M ye

10

W ar
W s
1/14
a business and technology magazine from sandvik coromant

Indonesia:
Rising steadily

Speed King It’s about to be the world’s fastest car – but

it's also an important vehicle for bringing
young engineering talent into the industry.

ProfileStanding on the shoulders of robots Sweden A combination of big and small

Germany When reliability and flexibility count Tech The “premier league” of metalcutting
Tech Have you done your homework? India Keep the faith Tech Drilling in all directions
 editorial
klas forsström president sandvik coromant
A world of change
As the president of a global company I am
fortunate to get to travel all over the world.
This allows me to keep in touch with colleagues
and customers and at the same time stay abreast
of the ever-evolving world of manufacturing.
It is an exciting way to be inspired and to
learn more.
Over the past decade I have been to India
some 20 times. Each time I arrive the first thing
that strikes me is that something has changed. It
could be big or small – a new hall at the airport,
a new industrial facility on the road from the
airport into the city, new improvements to the
infrastructure of the region or scaffolding for a
project yet to be revealed. These are all signs of
a country that is rising rapidly and enjoying
steady growth.
Anyone who has been to India knows that it
is a country of contrasts. You can pass a local
machine shop with one turning centre run by a
single person on your way to a multinational
company down the block. Here there’s a demand
for both types of businesses.
I’ve always regarded India as a fantastic
market for technology and a fantastic source of
knowledge. This is apparent in the equipment on
factory floors and the discussions at meetings.
Kirloskar Pneumatic in Pune (page 8) is a good
example. An early adopter of new gear-milling
technology, it has experienced great improve-
ments and benefits in its gear manufacturing. In a
leap of faith, the company was willing to change
its processes, and this change brought it success.
Travelling around the world, keeping in touch
with colleagues and family and catching the
latest global news has become a lot easier with
2  metalworking world
smartphones and tablets. I’ve learned to make
use of those micro moments in taxis or at the
airport that provide me with an opportunity to
communicate and be updated. On page 6 you
can read about how Sandvik Coromant apps can
help make your day and business more efficient
and profitable.
And, finally, this issue marks the 10th
anniversary of Metalworking World. We will
celebrate this event throughout the year, in
these pages and in our iPad edition.
Pleasant reading.
klas forsström
President Sandvik Coromant
Metalworking World
is a business and technology magazine
from AB Sandvik Coromant,
811 81 Sandviken, Sweden.
Phone: +46 (26) 26 60 00.
Metalworking World is published three
times a year in American and British
English, Czech, Chinese, Danish, Dutch,
Finnish, French, German, Hungarian,
Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
and Thai. The magazine is free to
customers of Sandvik Coromant
worldwide. Published by Spoon
Publishing in Stockholm, Sweden.
ISSN 1652-5825.
Publisher responsible under Swedish
publishing law: Björn Roodzandt. Editor-
in-chief: Mats Söderström. Account
executive: Christina Hoffmann. Editor:
Henrik Emilson. Art director: Niklas
Thulin. Technical editors: Börje Ahnlén,
Martin Brunnander. Sub editor: Valerie
Mindel. Coordinator: Lianne Mills.
Language coordination: Sergio Tenconi.
Layout, language editions: Louise
Holpp. Prepress: Markus Dahlstedt.
Cover photo: Bloodhound Project.
Please note that unsolicited manuscripts
are not accepted. Material in this
publication may only be reproduced with
permission. Requests for permission
should be sent to the editorial manager,
Metalworking World. Editorial material
and opinions expressed in Metalworking
World do not necessarily reflect the views
of Sandvik Coromant or the publisher.
Correspondence and enquiries
regarding the magazine are welcome.
Contact: Metalworking World, Spoon
Publishing AB, Rosenlundsgatan 40,
118 53 Stockholm, Sweden.
Phone: +46 (8) 442 96 20.
Email: mww@spoon.se.
Distribution enquiries:
mww.coromant@sandvik.com.
Printed in Sweden at Sandvikens
Tryckeri. Printed on MultiArt Matt 115
gram and MultiArt Gloss 200 gram from
Papyrus AB, certified according to ISO
14001 and registered with EMAS.
Coromant Capto, CoroMill, CoroCut,
CoroPlex, CoroTurn, CoroThread,
CoroDrill, CoroBore, CoroGrip, AutoTAS,
GC, Silent Tools and iLock are all
registered trademarks of Sandvik
Coromant.
Get your free copy of Metalworking
World. Email your address to
mww.coromant@sandvik.com.
Metalworking World is issued for
informational purposes. The information
provided is of a general nature and
should not be treated as advice or be
relied upon for making decisions or for
use in a specific matter. Any use of the
information provided is at the user’s sole
risk, and Sandvik Coromant shall not be
liable for any direct, incidental,
conse­quential or indirect damage arising
out of the use of the information made
available in Metalworking World.
 content

38
Final Note
Taking a solar-
powered plane
around the world.

10 22
Germany
A patented new Process
technique puts Voith reliability and
Turbo on the map. flexibility on the
agenda.

8
India
Shifting into
a higher gear.

4 Profile:
Meet your new colleague
7 Primal scream:
Taking a roller coaster ride

5 Quicktime:
News from around the world
28 Inspiration:
Indonesia on the rise

6 Interview:
Mobility and apps
32 Sweden:
Serving a giant to 99.9 percent
16
Innovation
Faster than a bullet.

Technology

New challenges for Do your Benefits of In the premier

deep down drilling
How to support the oil and gas
industry with tools and
techniques as it moves into
deeper waters.
homework first
Are you getting premium payback
on machine investments and
maximizing production time for
medium to lower volumes of
parts? Read this before you invest.
tooling data
Sandvik Coromant has cooperated
with other suppliers to create a
brand-neutral software for tool
classification.
league
Crankshaft machining is the
“premier league” of metalcutting
in the automotive industry.

14 20 26 36
metalworking world  3
 Quicktime
text: Henrik emilson photo: doron gild future Gazing.
Rethink Robotics
co-founder Rodney
Brooks and Baxter
the robot.

Meet your new

colleague
Robotics – Manufacturers
have used robots in the assembly
line for more than half a century,
but they’ve always kept them at a
safe distance from humans. Enter
Baxter, the adaptive robot from
Boston-based Rethink Robotics.
Baxter is designed to work safely
next to its flesh-and-blood
co-workers in a manufacturing
environment. Unlike traditional
industrial robots, Baxter exhibits
behaviour-based “common sense”
and is capable of sensing and
adapting to its task and its
surroundings. The robot requires
no programming and can easily be
trained by line workers to handle
many repetitive production tasks
typically difficult to automate.
And like other next-generation
industrial robots designed to meet
modern manufacturing needs,
Baxter doesn’t need a cage. He
has a human collision detection
system that minimizes contact
force. He can also communicate
with facial expressions. The one
thing he lacks is the ability to
tell jokes and mix drinks for
after-work events. n

4  metalworking world
 Quicktime

the number:

Cactus legs
made of recycled
aluminium.
90
Number of seconds it took to swap
a used Tesla electric car battery for
a fully charged one.

Furniture in a can
Recycling – The São Paulo-based design collaborative Studio Swine has created a
line of furniture made almost entirely from aluminium cans collected on the city’s streets.
It worked with waste collectors, or catadores, in São Paulo to salvage the raw material.
Every part of the project is executed in accordance with sustainable design practices.
The cans are melted with a simple casting technique. In future the catadores will be able
to use the process to create their own aluminium products. n

did you know?

Floating
Solar
A steady base is no
employment
longer necessary for

windmills
In California there are now more
windmills anchored
out in the open sea. workers employed by the solar energy
industry than there are actors.

