BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. (www.bigkaiser.com) has released several new tooling product lines. These include the Air Power Spindle, Fullcut Mill FCR Type cutter, the EW2-50XL precision finish-boring head and two models of tool-presetting systems.
Air Power Spindles address the challenges of micro machining with ultrahigh-speed and precision by offering variable spindle speeds up to 80,000 rpm. These air-driven tools work on existing machining centers, improve surface-finish quality, extend tool life and reduced wear on high-speed spindles.
As additional spindles on standard machining centers, Air Power Spindles eliminate the need for expensive high-speed machines and minimize thermal displacement in Z axes. When compared with some standard machining center spindles with up to 0.012-mm of displacement, Air Power Spindles remain constant at less than 0.001 mm. In addition, Micro Collets allow clamping diameters of 0.018 in. to 0.159 in. and runouts of less than 1 µm at the spindle nose.
Fullcut Mill FCR Type cutter geometries provide expanded capabilities for multifunctional milling. This includes ramping and helical, shoulder and plunge-milling operations. Fullcut Mill FCR's sharp cutting edges, with both high radial and axial rake angles, deliver smooth and quiet end milling in all materials. The cutter is available in several diameters in various length configurations with BIG PLUS integral shanks CAT40, BT30, and BT40 as well as HSK-A50 and A63 versions.
EW2-50XL precision finish boring heads feature new integral-shank designs that make for a shorter tool as compared with many modular shank/boring head combinations. The boring heads are available for CAT40, BT40, HSK-A63 and Capto C6 size spindles, and in the case of the CAT40 taper, the tool is shorter by more than 1.3 in. This translates into a lighter and more rigid tool that can operate at higher cutting speeds and feeds.
For use with existing center-mounted boring bars (0.078 in. to 2.125 in.) and side-mounted insert holders (3.15 in. to 6 in.), these EW2-50CL boring heads tackle precision finish boring. Their large adjustment dials display in increments of 0.0002 in., and vernier markings let users accurately adjust to 0.00005 in. on diameters.
BIG Kaiser's STP-35 Basic and STP-35 EzVision tool-presetting systems match the superior accuracy and T.I.R. of the company's STP-34 system and include extended Z-axis height to accommodate tools up to 20-in. long. The systems' thermobalanced and artificially aged pearlitic cast iron structures ensure that the equipment is fully isostatic and will not deform or distort over time or temperature change — a fundamental requirement in providing long-term linear accuracy and repeatability. The EzVision system's quick gage capability can measure any tool. It manages and displays tooling and cutting edges on the same monitor as the Speroni PC-based EzVision control. The system has display resolution of 0.001 mm (0.00004 in.) for added precision and features one-micron Heidenhain glass scales. The EzVision control's centering indicator box works well for presetting angular cuts, as in chamfering. It may also be used to calculate nose radii and angles. Episcopy, one of the STP-35's most popular options, provides an easy way to detect defects or deformities by illuminating and magnifying the cutting edge.
