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Within the die andmould makingindustry the develop-ment has been strongthe last years. Machinetools and cutting toolsget more and moresophisticated every
day and can performapplications at a speed and accuracy noteven thought of ten years ago. TodayCAD/CAM is very common and tomachine with so called HSM (High SpeedMachining) it is a necessity.
To manufacture a die or mould, manydifferent cutting tools are involved, fromdeep hole drills to the smallest ball noseendmills. In this application guide thewhole process of die and mould makingwill be explained with focus on the machi-ning process and how to best utilise thecutting tools. However, programming of
machine tools, software, workpiece mate-rials, the function of different types of diesand mould will also be explained. First letus take a look at a simplified flowchart tosee what the different stages are in the dieand mould making process.
INTRODUCTION
2
Contents
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DIE CONSTRUCTION WORK FLOW
3
1. Receiving - standard die parts,
steel castings, planning andscheduling
2. Model shop - tooling aideand checking fixtures
3. CAM-room - schedule,exchange reports DNC/CNCprogramme match, layout
4. 2D-machining - shoes, pads,
5. Blocking - die packs, die design
6.
3D-machining -sub-assembled dies
7. Polishing - standard partsand components
8. Tryout - sheet steel material
specifications check fixture.Inspection - Functional buildevaluation, stable metal panelproduct fixture
9. Die completion - die designhandling devices, productionrequirements, inspectionrequirements
10. Feed back - die history book,check list base
11. Shipping
Simplified, the die construction work flow can be explained as inthe illustration below.
1
2
10
3
4
5
8
7
6
10
9
11
10
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4
When a tool has to be made, for instance,to a hood of a car you do not make onepress tool and the material for the hoodgoes in on one side, gets pressed and comes
out finished on the other side. It is oftencomplicated shapes, geometries, which hasto be pressed, with different radii and cavi-ties, to close tolerances. To do this thematerial for the hood has to be pressed inseveral press tools where a small change inthe shape is made each time. It is not unusualthat up to 10 different steps are needed tomake a complete component.
There are 5 basic types of dies and moulds;pressing dies, casting dies, forging dies, in-jection moulds and compression moulds.
Pressing dies are for cold-forming of, forinstance, automobile panels with complexshapes. When producing a bonnet for a carmany pressing dies are involved performingdifferent tasks from shaping to cutting andflanging the component. As mentioned
earlier there can be over 10 different stepsin completing a component. The dies areusually made of a number of componentsnormally made of alloyed grey cast-iron.However, these materials are not suitablefor trim dies with sharp cutting edges forcutting off excessive material after thecomponent has been shaped. For this pur-pose an alloyed tool steel is used, often cast.
Example of a chain of process within theautomotive industry1. Blank die to cut out blanks from coiled
material.2.
Draw die to shape the blank.3. Trim die to cut off excessive material.4. Flange die to make the initial bend for
flanges.5. Cam flange die to bend the flanges
further inside.
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Material properties especially influencingmachinability are:
Surface hardness - to resist abrasive andadhesive wear
High content of carbides - to resistabrasive wear Toughness/ductility - to resist chipping
and breakage
Dies and moulds for hot work such as diecasting and forging are used for manufac-turing of for instance engine blocks. Thesedies and moulds are exposed to a numberof demanding conditions of which the
following are particularly critical for themachinability of the tool material.
Hot hardness - to resist plastic defor-mation and erosion
Temperature resistance - to resistsoftening at high temperature
Ductility/toughness - to resist fatiguecracking
Hot yield strength - to resist heat checking
Moulds for plastic materials include in-jection, compression, blow and extrusionmoulds. Factors that influnence the machina-bility in a plastic mould steel are:
Hardness Toughness/ductility Homogenity of microstructure
and hardness
Die and mould materialThe materials described and used as refe-rence-material in this guide are mainlyfrom the steel manufacturer Uddeholm,
with a cross reference list at the end ofthe chapter.
A substantial proportion of productioncosts in the die and mould industry isinvolved in machining, as large volumes ofmetal are generally removed. The finisheddie/mould is also subjected to strict geo-metrical- and surface tolerances.
Many different tool steels are used to pro-duce dies and moulds. In forging and diecasting the choice is generally hot-worktool steels that can withstand the relativelyhigh working temperatures involved.Plastic moulds for thermoplastics andthermosets are sometimes made from cold-work tool steel. In addition, some stainlesssteels and grey cast iron are used for diesand moulds. Typical in-service hardness is
in the range of 32 - 58 HRC for die andmould material.
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Hot work materialHot work material is typically used for: Die casting Forging Extrusion
When a die casting die is hardened andtempered, some warpage or distortion
normally occurs. This distortion is usuallygreater at higher temperature. This is wellknown, and it is normal practice to leavesome machining allowance on the die priorto hardening. This makes it possible toadjust the die to the correct dimensionafter hardening and tempering by finishmachining or grinding.
Distortion of the material can take place
because of machining stresses. This typeof stress is generated during machiningoperations such as milling and grinding.If stresses have built up in a part, they willbe released during heating. Heating releasesstresses, created through local distortionwhich in turn can lead to overall distor-tion. In order to reduce distortion whileheating during the hardening process, astress relieving operation can be carried
out. It is recommended that the materialbe stress relieved after rough machining.
Any distortion can be adjusted during finemachining, prior to quenching. The size ofthe die or mould often decides the hardnessof it, small moulds are 50 - 52 HRC and bigones are 45 - 48 HRC.
The amount of non-metallic inclusions and
the hardness of the steel are some factors thathave great influence on the machinability.
Typical failure mechanisms of hot worksteels are:Heat checkingHot wearPlastic deformationCrackingCorrosion
Optimum properties of the steel is:Good hot hardnessGood tempering resistanceLow thermal expansionGood toughness and ductilityGood thermal conductivity
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7
The Uddeholm steel grades for hot work are:Alvar 14Orvar 2MOrvar Supreme
Vidar SupremeQRO 90 SupremeHotvarDievar
As the performance of the die casting diecan be improved by lowering the impurities,i.e. sulphur and oxygen, all the hot work toolsteels are produced with extremely lowsulphur and oxygen levels.