New energy – Several countries are looking the number:

beyond the 30-metre sea depths at which most

1,000
windmills of today are installed. However, out in
the open sea the water is too deep for the turbines
to be anchored. In the United States, the Advanced
Structures and Composites Center at the
University of Maine recently installed a concrete-
Number of hydrogen cars Hyundai
composite floating mill prototype. Other such
will lease in the United States
ventures have been launched in Europe. The starting in 2015 based on its
advantages of the open seas include not only Tucson crossover.
stronger and more consistent winds but also
fewer stakeholders and aesthetic conflicts. n

metalworking world  5
 Quicktime

10-year anniversary
Celebration “Reaping global success” was the
cover headline for a story about John Deere in the
very first issue of Metalworking World in January
2004. Not to blow our own horn, but 10 years later
we could use the same headline about the magazine
itself. Metalworking World is now published in 19
languages and reaches a quarter of a million readers
in some 40 markets. And the magazine is very well
received. According to our readership surveys you
spend some 25 minutes reading it, and many of you
rank it among the top five trade publications in the
industry. For this great support, we thank you, and
we promise to keep up the good work. n
Hello there…
Christian Fredriksen,
global mobility specialist for Sandvik Coromant.
Q: Of all the company’s applications for
smartphones and tablets, which ones have
proved the most popular?
The most downloaded apps are our wide range of
machining calculator apps. This is not surprising, since
these kinds of apps have the largest target audience.
However, we recently launched apps with more of an
editorial focus that are aimed at the managerial group,
to provide them with information about the industry
and business in general as well as specific knowledge
for their use. These apps are becoming increasingly
popular.

Q: What is the app department currently

working on?

Human battery Upgraded calculator apps that provide even more

information and features, as well as apps that support
and drive our Web offering, especially in the area of
business knowledge and editorial commentary, making
them more interactive.

Q: What is your vision within mobility?

A spoonful of
sodium helps
the medicine
go down.
Medicine – Researchers are one step closer to edible “digital pills”,
electronic devices that can be taken orally and can monitor a person’s
health from inside the body. One obstacle has been how to power the
electronic pill. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have
developed an edible battery that may very well be the solution. The
battery pill produces the same kind of current as a regular battery,
but it’s made entirely of biodegradable materials already found in the
human body. The secret? Instead of the lithium often found in regular
batteries, the researchers switched to sodium. n
We have a state-of-the-art Web, probably the most
advanced in the industry, and we are constantly
looking into how mobile units can support the Web
and vice versa. Now, among other things, we are
focusing on two particular areas. The first is to
implement a mobile strategy that will make our
organization even more efficient and make use of
the benefits of mobile devices, creating even stronger
and faster communication with our customers.
The second is to further develop our traditional
technical knowledge-based mobile offering with
content that appeals to all levels within our base of
customers and potential customers. This will also
deliver thought-provoking business knowledge that
allows customers to make the most of those micro
moments available to them during their busy
schedules.

New Productivity Center Cyber Q: What are micro moments, and what’s

in Singapore
Sandvik Coromant recently
opened a new Productivity Center
in Singapore. The debut of the
28th Productivity Center marked
the importance of Singapore to
business growth in Southeast Asia.
As with the other centres globally,
the Singapore Productivity Center
has the latest high-tech machinery
and newest products, and it offers
state-of-the-art training to
customers. n
steel the best way to use them?
QuestTek Innovation Micro moments are those few minutes – during a
has invented two break, for example, or while waiting at an airport or a
stainless alloys that restaurant – when you have an opportunity to read or
do not need toxic use an app. Take the Manufacturing Economics App,
cadmium plating for for example. It takes less than a minute to enter your
corrosion protection. data, yet it can show how much additional profit you
The alloys have been could make by increasing machine use.
developed using ------------------------------------------------
computer models
Do you want to know more
that simulate about our app offer?
chemical Check out the Download section at
thermodynamics. www.sandvik.coromant.com

6  metalworking world
 Quicktime
text: HENRIK EMILSON ILLUSTRATION: peter grundy

Vertical drop: 164 feet (51 metres)

Lift height: 170 feet (53 metres)

A wing over drop, a giant flat spin, a camelback
and a 360-degree in-line roll – these are just a few
of the thrills that passengers on the GateKeeper
roller coaster will encounter at the Cedar Point
amusement park in the US state of Ohio. The wing
ride, where the 32 passengers are positioned on
either side of the track instead of directly above it, Seats: Four per coach
is the longest of its kind and has the longest drop
of any roller coaster. This 30 million US dollar
wonder of steel engineering takes about two
minutes and 40 seconds for one lap, a journey
that also takes passengers through the spiral.
That’s the part where the GateKeeper’s track
rotates a wicked 360 degrees before bringing
the train back to the station. It’s OK to scream.
Angle of lift hill: 40 degrees
Track length: 4,164 feet (1,290 metres)

Coaches: Eight coaches per train

Trains: Three 32-passenger trains
Design: Fibreglass and steel coaches
with over-the-shoulder restraints and
interlocking seat belts

Duration:
2 minutes,
40 seconds

Structure: Steel tubular track Capacity: About 1,710 riders per hour
Ride manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard

Maximum speed:
About 67 mph
(108 km/h)

Cedar Point
Ohio, USA

metalworking world  7
 text: R.F. Mamoowala   photo: Ashesh Shah

A leap of faith
Pune, India. KirloskarPneumatic turned around its
stagnating gear manufacturing business by opting for the
new indexable milling technology. Result: a several
hundred percent increase in productivity.
With new indexable milling
technology, Kirloskar
Pneumatic Vice President
Debashish Chakravarty
got a higher output.
[1]

[2]

10  metalworking world

[1] The new indexable
milling cutter gave
perfect results from
the get-go.

[2] Today Kirloskar

Pneumatic uses 14
Sandvik Coromant
cutters.

nnn “It was critical,” Debashish Chakravarty says of the

situation he found when he joined Kirloskar Pneumatic Co
Ltd (KPCL) in Pune in 2010 as vice president and head of
its transmission division, which makes traction gears for
the sprawling Indian Railways network. “There was a huge
backlog of orders of gears and pinions with late delivery
charges and an extremely dissatisfied customer.”

There was only one CNC hobber; the others were

conventional machines. With the hobs for cutting the gears
either broken or worse, each shift was able to make only
one gear, or two at the most. “In a month we made only
190 gears,” Chakravarty recalls. The CNC hobber had a
huge capability, but the hob technology it used was
outdated. Then he read online about Sandvik Coromant’s
indexable insert tooling system and the high speeds that
the gashing cutters were capable of. He says, “I told my
bosses, ‘I want to change the technology to indexable
milling cutters, as the new technology will tremendously
reduce cutting time. I also need one more CNC hobber.’”

Since a Sandvik Coromant cutter cost seven times as

much as a conventional cutter, nobody wanted to take the
risk, Chakravarty says. But he was convinced that the new
technology was crucial to turning the division around and
clearing the huge order backlog. The decision amounted to
a huge leap of faith for KPCL. “There was doubt and
scepticism all around,” Chakravarty says.
When the additional CNC hobber and the Sandvik
indexable cutter were installed, the results were apparent
immediately. Instead of the usual one gear per shift, the
operation was on track to turn out two or even three gears.
Satisfied, Chakravarty went home.
“Nobody could believe it.”
Kirloskar Pneumatic’s Debashish Chakravarty after having reduced
Late that night, tohis horror, he got a call saying an cutting time for a gear from 6.5 hours to just 45 minutes.
operator had damaged the cutter. “I was badly shaken
up,” Chakravarty says. “It was such costly equipment.”
Production was halted, and the next morning Sandvik
Coromant representatives rushed to the scene. Luckily
the cutter was only bent, not broken, and it was shipped
to a Sandvik Coromant facility in Germany for repair.

metalworking world  11

Kirloskar
Pneumatic Co Ltd
(KPCL), a major Indian
maker of air compres-
sors and refrigeration
and air conditioning
equipment, manufac-
tures gears and pinions
for Indian Railways, and
has captured 80
percent of the market.
Behind its growth
and success is a set of
core values – innova-
tion and upgrade in
technology, commit-
ment, customer focus
and ethical business
practices. Not one to Gear production
shy away from risks, jumped from 190
the company gives its to 450 a month.
1,000 workers a free
hand to innovate and Kirloskar Pneumatic
was able to reduce
drive change. cutting time from 6.5
hours to 45 minutes.

