Helping to tackle the toughest cast iron applications, the Kennametal’s Mill 16 comes with a wedge-style lamping system, numbered pockets and inserts and an open pocket design to increase chip flow in heavy roughing.
Mill 16 is a face mill developed not only for CGI, but for all types of cast iron and is a popular choice for gear boxes, housings, pump bodies, and other components used in the automotive, agricultural, and heavy equipment sectors.
The Mill 16 has a fine-pitch and medium pitch cutter body equipped with an innovative single-screw, wedge-style clamping system. This reduces time spent in the tool crib setting the tool and assures rigid, no-fail tool placement. Each pocket on the cutter body is numbered, as are each of the insert´s cutting edges, assuring maximum accuracy and ease of use when indexing to a new cutting edge.
The heart of the Mill 16 is an octagonal, double-sided insert with 16 effective cutting edges, providing the lowest tooling cost per part possible. The face of each cutting edge contains an aggressive chip-breaker for positive cutting action and increased chip flow. The wedge clamp on either side of the insert´s top face is likewise chamfered to improve chip evacuation.
Mill 16 is available in cutter diameters ranging from 50 to 250mm. Kennametal has rated the maximum axial depth of cut (Ap1) at 5.5mm, although depths to 9mm or greater are achievable, an important consideration where casting variation is a concern. Due to the cutter´s low cutting forces, up to 100% radial cutter engagement is possible. All cutters have internal coolant supply capability.
The carbide is new as well. Kennametal´s grade KCK20 is a PVD AlTiN/AlTiCrN multilayer coating bonded to a wear resistant substrate which provides an average tool life of 30% greater than comparable TiAlN-coated grades.
A wide assortment of insert edge preps, geometries, corner radii, as well as a number of complementary grades assure the Mill 16 is a top performer in a variety of machining conditions, from heavy roughing to semi-finishing and, because of the insert´s integrated wiper facet, fine finishing to Ra 3.2μm or better.
During a dry machining operation on a ductile cast iron plate using Mill 16, feed rates were increased by 41% and tool life doubled. A grey iron transmission case was machined at a feed rate of 0.39mm per tooth at a cutting speed of 208m/min, leading to reduced spindle loads compared to the legacy tool and slightly improved tool life. Switching to Mill 16 more than doubled metal removal rate and tool life on a water pump housing.
For more information contact Kennametal South Africa on TEL: 011 748 9300 or visit www.kennametal.com