The optimum structure for machining is auniform distribution of well spheroidizedcarbides in a soft annealed ferritic structurewith as low hardness as possible. The manu-
facturing process gives a homogeneousstructure and a hardness of approximately180 HB. The steels are characterised by avery uniform machinability.
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Cold work steelsCold work steels are used for: Blanking & shearing Cold forming Cold extrusion Cold forging Cold rolling
Powder pressing
If all areas where cold work tools are used,such as automotive, paper and pulp, generalmachining etc., the automotive industryamount to 40% of the total usage and isby far the largest segment. Within theautomotive industry the cold work toolsare mostly used for trimming tools. Otherapplication areas are low-alloyed steel for
holders and high alloyed steel for punchesand dies.
Typical failure mechanisms in cold workapplications are:(1) Abrasive wear(2) Plastic deformation(3) Chipping/cracking(4) Galling (built up edge)
The biggest problem with cold work isabrasive wear (scratching particles) andadhesive wear (micro-welds).
Adhesive wear is especially common onstainless steels in the automotive industrywhere a lot of components such as exhaustpipes and mufflers are made in stainlessmaterial.
Pressing tool for components to electrical stoves
Automotive
Mechanical engineering
Houshold appliances
Pulp and paper
Building
Electronics
Abrasive wear
Cracking
Built up edge
Chipping
Plastic deformation
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To come to terms with the abrasive wear,the carbon and chromium content can beincreased, however the material becomesmuch tougher to machine and wears heavily
on the cutting tools.
The steels for cold work have a highcarbon content and can be hardened to avery high hardness and as the alloy contentand hardness goes up the machinability
goes down, which will be explained in themachinability section in this chapter.
Short production series
Medium series
Long series
Arne 54 - 62 HRCGrane 54 - 58 HRC
Calmax 54 - 58 HRC
Rigor 56 - 62 HRC
Sverker 21 56 - 61 HRC
Sverker 3 56 - 62 HRC
Vanadis 4 56 - 62 HRC
Vanadis 6 58 - 63 HRC
Vanadis 10 60 - 64 HRC
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Cold work steels from Uddeholm are:ArneCalmax/CarmoRigor
Sverker 21Sverker 3Vanadis 23Vanadis 4Vanadis 6Vanadis 10
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Plastic segmentMoulds for plastic are used for a widevariety of products, for instance, in average11% of the total weight of a car is plastic
material and much of it is produced byplastic injection moulding. Another largesegment is the electronic industry, whichconstantly changes the models on televisionsets, computers and mobile phones, tomention some products.
A wide range of cavity sizes and shapes areproduced by the die and mould industrywhen producing plastic components. Radii
of 0.25 - 3 mm are typical in such cavitiesand many moulds require taper angles inthe range of 0.5 - 5 degrees to allow thewithdrawal of components. The dimensionalaccuracy required can be down to plus/minus 5 microns and the positional accuracyof cavities of same order to ensure nomismatch between mating faces in a dieset. Surface finish values of Ra 1 micronand less is necessary in many cases.
The steel types most commonly used inmouldmaking are; prehardened mould- andholder steels, through hardening mouldsteels and corrosion resistant mould steels.
Prehardened mould- and holder steel aremostly used for large moulds, moulds withlow demands on wear and high strengthholder plates.
Through-hardened steels are used for longproduction runs, to resist abrasion fromfilling agent, and additives in the plastic andto counter high closing or injection pressures.
Corrosion resistant mould steels are usedif a mould is likely to be exposed to acorrosion risk, then a stainless steel isstrongly recommended. Plastic moulds
can be affected by corrosion in severalways. Plastic materials can produce corro-
sive by-products, e.g. PVC, corrosion alsoleads to reduced cooling efficiency whenwater channels become corroded or com-
pletely blocked. Condensation caused byprolonged production stoppages, humidity,aggressive gases, acid, cooling/heatingwater, flow rate, plastic material or storageconditions often lead to corrosion.
It is important to have good surface finishin the cooling holes not to get corrosion,which can make the whole mould crack.The threads where the cooling hoses are
connected must also be made correct toprevent that corrosion occurs with acracked mould as a result.
Criterias for mould steel selection Moulding method Plastic material Mould size Number of shots Surface finish
The mouldmaker is primarily interested inthe machinability of the steel, its polishabi-lity, heat treatment and treatment properties.The moulder is looking for a mould withgood wear and corrosion resistance, highcompressive strength etc.
All aspects has to be taken into account,however, good uniform machinability is of
outmost importance considering that thecost of machining accounts for a largeamount of the total cost of manufacturinga mould.
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12
Uddeholm grades for plastic materials are:
Holdax
Impax SupremeRamaxOrvar SupremeGrane
Example of material and hardness for different lengths of production series
Calmax
Stavax ESRCorraxElmaxVanadis 4
For long runs > 1 000 000
For medium runs100 000-1 000 000 shots
For short runs < 100 000 shots
High hardness steel should be used 48 - 65 HRC,Calmax, Grane, Orvar Supreme, Stavax ESR,Corrax, Rigor, Vanadis 4, Elmax
Pre-hardened steel should be used 30 - 45 HRC,Impax Suprece, Ramax
Soft annealed steel of aluminium should be used160-250 HBCalmax, Gran, Alumec
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VANADIS 10
VANADIS 6
ELMAX
SVERKER 3
VANADIS 23
VANADIS 4
CORRAX
SVERKER 21
IMPAX SUPHOLDAX
RAMAX S
RIGOR
GRANE
CHIPPER
CARMO
CALMAXHOTVAR
ARNE
DIEVAR
UHB 11
STAVAX ESR
ORVAR SUP
QRO 90 SUP
FORMAX
14
Requirement
Favourable impact strengthand good polishability
Good wear resistance
Avoid subsequent heattreatment
Material properties
High purity
Hard carbides in steel matrix
High delivery hardness
Influence on machinability
Poor chip breaking
Considerable tool wear
High cutting edge tempera-ture, high tool wear
Machinability in different tool steels, facemilling whith carbide inserts
Go
od
Machinability
Low
0 100 200 300 400 500Cutting speed Vc m/min
Machinability in Tools Steels
Face Milling with Carbide
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Material for prototypes and short seriesALUMEC has an excellent machinabilityalso with high cutting speed, which leadsto lower mould cost and shorter delivery
time. This also makes ALUMEC suitablefor production of prototypes as well.