While the naysayers around him looked on, Chakravarty

received an immediate replacement from Sandvik Coromant
free of charge. “It gave perfect results,” he says. Four weeks
later the cutter returned, and Chakravarty says that for a time
he had two cutters. Gear production jumped from 190 a
month to 450, and Sandvik Coromant established both
goodwill and trust.

After the first year, the cutting time for a gear had been
reduced from 6.5 hours to just 45 minutes. “Nobody could
believe it,” Chakravarty says.
He started using indexable cutters for other railway
components, and today he uses 14 Sandvik cutters. Profit-
ability has doubled. Sandvik Coromant representatives
work jointly with his operation, modifying or changing
things when necessary. “They give complete solutions
and are reliable and transparent,” he says. “When
something is not possible, they tell us.”
Now Chakravarty is working on a cutting solution that
will be even faster – a Sandvik Coromant indexable hob. n

12  metalworking world

 technical insight

A chain of solutions
Traditionally in India, gears are cut
through gear hobbing, a technology
Kirloskar Pneumatic had used up to
2010. But over time the hobs become
blunt and need to be resharpened and
recoated. This is a time-consuming
process, says Debashish Chakravarty,
whose division at Kirloskar makes large
gears for Indian Railways. An automobile
engineer, Chakravarty found the tech-
nology unacceptable and moved over to
Sandvik Cormomant indexable milling
cutters. With the hobbing capacity
increased, gear production jumped
from 190 to 450 a month.

The confidence in this approach

Kirloskar Pneumatic
triggered other solutions. When heat has been in business
treatment became a bottleneck, for 120 years and
Chakravarty got new fixtures, upgraded has about 1,000
the process and increased the heat employees.
treatment capacity. Then he concen-
trated on bore grinding, reducing
grinding allowances and increasing
grinding capacity. “At every stage we
found new solutions,” he says.
With fast cutting and additional
capacity, he is now adding new business
– making industrial gearboxes for steel
mills and cement plants, where the
Sandvik Coromant technology will
be used.
Chakravarty’s biggest satisfaction
is that his delivery rate with Indian
Railways, a low 45 percent in 2010–11,
rose steadily to 60 percent the next year
and 86 percent the year after that. “In
the current year it is 100 percent,” he
says with pride.

metalworking world  13

technology
text: Elaine McClarence image: Borgs
Challenge: How to support the
oil and gas Industry as it moves into
deeper waters.
New challenges for
deep down drilling
As the oil and gas industry moves toward exploration
and production in such challenging environments as deep
ocean waters, the use of advanced drilling technologies
such as directional drilling is increasing.
Directional drilling in waters that are deeper and farther
from shore requires complex drilling systems that can
handle greater temperatures and forces at such increased
depths.
Wells can be drilled horizontally as well as vertically,
starting many kilometres from the oil and gas they are
intended to reach. Directional drilling is a technique that
enables oil and gas companies to drill at multiple angles,
not just vertically, to better access oil and gas reserves
from a single well bore, enabling companies to optimize
production, tap into otherwise difficult-to-reach reserves
and minimize the well’s environmental impact.
The drill string has to carry not only the drill bit
– usually comprising two or three cones made up of
hard materials such as steel, tungsten carbide and
synthetic or natural diamonds, plus sharp teeth that cut
into the rock and sediment below – but also the
guidance and steering controls, steerable motors,
sensors and communication and data-logging systems.
Improvements in drilling sensors and global positioning
technology have helped to make vast improvements in
directional drilling technology. The steering mechanism
and measurement systems of the drill string are housed
in the control unit collar that protects these vital parts as
they move through extremely harsh environments.
For Sandvik Coromant, the challenge is to help
customers within the oil and gas industry manufacture
14  metalworking world
solution: Adopt proven high-
performance production tools that
are stronger and last longer.
precision drilling components in tough-to-machine
materials such as Inconel, titanium and stainless steel with
a high degree of process security, through longer-lasting
tools and with an excellent surface finish. For components
used in oil and gas exploration and production, deep hole
machining and counterboring are frequently required.
Sandvik Coromant has specialized tooling solutions for
deep hole machining processes such as CoroDrill 801 and
CoroDrill 818 for deep hole drilling and counterboring.
For solid drilling and counterboring machining, the
demands are to create safe chip evacuation over the full
length of the component and provide a secure process.
The hole produced during drilling should enable good
concentricity for subsequent counterboring operations.
CoroDrill 801 ensures secure drilling in difficult-to-
chip materials such as stainless steels and HRSA. Based
on a rigid design and employing the latest insert and pad
technology, it offers high process security and excellent
chip control for large hole diameters.
CoroDrill 818 is based on a counterboring concept that
offers high process security due to the use of a specially
developed insert (TXN) with a unique and stable interface
– iLock tip seat interface. The tool is rigid and easy to use
and, thanks to large diameter adjustability, about twice
that of the current offering, flexibility is high. One
insert can be used for both push and pull boring. It is
particularly suited to complex operations such as
required of oil exploration tools. The CD818 insert also
has a strong geometry and grade offering to optimize
the performance in all materials. n
 case study:
Some 10 metres in length and made from
non-magnetic stainless steel, the control
unit collar is demanding to machine. It is
vital to maintain a high surface finish with
a good diametrical tolerance and a high
concentricity between the bores.
Control unit collar up to 10 metres
in length
Material: Non-magnetic stainless steel
Machining process performed on a
deep hole machine tool

Counterboring – performed using

CoroDrill 818.20-1D078.00S14B
Cutting data:
vc: 70 m/min
(210 ft/min)
fn: 0.24–0.28 mm/rev
(0.010–0.011 inch/rev)

Power consumption and coolant

requirement:
P: 5 kW (7 hp) at Ff:1.7 kN
(380 lbs)
19 bar (275 psi) and q: 350 l/min
p: 
(93 gallon/min)

As well as process security, this

counterboring process offers superior hole
straightness combined with wide diameter
adjustability.

Solid drilling – performed using

CoroDrill 801.20-14D0680
Cutting data:
vc: 70 m/min
(210 ft/min)
fn: 0.20–0.24 mm/rev
(0.008–0.010 in/rev)

Power consumption and coolant

requirement:
20 kW (27 hp) at Ff:15.8 kN
P: 
(3,550 lbs)
21 bar (305 psi) and q: 306 l/min
p: 
(81 gallon/min)

This offers process security and

productivity combined with excellent
surface finish. It offers flexibility with
large diameter adjustability.

Summary
Directional drilling is increasingly used by the oil and gas industry to
reach difficult-to-access reserves in the harshest environments in the
world. Sandvik Coromant has developed specific tooling solutions for
machining the metal components that form the backbone of these
advanced drilling systems.

metalworking world  15

text: Geoff Mortimore photo: Bloodhound Project

Magnum
force Innovation. It can travel faster than a bullet
from a .357 Magnum, but the Bloodhound car
is not only about breaking the land speed
record. It’s also a project that attracts new
engineers to the industry. Buckle up.
 The jet engine, shown
here at Rolls Royce UK
testing facility, could
be louder than a 747
aeroplane at takeoff.
 The car is powered by a hybrid rocket and a
Rolls-Royce jet engine. The EJ 200 jet engine could
suck all the air out of an average-sized house in
three seconds. That's 64,000 litres a second.

The Bloodhound has a horsepower of 135,000;

25,000 more than the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II.

