A high-performance solution for the economical and reliable machining of ball bearing tracks has been introduced by German cutting tool manufacturer,
Horn.
Available in the UK and Ireland through the group’s subsidiary in Ringwood, Hampshire, the new KX range of ball nose end mills has been developed to meet increasing demands for precision, flexibility and productivity in the manufacture of constant velocity (homokinetic) joints, used for transmitting smooth power to a vehicle’s drive wheels when cornering.
The bearing tracks in these joints have very tight dimensional tolerances, form tolerances to within microns and a high surface finish. The manufacturing quality, which determines the service life of the joint, is a direct result of the performance of the cutting tool, hence Horn’s decision to develop a top-end product for this application.
Available in three sizes, the precision-ground, solid-carbide, interchangeable heads have a rigid threaded connection to a modular cutter body. Flexible machining strategies enable cutting of material in either the soft or hardened state and operations span roughing and chamfering through to finish milling. Customers can therefore adapt the machining strategy precisely and hence cost-effectively to their process requirements.
The edge preparation ensures soft-cutting performance to enhance reliability. Cutting values can be significantly raised, reducing cycle times. Benchmark tests confirm the high level of productivity that is possible. Depending on the component, machining time may be shortened by several seconds per workpiece. Moreover, the KX design is capable of milling deep tracks, extending the range of production applications.