the recommended parameters resulted in a QMax value of 30cm³/minute – a significant gain,” Mr Johnson enthuses. “However, when the hyperMAXX module was turned on it gave us a value of 108cm³/minute – a staggering 280% improvement on the combined use of hyperMILL and Dormer tooling. Compared to the first test piece, the result yielded a 630% improvement.”

Considering the marked improvement in productivity, the Mr Johnson fully expected the tool life to be significantly reduced, however cutter wear was less than the previous cycle. “We are currently machining a structural wing component from titanium for an Open Mind and Dormer customer. Like the Open Mind customer, we are using the same Dormer S357 12mm carbide cutter with a 3mm radius and X-Ceed coating and we have extended tool life from 30 minutes to over two hours – a tool life improvement of over 200%. The only difference is that we are using hyperMAXX.”

Mr Johnson recognises the fact that the hyperMAXX toolpaths are generated to reduce stress on the cutting tool whilst continually calculating the optimal speed and feed for each cut. Effectively they reduce the forces on the cutting tool by eliminating sharp directional changes in the tool path. “HyperMAXX maintains a constant load on the tool and eliminates sharp directional changes,” he explains, “and it is the directional changes in some CAM packages that cause stress and contribute to the sudden failure of cutting tools. With hyperMAXX our tools are changed only when they wear out.”

With regard to the production of the structural aerospace part, the customer was taking 40 hours to machine two sides of the component and Dormer has reduced the machining time to 10 hours with hyperMAXX. “The aerospace subcontractor has a contract to produce over 150 parts that was taking close to a week to machine each part. We have now cut that production time drastically,” Mr Johnson states. “The component has a number of pockets on each side and to demonstrate cycle time reduction with hyperMAXX, one pocket now takes three minutes to mill that previously took 40 minutes. Not only that,” he adds, “we also get the benefit of enhanced tool life.”

He concludes: “Open Mind’s technical team is always on hand for queries and the company always seems to be one step ahead of the competition. We’ll be hosting a ‘Challenge Dormer’ open event in July and with hyperMAXX I’m sure we’ll be giving subcontractors and OEM’s alike, a major productivity boost.”

Open Mind Technologies
www.openmind-tech.com