ALUMEC is a high-tensile aluminiumalloy that is produced in the form of hot-rolled, heat-treated plate. It is subjected toa special cold-stretching process for maxi-
mum stress relief. Because of its highstrength and good stability, ALUMEChas achieved widespread use within the
mechanical engineering industry. Thecharacteristics and advantages offered byALUMEC make it an ideal material forshort and medium-long series, which arenot subjected to very high compressiveforces, or for abrasive plastics.
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16
Cold work steels
ARNE
VANADIS 23
VANADIS 30
VANADIS 60
CARMO/CALMAX
CHIPPER /VIKING
FERMO
RIGOR
SVERKER 3
SVERKER 21
VANADIS 10
VANADIS 4
VANADIS 6
Hot work steel
HOTVAR
ALVAR 14ORVAR 2 M
ORVAR SUPREME
QRO 90 SUPREME
VIDAR SUPREME
DIEVAR
Mould steel
ELMAX
GRANE
IMPAX SUPREME
OPTIMAX
RAMAX S
STAVAX ESR
CORRAX
Holder steel
FORMAX
HOLDAX
UHB 11
DF-2
ASP-23
ASP-30
ASP-60
/635H/635
VIKING
-
XW-10
XW-5
XW-41
VANADIS 0
VANADIS 4
VANADIS 6
-
-8402
8407
QRO 90
-
-
ELMAX
-
718 SUPREME
-
168
STAVAX ESR s-136
-
-
HOLDAX
760
02.1
03.11
03.11
03.11
-
-
-
-
-
-03.11/03.22
03.11/03.22
-
02.1
-
01.2
01.2
2140
2725
2726
2727
-
-
2260
-
2312
2310
-
-
-
-
-2242
2242
-
-
-
2250
-
2314
-
2314
-
(2172)
-
1650/1672
1.2510
1.3344
(1.3204)
1.3241
1.2358
(1.2631)
-
1.2379
1.2436
1.2379
-
-
-
-
1.27141.2344
1.2344
-
1.2343
-
-
(1.2721)
1.2738
(1.2083)
-
(1.2083)
-
-
1.2312
1.1730
O1
M3 Class 2
-
-
-
-
A2
D6
D2
-
-
-
H13
H13
-
H11
-
-
(L6)
(P20)
-
-
-
-
-
4140
1148
Uddeholm grades SandvikCoromantCMC
ASSAB SwedenSS
GermanyW.-No
USAAISI/ASTM
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SKS3
-
-
-
SKD12
(SKD2)
SKD11
-
SKD4ModSKD61
SKD61
SKD7Mod
SKD6
-
-
SUS420
SUS420
-
-
90MWCV5
Z120WDCV06-05-04-03
ASP30
ASP60
Z100CDV5
Z210CW121
Z160 (CDV12)
-
-
-
-
Z5NCDV7Z40CDV5
Z40CDV5
Z38CDV5
-
-
-
-
40CMND8
-
Z30C17
Z40C13
-
-
40CMD8+S
XC48
95MnWCr5KU
HS6-5-3
-
-
-
-
-
X155CrMoV51KU
X25CRW121KU
X155CrVMo121KU
-
-
-
-
56NiCrMo7KUX40CrMoV511KU
X40CrMoV511KU
-
-
-
-
-
X41Cr13KU
-
-
-
-
-
F-5220
F-5605
-
-
-
-
-
F-5227
F-5213
F-5219
-
-
-
-
F-5307F-5310
F-5318
-
F-5317
-
-
F-5305
F-5303
-
-
-
-
-
F-5304
F-1142
VND
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
VC131
VD2
-
-
-
-
VMOVH13
VH13
-
VPCW
-
-
VCO
VP20
VC150
VP420IM
VC150
-
-
-
JapanJIS
FranceANFOR
ItalyUNI
SpainUNE
Brazil
B01
-
-
-
-
BA2
B06
BD2
-
-
-
BH13
BH13
BH11
-
-
UKBS
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HOTVARHOTVAR is a highperformance molyb-denum-vanadium
alloyed hot-work toolsteel which is charac-terised by high hotwear resistance, verygood high temperature
properties, high resistance to thermal fatigue,very good temper resistance and thermalconductivity. The steel is suitable forapplications where hot wear and/or plasticdeformation are the dominating failure
mechanisms. Suitable applications areWarm forging dies and punches, rollingsegments in roll forging, hot bending toolsand zinc die casting dies.
DIEVARDIEVAR is a high performance chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed hot worksteel which offers a very good resistance toheat checking, gross cracking, hot wear and
plastic deformation. The steel is characteri-sed by excellent ductility in all directions,good temper resistance and good high-temperature strength. DIEVAR is suitablefor die casting, forging and extrusion tools.
CORRAXCORRAX is a precipitation hardeningsteel with exceptionally good corrosionresistance.
Compared with conventional corrosionresistant tool steel, CORRAX has someadvantages, flexible hardness 32-50 HRc,achieved by an ageing treatment, extremelygood dimensional stability during ageing,high uniformity of properties also for largedimensions, good weldability and no hardwhite layer after EDM.