The knowledge provider

Sandvik Coromant specialists have been
machining parts for the framework of the
Bloodhound car together with the Nuclear
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre
(Nuclear AMRC).
“The planning process for the parts involved
collaboration between the Nuclear AMRC,
Bloodhound and Sandvik Coromant, as all
aspects of machining the parts had to be
considered, including work holding, component
complexity, machine tool configuration and
component stability,” says Jon Clarke, a Sandvik
Coromant application development specialist.
The team is producing parts for the car’s rear
The force at the rim of the wheel, revolving at
10,200 rpm, is 50,000 G. At this force a sugar sub-frame, which holds the rocket in place, along
cube would weigh more than two men. with floor panels, suspension parts and other
chassis parts, all machined from high-strength
aluminium alloy.
“We provide experience and knowledge of
machining complex, demanding components to
nnn A supersonic car capable of covering tight tolerances, with zero defects,” Clarke says. Bloodhound hasn’t been without its
four and a half football pitches in a second “That knowledge includes material, machining problems, though, particularly at the
and travelling faster than a bullet from a .357 strategies, tooling proposals to suit the component design stage.
and machine tool and standard tooling to meet
Magnum will never have trouble attracting “It took us about two years longer than we
tight deadlines.”
attention. When the British team behind the expected to come up with the shape that
Another Bloodhound component manufac-
Bloodhound Project attempts to break the tured as part of the sub-frame package was the would work,” Green says. “It was actually
land speed record and shatter the magic 1,000 rear wishbone mount. All the parts machined are counterintuitive. Making the shape simpler,
mph (1,609 km/h) barrier, though, it may also one-offs, using tools such as the CoroMill 390 blunter and less sophisticated in aerodynamic
help to solve the more serious problem of an shoulder mill as well as the CoroMill 790 Router terms turned out to be the solution.”
impending skills shortage that threatens the for aluminium alloys, the CoroDrill 860-NM Raising the necessary finance proved
future growth of engineering in Britain. drill and solid carbide Plura end mills used in equally testing, though the programme
It is a big demand on both counts, but combination with the CoroChuck 930 hydraulic received a boost when Rolls-Royce came
project director Richard Noble and driver/ chuck, which was released as part of CoroPak on board with financial and technical
13.1 in March 2013.
wing commander Andy Green are no support.
strangers to such challenges. Green, a fighter “At Rolls-Royce they realize that this
pilot, set the existing 763 mph (1,228 kph) has real social value,” Noble says. “To
record in Bloodhound’s predecessor, the Thrust SSC, in 1997. Now he meet increasing demand from the growing airline industry, they know
is confident of doing even better. we will need 830,000 more engineers in Britain. This is why the
The car, basically a hybrid rocket and a Rolls-Royce jet engine on four schools initiative of this project is so important.”
wheels, will eventually reach speeds of up to 1,050 mph (1,689 km/h) The British government has launched an initiative that will help
across the 20-kilometre-long track currently being prepared by hand on create 100,000 registered engineering technicians by 2018, while
the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa. When it does, it will be propelled by a grant of 1 million British pounds (1.2 million euros) for Blood-
two engines, providing power equal to 180 Formula 1 cars. hound is aimed at further developing the educational outreach
Sixteen cameras, mounted inside and outside the cockpit of the programme.
14-metre-long car, will capture every moment of the runs. Cockpit “Success won’t be measured just in miles per hour,” David Willets,
interactions between Green and his crew will be played live, reaching minister for universities and science, said at the official opening of
a potential online audience of millions. Bloodhound’s headquarters outside Bristol, England. “This investment

18  metalworking world

 The car's name comes from chief aerodynamicist Ron Ayers, who once developed the British Bloodhound S2A missile.

The front of the car has a carbon fibre

monocoque similar to a racing car's.
The back half has a metallic framework
with panels similar to an aircraft.

will help show even more young people how rewarding science and
engineering careers can be.”
The carbon footprint of
Capturing the imagination of the public has not been a problem, the Bloodhound Project
thanks to an extensive educational programme that has seen the car is equal to that of 4.1
lactating cows.
taken all around the country, visiting some 16,000 schools.
“I first heard about it when I was 13,” says 16-year-old Jess Herbert,
from nearby Portishead. “It fascinated me, and the more I thought about
it, the more questions that followed in my head, which started an
interest in engineering that eventually led to winning one of the 12
places on the Rolls-Royce apprenticeship scheme.”
The team will start testing in South Africa next year, when the jet
engine will drive the Bloodhound up to about 800 mph (1,290 km/h).
Green will then attempt to break his own land speed world record. The
data will be analyzed and any necessary modifications made to the car’s
design. The full hybrid rocket will then be installed in 2016 when the
team will push the car from 745 mph (1,200 km/h) or 808 (1,300 km/h) OUTRIGHT WORLD LAND SPEED RECORDS
up to 995 mph (1,600 km/h).
While at first glance the story sounds like something out of an The current world land speed record was set in 1997 by Andy Green in the
old-fashioned adventure book, for Green and the Bloodhound team its Thrust SSC. It reached a speed of 763 mph (1,228 km/h) over one mile.
significance is deeper. Other famous holders of the outright world land speed record:
“The thrill is starting with a blank piece of paper, looking for the
1983 Thrust II, driven by Richard Noble 633 mph (1,019 km/h)
ultimate shape to start with the most interesting science and technology 1970 The Blue Flame, driven by Gary Gabelich 630 mph (1,014 km/h)
challenge we can think of and working with some of the best people in 1965 Spirit of America, driven by Craig Breedlove 601 mph (966 km/h)
the world to solve it,” Green says. “As a mathematician and fighter 1964 Bluebird, driven by Donald Campbell 403 mph (648 km/h)
pilot, that is fascinating – and I get to drive the fastest car in the world. 1935 Blue Bird, driven by Malcolm Campbell 301 mph (484 km/h)
Which part of that is not to like?” n 1929 Golden Arrow, driven by Henry Segrave 203 mph (327 km/h)

metalworking world  19

technology
text: christer richt
Have you done
your homework?
Machine tools are increasingly designed
with flexibility to improve changeovers
between part types. There are numerous
examples where both turning centres and
multi-task machines have facilities that
increase the machining possibilities in one
setup and also reduce setup times.
Christer Richt: When a machine shop invests
in production equipment, where should one
begin?
Chris Mills: To start with, I think every
manufacturer in this area has to take a close
look at the combined effects of machine
utilization and actual cutting efficiency.
This is how you see the opportunities for
improved productivity and payback.
Machine shops should understand where
they stand today and where they want to go,
and how. Investing in the right machine and
the most suitable equipment makes a huge
difference. We can prove it.
If you already have machinery, ask
yourself, “Why did I buy that type, not include
that option, those possibilities?” and so on.
Boundaries exist, but in this situation look
beyond the limitations, as there are significant
upgrading possibilities in equipment.
However, if you are investing in new
machinery, see it as a golden opportunity to
step up into another league with regard to
capability and profitability. Analyzing the
20  metalworking world
objectives, requirements, investment and Chris Mills: Without a doubt, multi-task
options can lead to answers that make a real machines have made a huge impact on
difference to productivity. In tooling we have reducing setup time, and it is in the low- to
a lot more to offer than just the cutting edge. medium-volume area where they are
mostly employed. To ensure that they are
Christer Richt: But if a machine shop has made use of to the maximum, I would just
a proven concept that has worked for many
years, why not stick to that?
Chris Mills: Machine shops that take the line
of using their traditional machines, equipment,
processes, tools, programmes and methods and
do not take the step-changing opportunities
that new technology presents will inevitably be
left behind. There is no need for turning
centres to have the green light on for only 65
percent of the production time. Nor is there
any need to over-invest in machinery or be
limited in machining possibilities.
Early collaboration when new resources are
to be invested in is the only direction that will
deliver the right machining solution and that
will be leading in competitiveness. We believe
in the right-from-the-start philosophy for the
total solution. Ensuring no boundaries will
provide the greatest value for the customer.
Make sure that a good internal and external
stakeholder analysis is carried out to define
an adequate specification of demands.
Christer Richt: What would you say about
the improvement potential for machining in
the medium- to low-volume area?
How do you achieve a premium payback on machine investment
and maximize actual production time for medium to lower volumes
of parts? Christer Richt, technical editor of Metalworking World,
discussed this recently with Chris Mills, Sandvik Coromant global
manager for machine integration.
Driven tools are powerful today and, along
with a y-axis, cover most 3-axis milling/drilling
requirements and also add extra turning
positions, which reduces setup. Quick change
should always be considered to minimize
setup time.
stress that all options are fully explored
and that things that save time in production
– magazine size, high-pressure coolant,
fully functioning post-processor, long
boring-bar adaptor for deep holes – are
not compromised on.
However, two areas that tend to be
under-analyzed are the more traditional
machines – turning centres and machining
centres – where there are many modern
options available that really increase
productivity, yet they are often overlooked.
For turning centres, driven tools are very
powerful today and, along with a y-axis, cover
most 3-axis milling/drilling requirements.
Think carefully before excluding the y-axis
option as it also adds extra turning positions,
which reduces setup. Quick change or
automatic tool change needs to be considered
because setup time on a lathe is a big time
consumer. Tools should be pre-set outside the
machine whilst it is running.
When it comes to machining centres,
comparing the machine utilization of one with
a pallet and one without is staggering. In my
experience the extra investment is nearly
always worth it, and here again I would
recommend considering a large magazine that
covers all components or accommodates sister
tools. Also consider a high-pressure pump
where drilling is common to ensure better
process security, which leads to the green
light being on for longer. n
metalworking world  21
The one
in a
million
text: Tomas Lundin   photo: adam lach

