With 28 entries, 1.2 million ‘social impressions’ and almost 4,500 votes,
ANCA’s ‘Tool of the Year’ celebrated the contribution made by modern cutting tools to manufacturing, surgery, woodworking and other industries.
Pat Boland, ANCA’s co-founder, said: “The cutting tool sector has faced a significant challenge with the onset of Covid-19. In these conditions it is even more important to promote and recognise our contributions as an industry. This year we saw the most ‘complex and sophisticated’ entries to date.
Having been part of the industry for over 40 years the technical advancements demonstrated by cutting tool manufacturers continue to amaze. I think of ANCA’s Tool of the Year as the ‘Oscars for cutting tools’, and I am proud to take the time to recognise and reward the creativity and skill of manufacturers globally.”
Winner of ANCA Tool of the Year was ARCH Cutting Tools, which has its headquarters in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (USA). The company demonstrated “excellent use of multiple iGrind operations with several complex profiles” and came out in front of others when compared to the ‘DXF and measured for profile OD and runout’. The Polish cutting tool manufacturer ZMK received the runner-up prize.
The entries for the ‘Virtual Tool’ category were ‘so impressive’ that the judges ‘found it impossible’ to split Poland’s JG Group and Turkey’s Turcar.
They agreed that both ‘virtual tools’ were complex and demonstrated great use of different cycles and operations.
Mr Boland said: “JG Group took a creative approach using an Australian theme of the Sydney Opera House, reproduced in a profile tool, while Turcar’s tool amazed me as to how they achieved their tool design. I had no idea our software could produce something as beautiful and as well executed as their entry.
“Both tools showed a high level of effort, artistry and creativity. When creating their Virtual Tools, both Turcar and JG Group used their imagination along with the power and flexibility of ToolRoom RN34 and CIM3D V9 to produce works of art.”
The Tool of the Year must be a ground tool that is functional, high quality and complex. A panel of expert judges consider the surface finish, tolerance and range of functions.