ALUMECALUMEC is a high-tensile aluminiumalloy that is produced in the form of hot-rolled, heat-treated plate. It is subjected toa special cold-stretching process for maxi-mum stress relief. Because of its highstrength and good stability, ALUMEC hasachieved widespread use within the
mechanical engineering industry. The cha-racteristics and advantages offered byALUMEC make it an ideal material forshort and medium-long series, which arenot subjected to very high compressiveforces, or for abrasive plastics.
ALUMEC has an excellent machinabilityi.e. high cutting speed, which leads tolower mould cost and shorter delivery
time. This also makes ALUMEC suitablefor production of prototypes as well.
ORVAR SUPREMEORVAR SUPREME is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium-alloyed steel,which is characterised by:
High level of resistance to thermal shockand thermal fatigue
Good high-temperature strength Excellent toughness and ductility in alldirections
Good machinability and polishability Excellent through-hardening properties Good dimensional stability during
hardening.
DESCRIPTION OF UDDEHOLM MATERIAL
Typicalanalysis %
Deliverycondition
Solution treated to ~34 HRC
C0,03
Si0,3
Mn0,3
Cr12,0
Ni9,2
Mo1,4
Al1,6
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ORVAR SUPREME is suitable for diecasting dies, tools for hot pressing andextrusion.
Good corrosion resistance Good polishability Good wear resistance Good machinability
Good stability in hardening.
STAVAX ESR is suitable for all types ofplastic moulding tools.
QRO 90 SUPREMEQRO 90 SUPREME is a high-performance,chromium-molybdenum-vanadium-alloyed hot-work tool steel which ischaracterised by:
Excellent high temperature strength andhot hardness
Very good temper resistance Unique resistance to thermal fatigue Excellent thermal conductivity Good toughness and ductility in longi-
tudinal and transverse directions Uniform machinability Good heat treatment properties.
QRO 90 SUPREME is suitable for diecasting- and extrusion dies and associatedtooling as well as forging dies.
STAVAX ESRSTAVAX ESR is a premium grade stainlesstool steel with the following properties:
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
Premium AISI H13, W.-Nr. 1.2344
Soft annealed to approx. 180 HB
C0,39
Si1,0
Mn0,4
Cr5,2
Mo1,4
V0,9
Typical
analysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
None. Product is covered by patentworld wide
Soft annealed to approx. 180 HB
C
0,38
Si
0,30
Mn
0,75
Cr
2,6
Mo
2,25
V
0,9
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI 420, modified
Soft annealed to approx. 200 Brinell
C0,38
Si0,9
Mn0,5
Cr13,6
V0,3
OPTIMAXThe rapid development in the high-techarea is putting higher and higher demandson the tool steel. Surface finishes, whichhave not been possible to achieve withordinary tool steel, are required. Forthese extreme requirements OPTIMAXhas proven to be the right choice.Characteristics found in OPTIMAX are:
Excellent polishability Good corrosion resistance Good wear resistance Good machinability Good stability in hardening.
OPTIMAX is suitable for applicationswhere extreme surfaces are required suchas lens moulds, moulds for compact discsand moulds for medical applications.
Typicalanalysis %
Delivertycondition
Soft annealed to approx. 200 HB
C0,38
Si0,9
Mn0,5
Cr13,6
V0,3
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HOLDAXHOLDAX is a vacuum-degassedchromium- molybdenum alloyed steelthat is supplied in hardened and temperedcondition.
HOLDAX is characterised by: Excellent machinability Good resistance to indentation Uniform hardness in all dimensions.
HOLDAX is suitable for holders/bolstersfor plastic moulds and die casting dies,plastic and rubber moulds, support platesand constructional parts.
ELMAXELMAX is a high chromium-vanadium-molybdenum alloyed PM steel with thefollowing characteristics:
High wear resistance High compressive strength Corrosion resistance Very good dimensional stability.
High wear resistance is normally connectedwith low corrosion resistance and viceversa. In ELMAX it has however beenable to achieve this unique combination of
properties by a powder-metallurgy-basedproduction method. ELMAX is suitablefor plastic moulding.
Typicalanalysis %
Deliverycondition
Soft annealed approx. 240 Brinell
C1,7
Si0,8
Mn0,3
Cr18,0
Mo1,0
V3,0
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI 4130-35 improved
Hardened and tempered to 290-330 HB
C0,40
Si0,4
Mn1,5
S0,07
Cr1,9
Mo0,2
RAMAX SRAMAX S is a chromium alloyed stainlessholder steel, which is supplied in the har-dened and tempered condition.
RAMAX S is characterised by: Excellent machinability Good corrosion resistance Uniform hardness in all dimensions Good indentation resistance.
RAMAX S is suitable for holders/bolstersfor plastic moulds.
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
(AISI 420 F)
Hardened and tempered to ~ 340 HB
C0,33
Si0,35
Mn1,35
Cr16,7
S0,12
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FORMAXFORMAX is a low carbon steel that canbe supplied as hot-rolled or fine-machined
condition.
FORMAX is characterised by: Good machinability Easy to flame-cut Good mechanical strength Can be case hardened Good weldability.
FORMAX is suitable for bolsters, punch
holders, die holders, backing plates, guideplates, support plates, jigs, fixtures andconstructional parts.
CALMAXCALMAX is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium-alloyed steel characterised by:
High toughness Good wear resistance Good through hardening properties Good dimensional stability in hardening Good polishability Good weldability Good flame- and induction hardenability.
CALMAX is suitable for both cold workand plastic applications.
Typicalanalysis %
Deliverycondition
Soft annealed approx. 200 HB
C0,6
Si0,35
Mn0,8
Cr4,5
Mo0,5
V0,2
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Delivery
condition
(W.-Nr. 10050,SS 2172)
Hot rolled.
Hardness approx. 170 HB
C0,18
Si0,3
Mn1,4
VANADIS 4VANADIS 4 is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium-alloyed PM steel, which ischaracterised by:
High wear resistance High compressive strength Very good through-hardening properties Very good toughness Excellent dimensional stability after
hardening and tempering Good resistance to tempering back.