Maulburg, Germany. Forget the hunt for

productivity. In Germany, Swiss Endress+Hauser
is a manufacturer of measurement equipment and
manufactures every product in a million variations
on average. Process reliability and flexibility are
all that count. This is especially true when it comes
to parting off, the final and critical stage in
component manufacturing. Together with its
partner, Endress+Hauser found a reliable method.
 production. Some measure levels, while others measure flows Torsten Enderwitz
nnn Armin Nüssle is passionate about stable, reliable has been with
processes – anything that reduces the risk that a tool or temperature. Endress+Hauser for
wears out and, at worst, destroys the expensive parts Apart from the number of variations, the products all 23 years. Moana
Deiss is in her
making up an almost infinite number of products, most of have one thing in common. Almost without exception they second year of
them customized. are made of expensive speciality steel, which means apprenticeship.
“A typical example is this measuring device,” says Nüssle, manufacturing has to be stable to avoid waste.
the production manager at Endress+Hauser’s main factory in “Parting off is especially sensitive,” Nüssle says. “That’s
Maulburg in southern Germany. He leans over an instrument when the almost-finished part is separated from the rest of the
that uses radar to measure water levels in huge cisterns, where workpiece. At this stage there is a lot that can go wrong. We
the difference of fractions of a millimetre can represent tens of have been looking for new solutions for a long time.”
thousands of litres. “It’s crazy when you think of it, but we This is where Sandvik Coromant comes into the picture. At
produce this product in more than 2 million variations,” he the end of 2010, Sandvik Coromant had just begun a survey
says. “Every customer has its own needs and specifications.” of 15 global manufacturers to better understand customer
Dimitri Eckard
The success story started 60 years ago in a living room in requirements for a new parting off system. setting up the
Lörrach in southern Germany, just 10 kilometres north of “Endress+Hauser Maulburg [representatives], part of the cutting machine.
Basel, Switzerland. From there engineer George H Endress group, were very open and able to
and banker Ludwig Hauser imported measurement technol- explain exactly what their
ogy from England. They reworked the products and sold them requirements were and what their
to the process industry. It was a pre-digital-age startup in a expectations of a tool manufac-
region where smart inventors and stubborn entrepreneurs turer were,” recalls Theo Jörissen,
with global ambitions were the norm. a product specialist in parting off
New products and their own inventions followed apace. at Sandvik Coromant in Germany.
Today the family-owned Endress+Hauser, led by George “It wasn’t always easy for us. The
Endress’ son Klaus Endress, is a world-leading manufacturer demands were pretty high.”
of measurement technology and process automation, with Ralf Hübner from tool sales
more than 10,000 employees globally and sales of more than company Hengst-Kessler was
1.7 billion euros. It generates more than 200 patents annually. also part of the core group, which
The company’s products, manufactured in countless helped out when new ideas were
variations, are used in everything from high-danger areas in needed. “Essentially it was a
the chemical industry to production environments with strict combined project where everyone
hygiene demands such as food manufacturing. They are contributed to creating something
found on oil rigs, in municipal treatment plants and in milk new,” he says.

metalworking world  23

[1]
[1] Endress+Hauser has been in
operation for 60 years and has
10,000 employees globally.
[2] Machine operator Dimitri
Eckard with Armin Nüssle,
production manager, right.
[3] Production manager Armin
Nüssle, left, and Theo Jörissen
from Sandvik Coromant discuss
the parting off process.
[4] Sandvik Coromant was given
the opportunity to test a CoroCut
QD prototype at Endress+Hauser.
24  metalworking world
[2] The main requirement from Endress+Hauser was that
process reliability be improved.
Parts manufactured in 30 or so turners can cost from two to
500 euros and take, on average, five minutes to manufacture.
In principle, they are finished when they are cut from the rod,
which can be as much as 60 millimetres thick. If this goes
wrong, the part is rejected and the process has to be repeated.
Usually the tool is also damaged and the geometry of the
machine altered. That means the operator has to intervene,
and valuable time is lost. “With this background, it doesn’t
matter to us if the parting off takes a few tenths of a second
longer,” Nüssle says. “It is critical that the process is reliable.”
At Endress+Hauser, Sandvik Coromant was given the
[3] [4] opportunity in 2012 to test a prototype of CoroCut QD.
Together, the two companies produced a final version that
Endress+Hauser tested intensively during much of 2013.
But Nüssle wasn’t easy to convince.
“To be honest, I was quite sceptical to start with,” he says.
“But then I saw the results, and they were beyond our
expectations.”
The new tools last on average five times longer than the
existing technology, and they improve the process reliability
thanks to new material, improved design and optimized
feeding of coolant.
They also save material because they have smaller inserts,
which in turn allow narrower tracks.
As well as process reliability, Endress+Hauser had a further
requirement. It wanted an all-round tool rather than a number
of special solutions. “No one should need to hesitate and risk
choosing the wrong tool,” Nüssle says. “Everything should be
simple and obvious. That is our philosophy.” Sandvik
Coromant came up with a plug-and-play solution. There are
no cords or pipes and no complicated handles; you just put in
the tool unit and start work. And there is only one insert grade,
which in turn means reduced warehousing and reduced costs.
The old technology has had its time at Endress+Hauser.
When the stores of already purchased tools are finished, the
company will convert to Sandvik’s CoroCut QD, but for
safety’s sake it has another tool manufacturer involved in the
startup phase. Machine operator Dimitri Eckard, who has
been involved in testing the competing tools, thinks this is a
good decision, but he adds, “In my opinion, Sandvik
Coromant’s system is the most stable.” n
 CoroCut QD is Sandvik Coromant’s
new solution for parting off. Theo
Jörissen, a product specialist at
Sandvik Coromant in Germany,
explains the technology and its
advantages.

How is the new solution different from

established parting off technology?
The essential advantage is the coolant
feeding that occurs directly on or under
the insert, allowing deep parting off and
relatively broad dimensions, which are
otherwise complicated.

What are the most important

characteristics?
Using the directed coolant flow, you can
clearly influence the temperature in the
cutting track and therefore run tougher
material at a higher insert speed – or
increase a tool’s lifetime.

What makes engineers’ eyes light up?

Our plug-and-play solution is a real
pearler. There are no disturbing cords or
pipes. At Endress+Hauser we can also
machine all materials with a 3-millimetre-
wide parting off plate in CM geometry and
grade 1145. That means one geometry,
one tool and one grade.

