ITC to introduce new tooling innovations at MACH

BIG Kaiser hydraulic chuck from ITC

Tamworth-based Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), one of the UK’s leading cutting tool manufacturers, will be exhibiting at the MACH 2024 exhibition (Hall 20, Stand 432), with a huge range of new cutting tool solutions on display. The exhibition is taking place 15-19 April at the NEC, Birmingham and ITC will present its latest product lines as well as cutting tool solutions from Widia, Kemmler, Karnasch, Bass and BIG Kaiser.

Renowned as a world leader in precision tooling and holemaking applications, BIG Kaiser has introduced a number of new products over the last 12 months — all of which will be on the stand at MACH 2024. From its portfolio of bore machining products will be the expansion of the BIG Kaiser EWN Monoblock range. Guaranteed to improve productivity and performance for end users, the system uses BIG Kaiser’s Smart Damper technology that will reduce chatter and subsequently cycle times, delivering exceptional machining accuracy and surface finish quality.

The EWN Monoblock fine boring heads have been expanded with the new CK1 and CK2 products that support the machining of diameters from 20 to 36mm and 25 to 47mm respectively. The full EWN Monoblock family of products ranges from the smallest CK1 to the largest CK7 which now supports fine boring from 20mm to over 200mm diameter.

Also new from the BIG Kaiser bore machining stable will be the new MW rough boring bars. Manufactured from carbide, they deliver significantly improved precision levels when compared to steel alternatives by reducing vibration and chatter. Typically, cylindrical boring bars are manufactured from steel and this has the disadvantage of creating considerable deflection and vibration during operation. By using carbide, which has four times the density of steel, flexing is decreased by a factor of more than 16 — this greatly reduces vibration.

Reduced levels of chatter
The reduction in deflection means that carbide tools are much more precise and exhibit reduced levels of chatter. This provides manufacturers with much better machining results when compared to other boring head materials. The rough boring system will be complemented by the new EWA 68 intelligent fully automatic fine boring tool that received its world premiere at EMO 2023 last September.

Pictured left: the BIG Kaiser Hydraulic Chuck series

The new EWA 68 is an intelligent fully automatic fine boring tool that performs closed-loop boring operations without human intervention. With the EWA 68, there is no need to stop the machine tool to take measurements and manually adjust the boring tool. This significantly reduces cycle times, increases productivity and reduces failure rates due to human error. This reduces costs and improves accuracy.

Precision, concentricity and surface finishes are only as good as the toolholders and this is why BIG Kaiser has expanded its incredible range with the arrival of the new PG (perfect grip) Straight Collet system. The PG Straight Collet system includes a new anti-pullout system that locks the collet and cutter to the toolholder body. This design eliminates cutter slippage and also the potential for cutter pull out during demanding metal removal applications. The new system is particularly suited to high dynamic milling and high-speed milling in difficult materials.

BIG Kaiser has launched three sizes of collet with the new anti-pullout system and these all received world premiere’s at EMO 2023. The three size variations include a 10, 12 and 16mm PG Straight Collet system and unlike other systems, the PG does not require specially modified and inherently expensive end mills. Instead, it uses existing standard carbide or HSS end mill designations. Standard notches found on typical Weldon-type end mills will readily accept the locking key insert on the new PG system.

At MACH 2024, the PG system will be shown alongside the new Ultra Precision Hydraulic Chuck. The new hydraulic chuck is suitable for all machine shops that require the lowest possible run-out for high-precision milling. With run-out guaranteed to be less than 1µm at 4xD, this ultra-low runout retains this precise level even after intensive use, whereas competitors’ shrink-fit holders become less accurate after each clamping.

Pictured right: the BIG Kaiser PG Reduction collets from ITC

ITC will also present a new line of hydraulic chucks for turning machines that provide outstanding repeatability and damping characteristics. The advantage of the new BIG Kaiser chucks is that they enable simple and straightforward assembly using just an Allen key, while the holder remains mounted on the machine. The new BIG Kaiser hydraulic chucks have been designed to be compatible with major sliding-head automatic turning centre brands such as Citizen, Star Micronics, Tsugami and Tornos.

Also newly introduced to BIG Kaiser’s HDC (hydraulic chucks) series and available at MACH 2024 will be the Hydraulic Chuck Jet chuck series. Easy, fast and safe to use with no heat shrink clamping machines required, the life of the tool holder is extended indefinitely, saving money and reducing the environmental impact of holder replacement when compared to shrink-fit holders.