VANADIS 4 is suitable for applications
where adhesive wear and/or chipping aredominating problems such as blanking andforming, cold extrusion tooling, powderpressing, deep drawing and knives.
Typicalanalysis %
Delivertycondition
Soft annealed to approx. 235 HB
C1,5
Si1,0
Mn0,4
Cr8,0
Mo1,5
V4,0
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VANADIS 6VANADIS 6 is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed PM steel which ischaracterised by:
Very high abrasive-adhesive wearresistance
High compressive strength Good toughness Very good dimensional stability at heat
treatment and in service Very good through-hardening properties Good resistance to tempering back High cleanliness
VANADIS 6 is suitable for long run toolingof work materials where mixed (abrasive-adhesive) or abrasive wear and/or chipping/cracking and/or plastic deformation aredominating failure mechanisms. Such asblanking, powder pressing, plastic mouldsand tooling subjected to abrasive wearconditions.
VANADIS 10 is suitable for very long runtooling where abrasive wear is the domina-ting problem for example blanking andforming, gasket stamping, deep drawing,
cold forging slitting knives, powder pressingextruder screws etc.
VANADIS 23VANADIS 23 is a chromium-molybde-num- tungsten-vanadium alloyed highspeed steel PM, which is characterised by:
High wear resistance (abrasive profile) High compressive strength Very good through-hardening properties Good toughness Very good dimensional stability on heat
treatment Very good temper resistance.
VANADIS 23 is suitable for blanking andforming of thinner work materials such asblanking of medium to high carbon steels,blanking of harder materials such as harde-ned or cold rolled strip steels, plasticmould tooling subjected to abrasive wearcondition etc.
Typicalanalysis %
Delivertycondition
Soft annealed to approx. 280-310 HB
C2,9
Si1,0
Mn0,5
Cr8,0
Mo1,5
V9,8
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
(AISI M3:2/W.-Nr 1.3344)
Soft annealed to approx. 260 HB
C1,28
Cr4,2
M05,0
W6,4
V3,1
Typicalanalysis %
Deliverycondition
Soft annealed to approx. 255 HB
C2,1
Si1,0
Mn0,4
Cr6,8
Mo1,5
V5,4
VANADIS 10VANADIS 10 is a chromium-molybde-num-vanadium-alloyed PM steel, which ischaracterised by:
Extremely high abrasive wear resistance High compressive strength Very good through-hardening properties Good toughness Very good stability in hardening Good resistance to tempering back.
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ALVAR 14ALVAR 14 is a chromium-nickel-molyb-denum-vanadium-alloyed steel, which ischaracterised by:
Good toughness Good resistance to high thermal stresses Good stability in hardening Good through-hardening properties.
ALVAR 14 is suitable for hot workingtools such as support parts for extrusiontooling, hot forging tools, dies for tin, leadand zinc alloys and tools for hot shearing.
ARNEARNE general-purpose oil-hardening toolsteel is a versatile manganese-chromium-tungsten steel suitable for a wide variety ofcold-work applications.
Its main characteristics include: Good machinability Good dimensional stability in hardening A good combination of high surface
hardness and toughness after hardeningand tempering. These characteristicscombine to give a steel suitable for themanufacture of tooling with good tool-life and production economy.
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
W.-Nr. 1.2714, DIN 56 NiCrMoV7
1. Soft annealed to max. 250 HB.2. Hardened and tempered to 330-400 HB
(36-43 HRC; 1100-1350 N/mm2).
C0,5
Si0,3
Mn0,7
Cr1,1
Ni1,7
Mo0,5
V0,1
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI o1, W.-Nr. 1.2510
C0,95
Mn1,1
Cr0,6
W0,6
V0,1
GRANEGRANE is a Chromium-Nickel-Molybdenum-alloyed steel, which is cha-racterised by:
High toughness
High hardness Good stability in hardening High resistance to wear Good polishing properties Good machinability.
GRANE is suitable for moulds in the plasticindustry and for a wide variety of heavy-duty tools exposed to severe pressure,shock loading or bending stresses.
Soft annealed approx. 190 HB
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
(L6)
Soft annealed to approx. 230HB.
C0,55
Si0,3
Mn0,5
Cr1,0
Ni3,0
Mo0,3
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SVERKER 3SVERKER 3 is a high-carbon, high-chro-mium tool steel alloyed with tungsten,characterised by:
Highest wear resistance High compressive strength High surface hardness after hardening Good through-hardening properties Good stability in hardening Good resistance to tempering-back.
SVERKER 3 is recommended for applica-tions demanding maximum wear- resistance,such as blanking and shearing tools forthin, hard materials, long-run press tools,forming tools, moulds for ceramics andabrasive plastics.
SVERKER 21SVERKER 21 is a high-carbon, high-chro-mium tool steel alloyed with molybdenumand vanadium characterised by:
High wear resistance High compressive strength Good through-hardening properties High stability in hardening Good resistance to tempering-back.
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RIGORRIGOR is an air- or oil hardening chromi-um-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed toolsteel characterised by:
High stability after hardening High compressive strength
Good hardenability Good wear resistance.
RIGOR is suitable for blanking, punching,trimming tools for forgings and tools forbending, raising, dies and inserts for moul-ding tablets, abrasive plastics etc.
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI A2, BA2, W.-Nr. 1.2363
Soft annealed to approx. 215 HB.
C1,0
Si0,3
Mn0,6
Cr5,3
Mo1,1
V0,2
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI D6, (AISI D3), W.-Nr. 1.2436
Soft annealed to approx. 240 HB
C2,05
Si0,3
Mn0,8
Cr12,5
W1,3
ORVAR 2 MicrodizedORVAR 2 Microdized is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed steel,which is characterised by:
Good resistance to abrasion at both lowand high temperatures
High level of toughness and ductility Uniform and high level of machinability
and polishability Good high-temperature strength and
resistance to thermal fatigue Excellent through-hardening properties Very limited distortion during hardening.