What results are being achieved with

Corocut QD?
The tool’s lifetime is on average five times
longer than with established technology.
We have customers who are looking at
Theo Jörissen,
Sandvik Coromant savings in tooling of 50 to 70 percent.

metalworking world  25

technology
text: turkka kulmala image: borgs
Challenge: Create an
automatic digital tooling data
exchange system.
Benefits of
tooling data
Manufacturers, tool vendors and software
companies all feel a growing need for digital tooling
data. Until now, with most suppliers having their
proprietary systems, automatic data exchange has been
a practical impossibility. The only way to use digital
data has been by manually entering large data sets into
production systems – a hugely time-consuming
operation and a potential source of errors. A major
automotive company reports tens of thousands of
man-hours spent in processing tooling data over the
past few years.
ISO 13399 stands for “cutting tool data representation
and exchange”, and the combination of the ISO 13399
tool classes and properties with a vendor-neutral
catalogue structure offers major benefits for all stake-
holders. Having fully adopted ISO 13399, Sandvik
Coromant and Siemens PLM Software developed the
first version of a generic tool classification (GTC)
catalogue structure, to be maintained in future by a
vendor-neutral governance organization.
The purpose of GTC is to offer a brand-neutral classifica-
tion system as an easily adoptable generic catalogue
structure to complement ISO 13399. GTC helps to
26  metalworking world
OAL
LPR
solution: GTC , a brand- LB
neutral classification system LU
for tool data.
DC
pre-map tool classes and parameters according to the
receiving system’s internal classifications and parameters.
The generic hierarchical catalogue structure enhances easy
navigation and search. User-defined or non-classified tools
can be entered manually. GTC also supports STEP 3D
models, 2D drawings, dimension drawings and the like.
A major benefit of GTC is better connectivity with CAM
systems. The 3D capability makes it easier to use solid
models for NC programming, pre-setting and simulations.
According to CAM suppliers, this can improve the
productivity of a machining process by as much as
20 percent.
Sandvik Coromant, along with partner TDM Systems,
is developing a system called Adveon, tool data
management software based on ISO 13399 and GTC.
Adveon is normally integrated into CAM software and
open for product data uploads by any cutting tool
supplier. Having completed Adveon with product data,
the CAM user can easily create high-quality digital tool
assemblies for immediate use in the CAM system for
programming, collision testing and such. With the
number of CAM workplaces worldwide at more than
600,000 and growing, the GTC and Adveon offer huge
savings potential for the metalcutting industry. n
 Customer case
The aerospace industry often works with very expensive components and can
significantly benefit from the simulation capabilities of CAM software. A
customer invested 25 man-years to establish the necessary tool library, and
maintains it with two full-time employees who support 36 CAM programmers.
According to the customer’s own estimate, using Adveon would have saved
DCON at least 23 man-years, or 92 percent of the time spent, and eliminated the
need for dedicated system maintenance staff. Adveon furthermore offers a
time-savings potential of 10 to 15 percent for the 36 CAM programmers.

The generic tool classification system

combines ISO 13399 tool classes with a
vendor-neutral catalogue structure, which
benefits connectivity with CAM systems.

Summary
Sandvik Coromant cooperates with other tooling suppliers
and Siemens PLM Software to create an open, brand-neutral
application of the ISO 13399 tool data standard, offering
major potential benefits and savings.

metalworking world  27

 Indonesia rising
Indonesia. Fast-forward some 20 years from now. Indonesia could well be
the world’s seventh-largest economy, with 135 million affluent consumers.
Book a ticket today; you don’t want to miss this ride.

Average Annual
GDP Growth (%)
Smog and dust dim the 1998 – 1999 – 6.65
sunrise in Jakarta, Indonesia. 2000 – 2004 4.60
Pollution is a problem in this 2005 – 2009 5.64
growing city. 2010 – 2013 6.25

Indonesia is the
largest economy in
South-East Asia.
nnn “The Indonesian success story has been
overshadowed by the dramatic development of China,”
says Mark te Riele, marketing manager for Asia at BNP
Paribas Investment Partners. “Many people have let
themselves be influenced by bad media headlines and
the many natural catastrophes.”
Indonesia was brutally affected by the Asian financial
crisis at the end of the 1990s. The economy nosedived
from a 4.7 percent GDP growth rate in 1997 to minus
13.6 percent the following year. In January 1998, the
Indonesian rupiah’s value fell by more than half in the
space of five days. Banks closed down and the rush on
capital drained money from the country.
It would take four International Monetary Fund bailout
packages, bloody riots and finally the resignation of Presi-
dent Suharto to stabilize the country. Since then,
Indonesia has grown by 4 to 6 percent annually. Inflation
is falling, government debt is declining and the country is
returning to democracy after Suharto’s 31-year rule.
Indonesia is the largest economy in South-East Asia
today, and the world’s fourth-most-populous country. Its
economy is currently the world’s 17th largest. Accord-
ing to global management consulting firm McKinsey, it
will likely reach seventh place by 2030, when China
will top the league over the United States and India. And
20 years after that Indonesia will likely be No. 4 in the
world, according to the OECD’s long-term prognosis.
A gigantic domestic market and a growing middle class
text: Tomas Lundin
are behind this spectacular development. In McKinsey’s
most positive scenario, Indonesia will have 90 million Masterplan for
new affluent consumers by 2030. Industries such as Acceleration and
consumer services, agriculture and fisheries, energy and Expansion of
Indonesia’s Economic
education will then be worth 1.8 trillion US dollars (1.3
Development
trillion euros), attracting a flood of domestic and foreign
investors. Economic Corridors
An important part of the MP3EI is the
By 2025 at the latest, Indonesia is expected to finally development of economic corridors in
join the group of developed countries. According to the Indonesia based on the potentials and
advantages inherent to each region.
government’s long-term programme Masterplan for Allowing for the potential and
Acceleration and Expansion, the average income per strategic roles of each major island,
capita will rise to USD 15,500 from the current USD six economic corridors have been
identified:
3,592, and the economy will grow close to USD 4.5
Sumatra Centre for production and
trillion from its current USD 878 billion. In the meantime, processing of natural resources and
billions are being invested in strategic sectors such as raw the nation’s energy reserves
materials, food, transport, tourism and infrastructure in Java Driver for national industry and
chosen corridors. This includes the 2,700-kilometre-long service provision
Trans-Sumatra Motorway, which from 2025 will connect Kalimantan Centre for production
the 10 provinces of Sumatra, a region rich in natural and processing of national mining and
energy reserves
resources, and the 27-kilometre-long Sunda Strait bridge,
Sulawesi Centre for production and
which includes the world’s longest suspension bridge, processing of national agricultural,
between the islands of Java and Sumatra, a project plantation, fishery, oil and gas and
costing some USD 10 billion. mining
Bali - Nusa Tenggara Gateway for
tourism and national food support
The perspective is boggling. But the path from an
economy based on raw materials and agriculture to an Papua - Moluccas Centre for
development of food, fisheries,
industrial and service economy with high added value energy and national mining
is full of hazards. One of the greatest challenges is the
education system. A qualified workforce is necessary if
metalworking world  29
Indonesia is to build new airports, set up car factories
The Mount
and invest in IT and high-value raw materials instead of Papandayan
exporting coal, palm oil, copper and nickel. Today no volcanic crater.
more than 164 engineers are trained per 1 million
inhabitants, less than half the ratio of Malaysia and
Vietnam. “By 2025 we will have an engineering crisis,”
warns economy minister Hatta Rajasa.
The explosion has also affected the uneven economic
advantages in the society and between regions. Since
2000, the share of the population living below the poverty
line has fallen from almost 20 percent to just over 12
percent. But income distribution has gone in the opposite
direction, unlike in most neighbouring countries.
Indonesia has the region’s lowest social spending, at
just 1.1 percent, according to the Asian Development
Bank, which warns that social unrest may become a
barrier to growth.
The coming two years will be critical. In April 2014,
Indonesia will hold presidential elections, determining
forthcoming economic policies. At the end of 2015, a
Southeast Asian common market is due to be created,
allowing free movement of capital, goods, services and
labour – with Indonesia potentially a big winner. n

