Diamond-tipped Supermini and Mini tools with internal cooling are the latest additions to the products for boring, profiling and grooving offered by Ringwood-based Horn Cutting Tools Ltd (www.phorn.co.uk).

The new ranges of insert tooling are designed for machining aluminium, sintered carbide, ceramics and plastics.

Non-ferrous materials that are either very abrasive due to their high silicon content, or have a tendency to exhibit chipping problems and form built-up edges, can also be machined.

Supermini tools with CVD-D or PCD cutting edges are available in diameters from 1.5mm and with three different geometries. H0 geometry, with a rake angle of 0deg, is for machining hard brittle materials such as carbides, pre-
sintered ceramic materials, graphite and short-chipping brass.

H5 geometry, featuring a rake angle of 5deg, is designed for machining abrasive-content materials, such as aluminium alloys impregnated with silicon, and fibre-reinforced plastics.

Diamond is also used successfully as a cutting material (without chipping problems) when working with precious metals and non-ferrous heavy metals such as platinum, iridium, gold, tantalum and titanium, as well as sintered metals like tungsten copper.

Finally, the HF chip-breaker geometry is said to solve machining problems caused by uncontrolled, stringy swarf.

It is intended for use on long-chipping non-ferrous metals such as wrought aluminium alloys, as well as copper and its alloys — including bronze, lead-free brass and low-lead (long-chipping) brass.