ORVAR 2 M is suitable for plasticmoulding applications and extrusion tools.
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI H13,W.-Nr. 1.12344
Soft annealed to approx. 185 HB.
C0,39
Si1,0
Mn0,4
Cr5,3
Mo1,3
V0,9
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SVERKER 21 is suitable for toolsrequiring very high wear resistance, com-bined with moderate toughness (shock-resistance) for example blanking shearing,
cold extrusion dies, cold-heading tools etc.
UHB 11Uddeholms tool steel UHB 11 is an easymachinable carbon steel characterised by:
Good machinability Fair resistance to abrasion Good mechanical strength
UHB 11 is suitable for punch holders, die
holders, guide plates, backing plates, jigs,fixtures, simple bending dies and simplestructural components.
CARMOCARMO is a high-strength, flame-, induc-tion- and through hardening steel delive-red prehardened to 240-270 HB. The sur-face of the steel can be flame-hardenedwithout water cooling to a hardness of582 HRC. The depth of hardness is nor-mally 4-5 mm and the hardened and tem-pered matrix is a good base for the flame-
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Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Deliverycondition
AISI D2, W.-Nr. 1.2379
Soft annealed to approx. 210 HB.
C1,55
Si0,3
Mn0,4
Cr11,8
Mo0,8
V0,8
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Delivery
condition
AISI 1045
As rolled. Hardness approx. 200 HB
C0,47
Si0,3
Mn0,6
S0.04
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspecicification
Prehardened to 240-270 HB
C0,6
Si0,35
Mn0,8
Cr4,5
Mo0,5
V0,2
hardened layer. The steel can be easilyrepair welded.
CARMO can be used in the flammable-
hardened or in the through hardened con-dition for blanking and forming of bothcar body parts (thin sheet) or structuralparts (thicker sheet).
IMPAX SUPREMEIMPAX SUPREME is a premium-qualityvacuum-degassed Cr-Ni-Mo-alloyed steelthat is supplied in the hardened and tem-pered condition. IMPAX SUPREME ismanufactured to consistently high qualitystandards with a very low sulphur con-tent, giving a steel with the following cha-racteristics:
Good polishing and photo-etchingproperties
Good machinability High purity and good homogeneity Uniform hardness.
IMPAX SUPREME is suitable for injec-tion moulds and extrusion dies for ther-mo-plastics, blow moulds, forming tools,
press brake dies and structural components.
Typicalanalysis %
Standardspec.
Delivery
condition
AISI P20 modified
Hardened and tempered to 290-330 HB
C0,37
Si0,3
Mn1,4
Cr2,0
Ni1,0
Mo0,2
S0,008
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Cast-iron is an iron-carbon alloy with acarbon content ofmostly 2-4% as well as
other elements likesilicon, manganese,phosphorus andsulphur. Corrosionand heat resistance
may be improved with additions of nickel,chromium, molybdenum and copper.Good rigidity, compressive strength andfluidity for cast iron are typical properties.Ductility and strength can be improved by
various treatments, which affect the micro-structure. Cast-iron is specified, not bychemical analysis, but by the respective
mechanical properties. This is partly dueto that the cooling rate affects the cast-ironproperties.
Carbon is presented as carbide-cementiteand as free carbon-graphite. The extentsof these forms depend partly on theamount of other elements in the alloy. Forinstance, a high-silicon cast-iron will bemade up of graphite with hardly anycementite. This is the type known as greyiron. The silicone content usually variesbetween 1-3%. A low amount of siliconewill stabilize carbides and the cast-iron
will be made up dominantly of cementitewith little graphite. This is a hard but weakbrittle type called white iron.
CAST-IRON
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In spite of the silicone content having adecisive influence on the structure, thecooling rate of cast iron in castings is alsoinfluential. Rapid cooling may not leave
enough time for grey iron to form, as thesilicone has not had time to decompose thecementite into the graphite. Varying sec-tional thicknesses in castings affect thecooling rate, affecting the state of carbon.Thick section will solidify into grey ironwhile thin ones will chill into white iron.Hence chilled cast-iron. Modern castingtechniques control analysis, cooling rates,etc. to provide the cast-iron components
with the right graphite structure. Also toprovide chilled parts where needed, forinstance a wear face on a component.Manganese strengthens and toughens cast-iron and is usually present in amounts of0.5-1%.
For this reason, a thin or tapered sectionwill tend to be more white iron because ofthe cooling effect in the mould. Also the
surface skin of the casting is often harder,white iron while underneath is grey iron.
The basic structural consituents of thedifferent types of cast-iron are ferritic,pearlitic or a mixture of these.
Types of cast-iron with ferritic matrixand little or no pearlite are easy to machine.They have low strength and normally a
hardness of less than 150 Brinell. Because
of the softness and high ductility of ferritethese types of cast-iron can be stickyand result in built-up edge forming atlow cutting data, but this can be avoided
by increasing the cutting speed, if theoperation permits.
Types of cast-iron with ferritic/pearlitic orpearlitic matrix range from about 150 HBwith relatively low strength to high-strength, hard cast-irons of 280-300 HBwhere pearlitic matrix dominates.
Pearlite has a stronger, harder and less
ductile structure than ferrite, its strengthand hardness depending on whether it hasrough or fine lamellar. The more fine-grai-ned and more fine lamellar the pearlite, thehigher strength and hardness. This meansit has smaller carbides with less abrasivewear but is more toughness demanding dueto smearing and built up edge formation.
Carbides are extremely hard constituents
whether they are of pure cementite orcontain alloying material. In thin plates, asin pearlite, cementite can be machined, butin larger particles which separate the con-stituents they drastically reduce the machi-nability. Carbides often occur in thin sec-tions, projecting parts or corners of cas-tings due to the rapid solidification, givinga finer structure, of these parts.