Indonesian Global Indonesia’s

Chew-Kong Pang, production or production share of
Sandvik Coromant, reserves (R) or reserves (R) total
South-East Asia.
Coal 237.4 million tonnes 3,845.3 million tonnes 6.2 %
Coalbed methane 13 trillion cubic metres 213 trillion cubic metres 6.0 %
Cocoa 0.48 million tonnes 3.96 million tonnes 12.2 %
Coffee 8.25 million bags 131.25 million bags 6.3 %
Crude oil 942,000 barrels per day 83,576,000 barrels per day 1.1 %
Gas 71.1 billion cubic metres 3363.9 billion cubic metres 2.1 %
Geothermal energy 27,510 MW (R) 68,775 MW (R) 40.0 %
Gold 97 tonnes 2,700 tonnes 3.6 %
Palm oil 23.9 million tonnes 48.9 million tonnes 48.9 %
Rice 65.4 million tonnes 672.0 million tonnes 9.7 %
Rubber (natural) 3.01 million tonnes* 10.97 million tonnes* 27.4 %
Tea 0.14 million tonnes 4.20 million tonnes 2.8 %
Sandvik Coromant expanding in Indonesia
* Number only includes members of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam,
Sandvik Coromant is investing “aggressively” in Indonesia China, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Cambodia).
because of its fast growth, says Chew-Kong Pang,Sandvik Source: Indonesia Investments
Coromant South-East Asia, responsible for Indonesia.
A five-year plan is in place, which includes Sandvik By 2025 Indonesia
Coromant moving to new premises next year. will join the group of
“We are setting up a technology centre,” says Pang, “and developed countries.
we plan to purchase two machines so we can demonstrate to
our customers. We will also establish training and educational
premises.”
As part of the expansion, Sandvik Coromant will increase
the number of employees from the current 17 to 25 and will
continue to recruit, depending on demand and market
developments.
Established more than 35 years ago, Sandvik Coromant is
a veteran in Indonesia. “Through these years we have been
able to build trust, and today we are one of five to seven leading
tool producers in the market,” says Pang.
An important customer is the auto industry, with both two-
and four-wheel-drive cars as well as trucks. Car manufacturers
are mostly from Japan. All the global manufacturers are present
in the market. “It is not a simple market,” acknowledges Pang.

30  metalworking world

 3

Content
Marketing
Awards
2013
Check out the APP!
If you like Metalworking World magazine,
Best Overall
Design
you are going to love the digital version!

GET YO
FREE A UR
Now i PP!
n Chinese
US En ,
glish
Germ ,
an an
Spani d
s h!
MWW
ipa
is out d 1/14
now

Interactive case stories:

features: More images
Films from around
Animations the world Tech texts:
Links More in-depth
technical
articles

The Metalworking World app is free and can be downloaded to your iPad at the iTunes app store.
metalworking world  31
 text:Susanna Lindgren   photo: Karl Andersson

In league
with giants

Stockholm, Sweden. The small company

Novator AB has developed a unique
technique to drill perfect holes for
securing the wings on Boeing’s
new 787 Dreamliner.

32  metalworking world

 Orbital Drilling is used to overcome
the many problems associated with
composite materials.

Novator AB
The invention of Orbital
Drilling originated from
a research project
involving SAAB
Aerospace and the
Swedish Royal Institute
of Technology, where
the founder, Dr Ingvar
Eriksson, was an
assistant professor. The
mission was to find out
what effect the quality
of drilled holes had on
the strength and
durability of fibre
composites. A
nnn Swedish Novator is a really small, specialized Dreamliner. Just imagine the forces applied to the wings reference hole without
company with one primary target product – precision during landing.” Andersson shows exactly where on the delaminations and
drilling in complex materials for the aerospace industry. centre wing box the wings are fastened and where some burrs resulted in the
first patent related to
Still, it is able to provide Boeing, the world’s largest 400 holes are drilled for each plane.
Orbital Drilling. Around
aircraft manufacturer in 2012 in terms of sales, with “Aeroplanes are such huge constructions and the
2000 Eriksson started
crucial machinery. Although the young, innovative tolerances are so small, making it impossible to pre-drill,” to further develop his
Novator has other giant customers, Andersson says. “These holes have to unique concept and set
Bombardier and Airbus among them, be done in this last phase of the up the company in
the contract with Boeing on machinery assembly process, making it even Spånga, in western
for Novator’s Orbital Drilling more essential that the precision and Stockholm. Novator has
technique for the new Dreamliner is quality meet the standards.” filed and been granted
a major breakthrough, proving the numerous patents and
uniqueness of the technique. The contract with Boeing is a result patent applications
related to Orbital
“I’m sure Boeing would have been of close collaboration with Boeing
Drilling. Today the
more comfortable working with a Research and Technology in Long
world’s three largest
slightly larger company than ours,” Beach, California, in the United aerospace companies
says Novator CEO Hans-Petter States. The Dreamliner has a higher – Boeing, Airbus and
Andersson, “but we are the only ratio of composites than earlier Bombardier – are all on
company in the world that can offer generations of planes. When Boeing the customer list, as
this advanced process to an industry went from aluminium to using more well as Korea
that sets such high standards for Björn Pettersson, head of development at composites, there was a need for new Aerospace and Swiss
quality and precision.” Andersson lifts Novator. A novel technique has made the machinery in the toolbox. One big satellite manufacturer
small company a world leader in its field. Ruag Space. The largest
the small model of the Boeing 787 challenge was to drill precise holes
success to date for the
Dreamliner standing in front of him through a stack of CFRP (carbon-
company and its 14
on the table. fibre-reinforced polymer) and
employees is the
“Our machines are mainly used for titanium – two materials with very contract with Boeing
the wing-to-body joint, which is done different properties. In normal for the Dreamliner, a
in the final assembly line,” he circumstances this would require project that has
explains. “These are among the most several process steps, including potential to extend over
important holes in the whole both drilling and reaming operations. the next 30 years.

metalworking world  33

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Novator: SpångA, SWEDEN
“It is useless to develop
good machines without
the access to good tools.”
Hans-Petter Andersson, CEO, Novator
While Novator has created the machine
concept, Sandvik Coromant has developed end
mills to provide a complete solution for customer
applications in the aerospace industry.
“This cooperation is not only a great
advantage for the end customer who gets a total
solution,” says Lars Lindstedt, business project
manager at Sandvik Coromant. “It has also given
us and Novator a better understanding of how
the machine works and the impact of the cutting
tools – important for further development.”
Orbital Drilling is a machining method in
which the cutting tool moves simultaneously in
the axial and horizontal directions to machine
an opening larger than the tool diameter,
enabling complex drilling and finishing
operations in multiple hole sizes to be
performed with one tool. This is a method that
is successfully used when drilling in composite
and composite stacks.
“That’s a challenge for us,” Linstedt
explains. “We normally develop our tools for
specific types of materials. In this case this
method calls for a tool that can cut through
both CFRP and titanium.”
The cooperation took off in 2011 after
Sandvik Coromant visited the Boeing Research
and Technology Center in the United States.
“We wanted to see if our standard end mills
would work in their Orbital Drilling process,”
Lindstedt says. “The result was not particularly
great, and several visits to Novator followed as
we modified our end mills to optimize the
process.”
Orbital Drilling has several advantages.
Using a smaller tool diameter than the desired
hole results in a cooler machining process,
thanks to an air gap. With low thrust forces,
hole quality is higher. Either dry machining
or minimum-quantity lubrication can be
employed, which is important for CFRP-titani-
um stacks. Since dry drilling eliminates the
need for liquid coolant, it is environmentally
friendly, safer for operators and less costly, as
no cleanup is required. The Orbital Drilling
method results in small chips that are easy to
evacuate, reducing the risk of scratching
surfaces. The result is delamination-free entry
and exit of holes, longer tool life, increased
process security and higher productivity.
 [1] [2]
But with Orbital Drilling the entire cutting process can
be done in a single step. [3] [1] The benefit of Orbital Drilling
“The principle of Orbital Drilling is quite simple,” is that complex operations can be
perfomed with a single tool.
Andersson says. “Picture a normal drill that rotates around
its own shaft, and then add a circular movement. This [2] No liquid coolant is needed,
orbital movement is easy to understand, but, as always, only minimum quantity lubrication
(MQL), when drilling through
the devil is in the details. It has taken time to refine the titanium.
technique to meet the requirements of the aeroplane
industry. It’s not good enough to drill great holes in 90 [3] From left, Björn Pettersson,
Novator, Lars Lindstedt, Sandvik
percent of the cases. It has to succeed 99.9 percent of the Coromant, and Novator CEO
time. That final 10 percent was difficult to achieve.” Hans-Petter Andersson.

