MACHINING I CUTTING TITANIUM
Insert wear | 120 minutes with conventional product – 150 minutes with Blaser’s Vasco
explains that cutting performance eight years of
tests carried out by the German tool laboratory research
manufacturer Ingersoll Cutting Tools to develop this new
Project Manager, Daniel Berger | Overcame problems of inadmissible corrosion and
have verified Vasco 5000’s performance product and around inadequate chemical stability
characteristics. five man-years in
The tests investigated milling cutter total were spent on testing more than independent machining trials confirmed
wear under identical conditions using 1,500 different formulations. Also, 175 that the new product would completely
different cutting fluids at speeds of 35 to long-term stability tests were carried out fulfil the requirements originally set.
60m/min and a feed rate of 0.2mm per in-house, and 14 different test products
milling tooth. Compared to other similar were tested by customers. Ongoing research
products, use of Blaser Swisslube’s new The excellent cooling and lubricating Such successful test results are said
metal cutting fluid was found to result in properties of Blaser Swisslube’s previous to be down to the company’s long-
much less tool wear at the same cutting product Vasco 1000 were the motivation standing experience in cutting fluid
speeds and higher cutting speeds for the for developing an even better cutting development and production, but also to
same tool wear (see box). “These test fluid. However, as Project Manager its continuous research effort for further
results conclusively indicated up to 65% Daniel Berger explains, there were improvements. Vasco 5000 is a prime
longer milling cutter tool life,” points certain challenges to overcome, including example of this and developing solutions
out Roger Brügger, Product Manager inadmissible corrosion and inadequate for the most demanding applications
water-miscible cutting fluids at Blaser chemical stability. “All were completely is said to help the company stay at the
Swisslube. solved in the end during the course of forefront of its field. ❙
Excellent cooling and lubricating numerous test runs,” he says. Other www.blaser.com
properties also provide time savings
as longer tool life means fewer tool Tried and tested
changes are required. Moreover, the Tests were conducted at the Ingersoll Cutting Tools Tech Centre on various cutting
high lubrication performance effectively fluids of different makes. As mentioned, all products were tested on state-of-the-art
prevents milling cutter failure, as well milling machines under identical cycle and feed rate conditions to ensure absolutely
as workpiece damage in the worst fair comparison. The final milling tests on Ti6AL4V under optimal machining
case. This is particularly critical in the conditions confirmed the previous test results, reported Ingersoll applications
aerospace industry, says Blaser Swisslube, engineer Daniel Ermert. These milling trials included single-tooth tests with newly
where production processes involve long developed standard geometries and coated hard-metal grades for special applications
machining throughput times. This is on super-alloyed materials in the aerospace sector. “With Blaser Swisslube Vasco
where Vasco 5000 sets the previously 5000 we easily attained much longer tool life, this time averaging 150 minutes,” he
mentioned new benchmarks for explains. “Furthermore, machining with the indexable inserts could have lasted at
machining the titanium often used in this least 30 minutes longer.” By comparison, tool life with another high-quality cutting
industry. fluid is reported to have ended after 120 minutes.
The Ingersoll applications engineer is also reported to be satisfied with Vasco 5000
Eight years of development in terms of machine compatibility. Foaming, for example, was only slight. “The small
Vasco 5000 cutting fluid for machining amount of foam formed soon disappeared, while with other cutting fluids a lot of
titanium and stainless steel is mainly foam remained on chips in the chip baskets. Low foaming also reduces cutting fluid
attributable to Blaser Swisslube’s 40- consumption and disposal outlay, thereby helping to protect the environment,” adds
strong R&D team. It took more than Mr Ermert.
AEROSPACEMANUFACTURING 27
AM_jul07_p26,27_blaser.indd 27 29/6/07 11:08:02
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