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Hardness of cast iron-is often measured inBrinell. It is an indication of machinability,
which deteriorates with increasing Brinellhardness. But the hardness value is anunreliable measurement of machinabilitywhen there are two factors that the valuedoes not show.
In most machining operations it is the hardparts at the edges and corners of compo-nents which cause problems when machi-ning. The Brinell test cannot be carried out
on edges and corners and therefore thehigh hardness in these parts is not discove-red before machining is undertaken.
A Brinell test says nothing about the cast-irons abrasive hardness which is the diffe-rence between the hardness on the basicstructure and the hardness of the constituente.g. a particle of carbide.
Abrasive hardness due to sand inclusionsand free carbides is very negative for
machinability. A cast-iron of 200 HB andwith a number of free carbides is more dif-ficult to machine than a cast-iron of 200HB and a 100% pearlitic structure with nofree carbides.
Alloy additives in cast-iron affect machi-nability in as much as they form or preventthe forming of carbides, affect strength and/or hardness. The structure within the cast-
iron is affected by the alloying materialwhich, depending on its individual character,can be divided into two groups.
1. Carbide forming: Chromium (Cr),cobalt (Co), manganese (Mr), vanadium (V).
2. Graphitizing elements: Silicone (Si),nickel (Ni), aluminium (Al), copper (Cu),titanium (Ti).
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Grey cast-ironThere is a large range of grey cast-ironswith varying tensile strengths. The siliconcontent/sectional area combinations form
various structures of which the low-sili-con, fine graphite and pearlite make thestrongest and toughest material. Tensilestrength varies considerably throughoutthe range. A coarse graphite structuremeans a weaker type. A typical cast-iron,where metal cutting is involved, often hasa silicon content of around 2%. Commonare the austenitic types.
Nodular cast-iron (SG)The graphite is contained as round nodules.Magnesium especially is used to depositthe gobules and added to become a magne-sium-nickel alloy. Tensile strength, tough-ness and ductility are considerably impro-ved. Ferritic, pearlitic and martensitictypes with various tensile strengths occur.
The SG cast-iron is also a graphite structu-
re with properties in-between that of greyand nodular cast-iron. The graphite flakesare compacted into short ones with roundends through the addition of titanium andother treatment.
Malleable cast-ironWhen white iron is heat treated in a par-ticular way, ferritic, pearlitic or martensiticmalleable cast-iron is formed. The heat
treatments may turn the cementite intospherical carbon particles or remove thecarbides. The cast-iron product is malleab-le, ductile and very strong. The siliconcontent is low. Three categories occur:ferritic, pearlitic and martensitic and theymay also be categorized as Blackheart,Whiteheart and pearlitic.
Alloyed cast-ironThese are cast-irons containing largeramounts of alloying elements and, generally,these have similar effects on properties of
cast-iron as they do on steel. Alloying ele-ments are used to improve properties byaffecting structures. Nickel, chromium,molybdenum, vanadium and copper arecommon ones. The graphite-free whitecast-iron is extremely wear resistant whilethe graphite-containing cast-iron is alsoknown as heat resistant ductile cast-iron.Corrosion resistance is also improved insome types. Toughness, hardness and heat
resistance are typically improved.
The main difference in these types is theform in which carbon, mainly graphiteoccurs.
The general relative machinability of thefour main kinds of cast-iron is indicated ina diagram where (A) is grey cast-iron, (B)malleable, (C) S.G. iron and (D) chilled,
white cast-iron.
A B C D
1009080706050403020100
Relative machinability
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Machinability of cast-ironWhen establishing machinability characte-ristics of cast-iron grades, it is often usefulto note the analysis and structure:
Reduced carbon content results in lowermachinability since less fracture-indica-ting graphite can be formed.
Ferritic cast-iron with an increased sili-con content is stronger and less ductileand tends to give less build-up edge.
Increased pearlitic content in the matrixresults in higher strength and hardnessand decreased machinability.
The more fine lamellar and fine-grainedthe pearlite is, the lower is the machina-bility.
The presence of about 5% of free carbidesin the matrix decreases machinabilitysubstantially.
The effects of free carbides with respectto machinability is more negative incast-iron with pearlitic matrix, becausethe pearlite anchors the carbide particles
in the matrix. This means that it isnecessary for the insert edge to cutthrough the hardest particles instead of,as can be done with a ferritic structure,pulling out or pushing into the softferrite.
The top of the casting can have a some-what lower machinability due to im-purities such as slag, casting sand etc.which float up and concentrate in this
surface area.
Generally it can be said that: the higher thehardness and strength that a type of cast-ironhas, the lower is the machinability and the
shorter the tool-life that can be expectedfrom inserts and tools.
Machinability of most types of cast-ironinvolved in metal cutting production isgenerally good. The rating is highly relatedto the structure where the harder pearliticcast-irons are somewhat more demandingto machine. Graphite flake cast-iron andmalleable cast-iron have excellent machi-
ning properties while SG cast-iron is notquite as good.
The main wear types encountered whenmachining cast-iron are abrasion, adhesionand diffusion wear. The abrasion is produ-ced mainly by the carbides, sand inclusionsand harder chill skins. Adhesion wear withbuilt-up edge formation takes place atlower machining temperatures and cutting
speeds. This is the ferrite part of cast-ironwhich is most easily welded onto theinsert but which can be counteracted byincreasing speed and temperature. On theother hand, diffusion wear is temperaturerelated and occurs at high cutting speeds,especially with the higher strength cast-irongrades. These grades have a greater defor-mation resistance, leading to higher tempe-rature. This type of wear is related to the
reaction between cast-iron and tool andhas led to some cast-iron machining beingcarried out at high speeds with ceramictools, achieving good surface finish.
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Typical tool properties needed, generally,
to machine cast-iron are high hot-hardnessand chemical stability but, depending uponthe operation, workpieces and machiningconditions, toughness, thermal shock resi-stance and strength are needed from thecutting edge. Ceramic grades are used tomachine cast-iron along with cementedcarbide.