[4] The method results in small

Cutting tools that work as efficiently in CFRP as in chips that are easy to evacuate.
titanium are essential to the process, and this is where
[5] From left, Erik Ejdepalm, Simon
Sandvik Coromant comes in. While Novator has fine- Palmgren and Fredrik Holmberg,
tuned the technique in the machines, Sandvik Coromant all engineers at Novator.
has developed and tested new generations of end mills to
refine the cutting process to optimize the result. Initially
the end mills were brought to Novator for test drilling,
measuring, quality checking and tool-life evaluation to
enable adjustments in the process parameters. Since 2012
Sandvik Coromant has had a machine for Novator’s
Orbital Drilling at its R&D Center for Round Tools in
Sheffield in the UK.
“We aim at the biggest players on a market with very
high demands on the products,” says Björn Pettersson,
head of development at Novator. “That’s why we need a [4]
reliable and durable partner. Sandvik Coromant has
acquired a thorough insight into our technology to find the
[5]
very best end mills for the job. For example, end mills
from Sandvik Coromant are often used when making the
largest and most challenging holes.”
In the next generation of machinery for Orbital Drilling,
Sandvik Coromant will play an even more important role.
In some machines Sandvik Coromant’s modular system,
Coromant EH for tool holding, will be integrated with
spider, chuck and shaft in one piece to increase stability.
“Sandvik Coromant is not only a tool provider, it’s also
a partner – and a very important one,” says Andersson.
“It is useless to develop good machines without access to
good tools.”
The implementation of the unique Orbital Drilling
technique on the 787 Dreamliner was presented by Boeing
Research and Technology at the international SAE
Aerotech Congress and Exhibition in Montreal, Canada, in
September 2013, which gathered experts in aerospace
from all over the world. Another feather in the cap for
Novator. n

metalworking world  35

technology
text: turkka kulmala image: borgs
High volumes, stringent quality
requirements, special solutions
demanded by the form of the
workpiece and specialized methods
make crankshaft machining the
“premier league” of metalcutting
in the automotive industry.
In the
premier league
The purpose of the crankshaft in an internal combustion
engine is to convert the reciprocal motion of the pistons
into rotary movement. The operation entails violent
accelerations and decelerations in combination with high
bending and torsional torques as well as vibration
impulses. This results in very high and variable stresses.
The extreme stresses necessitate careful design and
calculations, adequate materials and consistent production
processes. The stresses are concentrated at the fillet radii
between bearing journals and webs and at the oil holes,
calling for special attention to the machining of these areas.
Today’s market requires car makers to introduce smaller
engines while providing increased power and speed, which
further increases the loads and stresses on a crankshaft. As
a result, manufacturers are constantly looking for tougher
materials for these components, often involving higher
alloyed metals.n
36  metalworking world
Nodular cast iron is the standard
material for engines at the lower end of
the loading spectrum, typically petrol
engines, while costlier alloyed steel
forgings are used for high-powered
engines, including most diesel engines.
The steel grades applied in crankshafts
typically undergo various heat treatments
such as quenching and tempering. In
specialized high-end applications,
A straightforward way to machine
the shaft ends and bearing journals is
simply to turn them in a conventional lathe
or turning centre. This obviously requires
sufficient clearance from the tool holder to
reach eccentric journal surfaces. The
advantages of this approach include the
possibility of using standard machines,
tools and inserts to achieve high flexibility
and low costs.
A combination of turning and turn
broaching in a specialized machine offers
a way to machine the bearings at the
centre line of a crankshaft. Both the rough-
ing and finishing inserts can be set in a
including racing cars, the crankshaft may
be machined directly from a round bar.
Because of the constraints described
above, crankshaft machining is one of the
most demanding mass-production
metalcutting operations in existence.
Crankshaft production lines are also the
biggest cemented carbide consumers in
the entire car manufacturing process.
single disc tool to machine a specific
shape from start to finish in a single
stroke. Further advantages include
repeatable precision, good surface quality,
close tolerances, long tool lives, a high
utilization rate for the machine due to
infrequent tool changes, and short
machining times. A disadvantage of turn
broaching is the higher cost due to
specialized machines and tools as well
as the large number of inserts. A more
specialized turning approach is to use
a multi-tooth insert to achieve a
cost-competitive operation with small
chips and get rid of broaching.
The overall goals for crankshaft
machining, regardless of the method,
include small chips, long tool life, short
cycle times and high product quality.
Crankshafts are typically mass-
produced on a line of several dedicated
machines. The single setup approach,
External and internal milling
operations represent yet another
method required especially by the
eccentric bearings. A disc-type milling
cutter with insert segments is a particularly
attractive option when the counter-
weights have a lot of stock to be cut away.
Sandvik Coromant has more than 40 years
of experience with these applications.
Together with oil hole drilling, milling
however, is also possible in specialized
turnkey projects, such as racing car
engines and ship diesels.
operations account for the biggest carbide
consumption in crankshaft production.
With typical hole lengths of 20 x
diameter, the oil holes of a crankshaft
constitute a demanding machining task.
The tools used most often include gun
drills and spiral solid carbide drills with
mist lubrication. High-quality finishing is
required, due to the potential of creating
stress concentrations around the holes.
Crankshaft
competence centre
“Out of the several hundred cutting tool
producers around the world, there are
only half a dozen capable of providing
tools for crankshaft machining,” says
Stefan Knecht, global solutions
manager at Sandvik Coromant’s
Crankshaft Competence Center in
Düsseldorf, Germany. “Even fewer have
truly driven the technology develop-
ment in this segment. Sandvik
Coromant is one of them.”
The competence centre works
globally with OEMs and machine tool
builders and has projects in some 20
countries. Emerging markets are
expanding in this industry, particularly
in China, where the centre recently
opened a new branch.
Summary
Crankshaft manufacturing is one of the most demanding
areas of automotive machining. Key requirements
common to all methods include small chips, long tool life,
short cycle times and high product quality.
metalworking world  37
 the final note
text: henrik emilson photo: solar impulse

38  metalworking world

Take this
flight tonight
With a 63-metre wingspan, equal to that of a
jumbo jet, but weighing no more than your average
car, the Solar Impulse is truly a strange bird.
Solar-powered aircraft have been around since
the 1980s, but the Solar Impulse aims to be the first
solar-powered plane to circumnavigate the globe,
flying both day and night. The goal is to fly around
the world in 2015, but already the Swiss team has
travelled between Belgium and France in 2011, from
Europe to Morocco in 2012 and across the United
States in 2013.
The carbon-fibre one-seat aircraft is equipped
with 12,000 photovoltaic cells that can run the four
electrically driven propellers while simultaneously
charging the lithium-polymer batteries needed for
night flights. The new techniques and design are
making aviation and engineering history.
“The Solar Impulse was not built to carry
passengers, but rather messages,” says founder
Bertrand Piccard. “Our primary objective was to
show that today’s technological innovations can
achieve incredible things, like flying day and night
powered only by solar energy without using any fuel
or producing polluting emissions. It’s an experimental
journey to inspire others to be pioneers and
innovators in their everyday lives.” n
metalworking world  39
 © AB Sandvik Coromant 2014:1
Print n:o C-5000:574 ENG/01
Inveio™
Uni-directional crystal orientation

New GC4325 for steel turning

Performance beyond
what the eye can see
The first insert grade featuring Inveio™

An innovation at the atomic level has changed the face

of metalcutting. The finely controlled structure of its
coating guarantees that GC4325 shows longer tool
life and more reliable wear in the widest range of steel
turning applications.

It redefines the performance possibilities of ISO P25

and is everything you ever needed in a single insert.

Outstanding predictability Superior endurance Redefining ISO P25

We even use X-rays to ensure Keeps your machine The widest steel turning
optimum quality standards running at the maximum application

See the whole story at:

www.sandvik.coromant.com/gc4325