Tooling cost and machining productivity

In economics, the productivity is the ratio of the output and input to the production process of metrics. In manufacturing, input from toilet paper to company as chief executive of car, all of the costs. The determination of the cost/profit ratio for each processing workshops each are not identical.For cutting tools, determine its productivity usually is hampered by cost concept. However, the cost of the tool should be determine a fraction of the whole workshop productivity. Whether using a very expensive high-end knives, or use low-cost blade technology, in determining the actual cost of the cutting tool, cutting tool should be take into account the productivity. This article through comparing the cost and productivity of tools, to evaluate machining productivity.In the past, the tool life is according to the cutting tool in the need to replace before you can use to measure the length of time. Now, you must use tools to complete processing capacity, and complete the processing of spent all his time to measure the knives service life. If simply by the physical time to measure the knives service life, it is possible to ignore the productivity and profitability of the cutting tool.New high technology tools can be at a higher cutting speed and feed rate on machining, thus completed faster processing tasks; Or to lower the processing speed of cutting a larger surface area, so as to realize the automatic processing of unmanned level higher. No matter where they use more than one way to processing, the end result is far superior to the use of the low level of technology standard tool.Process instanceWhen using the most advanced cutting tools, processing workshop can be done in faster processing tasks or at the expense of the processing for a long time to prolong tool life to choose between them. Cutting test will show the mold processing workshop under rough machining and finish machining of mould core examples, as well as high technology, high cost of the difference between tool and low cost.(1) rough machining of mould coreRough machining example 1: artifacts: P20 steel core. Cutter: double circular blade cutter buttons (25.4 mm) in diameter; Speed: 4500 r/min. The feed speed: 3 m/min; The blade cost: each $8 (blade must transfer once every 2 hours, to complete a mold core processing); Blade total cost: $16; Processing cycle time: 5 hours and 30 minutes; Workshop operation cost rate: $100 / hour; Each mold core rough machining cost: $566.Rough machining example 2: artifacts: P20 steel core. Cutter: solid carbide blade 4 big feed milling cutter (12.7 mm) in diameter; Speed: 5000 r/min. Feed speed: 8.9 m/min. Tooling cost: $100 per the (tool without operator intervention can finish mold core processing); Processing cycle time: 2 hours; Workshop operation cost rate: $100 / hour; Each mold core rough machining cost: $300.Conclusion: it is obvious that in case 2, the rough machining tool cost is much higher. However, there are three significant difference between the two processing instance: (1) even though the rough machining example 2 tooling cost is rough machining example 1 of 6 times, but the rough machining each same mold core of the total cost is much lower. (2) in rough machining example 1, due to the blade must be transposition, the operator should spending extra time for manual intervention, and the manual does not include the cost and time in the processing cycle time; (3) in the rough machining example 2, the mold core with smaller diameter tool processing, as a result of the processed workpiece is closer to the final size, thus eliminating the secondary rough machining process.(2) the finish machining of mould coreFinishing example 1: artifacts: large P20 steel core. Fine milling insert cost: $30; Cutter diameter: 19 mm; Speed: 12000 r/min. Feed speed: 6 m/min; A blade can work a mold core; Finishing a mold core cycle time: 6 hours. Workshop operation cost rate: $100 / hour; Each mold core finishing total cost: $630.Finishing the instance 2: artifacts: large P20 steel core. Fine milling insert cost: $30; Cutter diameter: 19 mm; Speed: 6000 r/min. The feed speed: 3 m/min; A blade can processing two mold core; Finishing a mold core cycle time: 12 hours. Workshop operation cost rate: $100 / hour; Each mold core finishing total cost: $1215.Conclusion: obviously, in finish machining example 1, each mold core processing costs are much lower, so many mould workshop choose this machining method. Shorter cycle time (6 hours) can make the processing more cavity or mold core. If continuous production workshop 24 hours a day, every day can be 3-4 mold core processing. In the finish machining example 2, two mold core processing can be at most a day. To arrange operators on every day shift only or two shifts of the workshop, can only use unattended & other processing or in the evening; Lights out processing & throughout; , so, the cost of finishing the instance 2 May still higher, because when the machine is in a state of shutdown, workshop cost to near zero. Although in finish machining example 2, a blade can work two mold core, but it can only save $15, and the operating cost per hour workshop is far less than ($100).However, can also combine two kinds of processing methods: manned process during the day, choose high cutting parameters; In the evening, the new blade, and reduce the cutting parameters, thus can make the machine in the case of without human intervention for processing the whole night.Cutting tool selectionUsually, use the blade cutting tool or the low level of technology of cutting tool is hard to meet the requirements of the precision of the mould finishing. If the accuracy requirement of the size of the final product is very high, so the processing surface finish requirement should be very high. Manually fitter trimmed or finishing is quite time consuming, and will reduce the dimensional accuracy. USES the advanced tool, can work out at the same time high surface quality and dimensional accuracy, which can omit & ndash; & ndash; Or at least cut & ndash; & ndash; Needed to get smooth surface of the bench finishing