Daniel Metz (left) and Technical Sales Manager Frank Schönberner (right) examine a newly ground milling tool manufactured at Wolfgang Metz e.K.
(l-r)_ Technical Sales Manager Frank Schönberner and Daniel Metz discuss CNC tool grinding technology.
M.POWER coated tools that have been designed and ground by Wolfgang Metz e.K. In the background is the original engineering drawing of the special tool on the right.
Wolfgang Metz e.K., a German family owned company, is a manufacturer of solid carbide special and standard tools. With increasing demands on tooling - especially the need for longer lifetime - the company has committed to finding the best technology for their customers. "We are a troubleshooter for special and individual customer solutions," said Wolfgang Metz.
Wolfgang and Daniel Metz are the father and son team that lead Wolfgang Metz e.K. They work closely with their coating specialist, Sulzer Metco's thin film division. "Nearly all of our tools are coated today," said Wolfgang. "This shows how important a working relationship is between the tool manufacturer and supplier."
Due to the wide range of application areas, customized tailored coatings are the key for increased lifetime and performance, according to Sulzer. Sulzer's field staff selects and develops the right coating technology suited to the base material, the application area and the special or unique geometry of the tool.
Of course, the benefits and results of a coating depend on many factors and require experts on both sides: tool manufacturer and coating supplier. As Wolfgang Metz pointed out, "The best coating has no use on bad and poor tools." The Metz team works with the latest machining technology to help them provide reliable and reproducible results and ensure high quality for standard and precision tools.
The M.POWER coating family from Sulzer is utilized for applications with high cutting speeds, high temperatures at the cutting edge and high metal removal rates. During recent testing, Mertz reported that hard milling of high speed steel with a hardness of 65 HRC showed increased tool lifetime of up to 80% compared to AlTiN coating. Further short- and long-term test of form mills showed tool lives that were almost doubled due to reduced cutting edge wear and enhanced surface quality.
The TiSi based M.POWER coating was particularly useful in dry cutting and at high cutting speeds. "Due to the coating, high temperatures do not influence the tool and can be prevented from the chipping," said the spokesperson. "In this way, tools can be protected against early wear.
"Coated tools can provide increased tool lifetime, shorter processing times and even higher cutting and feed rates. Particularly in dry and hard milling and drilling, materials can be machined that could not before."
The coatings can be combined to provide nano-, multi- and gradient layers for the machining of various materials such as alloyed and high alloyed tool steels, titanium and titanium alloys as well as Ni based alloys. According to Sulzer, the smooth coating provides high resistance to wear and hardness up to 3600 HV, and by adapted process parameters the hardness can be increased up to 45 GPa. The coating is designed to prevent formation of built-up edges and provide high phase stability and oxidation resistance up to 1,150° C. These properties are intended to significantly reduced wear on the coated cutting edge.
Sulzer conducts research on optimized surface solutions in close cooperation with machining and high precision cutting tool companies. "Close cooperation with the customer is important in order to be able to move ahead with innovations," said the spokesperson. "In this way, potential improvements in productivity, in the use of tools, in quality, and, last but not least, in the interplay between material, coating and application can be realized and utilized."
Together with their experienced employees, Wolfgang and Daniel Metz supply a worldwide customer base in a variety of industries. These include tool, mold and model making, engineering and medical industries. "Customers benefit from the knowledge of two different generations - a father with many years of experience in grinding tools and a son with the ambition to work out any customer request on cutting-edge equipment," said a Metz spokesperson.
For more information contact:
Sulzer Metco Inc.
12 T.W. Alexander Dr.
Bldg. 200, Suite B
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
919-485-6002
thinfilm.machining@sulzer.com
www.sulzer.com