processing.About the size of the mould finishing precision and surface finish, a typical example is the use of a standard suppressing blade processing, the price of this blade can be very cheap, but the machining accuracy is rather poor, work out the surface finish is not good. In addition, when using this tool can usually adopts low rotation and feed. Although the tool itself may be cheaper, but as a result of processing cycle for a long time, and also need to be fitter, so the cost of mold and the final will be greatly increased.More advanced solid carbide end mill has a thick core diameter, so the strength of the cutting tool is better. Coarser core diameter can also make faster processing when the cutting heat conduction (i.e., heat dissipation is better), so that they can prolong tool life.Processing supportTrack of the latest innovations in cutting tools and coating is very important. Workshop management personnel and technical personnel should be processed with cutting tool suppliers support personnel to establish and maintain the close cooperation relations, to ensure that can adopt the newest and the most advanced cutting tool products and coating.Only by reading advertisements or introduction tool, it is difficult to obtain information for a particular process is likely to be useful. Most of the cutting tool are only some general information, does not necessarily apply to your workshop. If you see some information of interest, but also must contact tool suppliers, research whether this product is suitable for their own processing. If the tool seems to be useful, you must also be on the cutting test. Although cutting test will take some processing time, but in the end, often can save more time and money for you.When in contact with the tool maker, you should consult with their processing and support staff, rather than the sales staff. Many salespeople are usually only have some tool basic common sense, and not familiar with the specific machining knowledge of environment. You the first question to processing support personnel should be: & other; Are you proficient in high efficiency machining technology? Throughout the &; If the answer is no, you will need to refer to other experts.When application engineer to communicate with cutting tool suppliers, you should provide them with some basic information processing, such as: kinds of processed materials and hardness, you have the type of machine tools, machine tool spindle feed rate at the highest speed, machine tool, you need to processing the total cutting depth and the spindle interface (HSK, CAT40), the type of tool holder used, etc. If you wish (hope) to get on the machining of a specific proposal, you should also provide some details of the workpiece processing requirements (such as corner radius size, etc.). This helps in the shortest possible time get the high quality advice.Received the tool supplier to provide relevant information, you should also know whether I need cutting tools for cutting test, you can know about the relevant provisions on the tool test tool suppliers, then cutting experiment was carried out. Cutting test is to understand the selected tool if you can improve your process, the only way to improve productivity.The processing technologyFor a long time, to discuss about the adoption of high efficiency machining (HPM) technology has been, but there are still some processing workshop is not willing to change cutting process. In fact, once you understand the basic rules of the new process, you will find that they are actually not complex. Now, almost all of the programming software companies have the efficient in the machining process into the package. Pay close attention to the processing software is very important for the update, this will ensure that you can use the latest version of the best processing technology.Through the adoption of high efficient processing technology, even in the old machine tool spindle rotation speed is slow, also can improve machining productivity. , it turns out, some new design of large feed cutting tools in speed slower on the old machine also can obtain very good cutting performance. The design idea of these tools is to lower cutting speed and higher per tooth feed rate to achieve efficient processing. The process still USES the small cutting depth, but the much larger chip load (up to 1 mm per tooth).Efficient processing technology always USES the small cutting depth (usually 6% 10%) of the cutter diameter and interval (i.e. cut wide, usually 10% 40%) of the cutter diameter. This way of processing sounds like not as fast as with big cutting deep, but in fact, in most of the processing conditions, the machining efficiency is much higher. Cut through the adoption of shallow depth, the workpiece is very close to its final shape after rough machining (net shape), so that the subsequent semi-finishing and finish machining can be completed faster. According to the different workpiece geometry, some semi-finishing even can be eliminated completely. Therefore, HPM roughing process is usually more productive than traditional routine process.summaryAfter long-term and users discuss tooling costs, some companies still insist on to buy the cheapest cutter, and some companies have found that must be comprehensive investigation tool price, not only look at the price, want to consider to invest in what kind of cutting tool can get the best comprehensive benefit.Through the comparison of several cutting tools manufacturers products cutting test, you will often find, lowest price of the cutting tool is not always the best choice. If you just according to the price to buy cutting tools, and ultimately will probably pay a higher price. You will also miss the access to all the benefits of more advanced tools. Some of the more expensive and efficient tool for cutting test shows that the knives service life and/or productivity can be as high as 20 times.The correct selection of cutting tool and the corresponding technique, can greatly shorten the processing cycle time, which can with the same number of employees and machine tools to achieve greater production capacity.