Obtaining satisfactory results in machining
cast-iron is dependent on how the cuttingedge wear develops: rapid blunting willmean premature edge breakdown throughthermal cracks and chipping and poorresults by way of workpiece frittering,poor surface finish, excessive waviness, etc.Well developed flank wear, maintaining abalanced, sharp edge, is generally to bestrived for.
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Materiel
type
Grey
Cast-iron
Alloyed
grey-iron
Alloyed
grey-iron
Nodular
cast-iron
Nodularcast-iron
Hardness
HB
150-200
220-260
210-240
200-260
230-300
Area of
use
Frames
Dies
Dies
Dies&
stamps
Dies&stamps
Japan
JIS
FC250
FC300
FC350
Not
available
Not
available
FCD450
FCD550
FCD600FCD800
France
ANFOR
Ft25
Mn450
Mn450
FGS400
FGS600
Italy
UNI
G25
GNM45
GNM45
GS370-17
GS600
Brazil
GG25
GG26
GG26
GGG60
GGG60
Materiel
type
Grey
Cast-iron
Alloyedgrey-iron
Alloyed
grey-iron
Nodular
cast-iron
Nodular
cast-iron
Hardness
HB
150-200
220-260
210-240
200-260
230-300
Area of
use
Frames
Dies
Dies
Dies&
stamps
Dies&
stamps
CMC
Coromant
08.1/2
07.2
07.2
09.1
09.2
Sweden
SS
0125
0852
0852
0717-12
0732-3
Germany
DIN
GG25
GG26
GG26
GGG60
GGG60
USA
ASTM
A48
Class 40B
-
-
-
A536
Grade 80-55-06
UK
BS
BS1452
G150
G250 +Cr % Mo
BS1452
G250
BS2989
600/3
BS2989
700/2
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FROM QUOTATION TO A FINISHED PRESS TOOL
Finding good solutionswith little materialFirst of all the die andmouldmaker has to do
a quotation on thejob, which can be hardmany times since theblueprints from thecustomer often is
pretty rough outlined due to their ownongoing development of the product.
Often the tool maker receive CAD drawingsof the finished component, which looks
far from the different tools that has to bemanufactured to produce the component.This phenomenon has much to do withthe integration of computers within themanufacturing and the companies evershortened lead times on products.
There are often complicated shapes andgeometries with deep cavities and radii,which has to be pressed to close tolerances.
To be able to create these shapes severaldifferent press tools has to be manufactu-red. If one company can come up with asmart solution that has fewer steps in thepressing process they have a clear advantage.
If the component to be machined is verylarge, a model of foamed plastic (styrofoam)is made with the shape of the component.The model of foamed plastic is then packedin sand and chill cast. When the meltedmetal is poured into the casting mould thefoamed plastic evaporates and you will geta blank with an optimised shape to have aslittle material to remove as possible to thefinished shape of the component. About
10 mm and sometimes even less stock isleft to the final shape of the die, which savesa lot of time as much rough machining iseliminated.
A model of foamed plastic, which is close to the shape of the component to save time in rough machining
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The next step is to start up the machiningof the component. Usually this is donedirectly on the optimized blank of thetool. However, sometimes the customer or
the tool manufacturer himself wants tomake a prototype of the tool to see thateverything is correct before starting to cutchips out of the optimized blank. Which isboth expensive and can take a long time toproduce.
The prototype is normally machined inaluminium or kirkzite. Only half the toolis machined, the lower part, and is then
put up in a Quintus press. This type ofpress has a rubber stamp working as theupper part of the press tool, which pressdown on the sheet metal which forms afterthe prototype tool half. Instead of a rubberstamp there are also press techniques whereliquid is used to press the sheet metal overthe prototype tool. These procedures areoften used within the automotive industry
in order to produce several prototypecomponents to crash test to see if anychanges has to be made to the component.There are several advantages with this type
of prototype methods when it is used inlow volume part production:
Only a single rigid tool half is requiredto form, trim and flange a part.
Tool cost reductions of up to 90%. Reduction in project lead-time. Reduction in storage space for tools. Increased design and material
possibilities.
The single tool half can easily bemodified to accommodate part designchanges.
No matching or fixing of tool-halves. Several different parts can be formed in
one press cycle. Prototype tools can often be used in
series production tools.
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The machinist can, in fact, decide thewhole milling strategy by the machine in aWOP-station (Workshop OrientedProgramming).
The machining is often structured to per-form the roughing and restmilling opera-tions during the day shift, while attendedby a machinist. The time consuming fini-shing operations are often done unmannedduring the nights and week ends. Whendoing this it is important with a goodmonitoring system on the machine toprevent that the component gets damaged
if a cutting tool breaks. If a good tool wearanalysis has been made and the tool lifehas been established, automatic tool changescan be made to utilize the machine tool evenfurther. However, this calls for very accu-rate tool settings especially in the Z-axis toget as small mismatch as possible.
However, it is also very common that bothhalves of a tool is machined as the onlydifference is that it is made of aluminium.Which is easy to machine and cheaper than
the real tool steel.
While the blank is being cast the machi-ning strategy and the tool paths are beingdecided with the help of CAM equipmentat the programming department. When theblank arrives the CNC-programme shouldbe out by the machine tool in the work-shop. In some work shops the machinetools are connected to a CAM work-sta-
tion, which enables the machinist to makechanges in the programme if he realisesthat there is too much material to removein certain places or another tool might bemore suitable.
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When the machining is finished the die ormould has to be ground, stoned or polishedmanually, depending on the surface require-ments. At this stage much time and moneycan be saved if more efforts and considera-tion has been put down on the previousmachining operations.
When the press tool is thought to be finishedthe two halves must be fitted, trimmed,together. This is done by spotting, the sur-face of one of the halves is covered withink, then a component is test pressed inthe tool. If there is a clean spot somewhereon the sheet metal there might, for instance,be a radius which is wrong and need someadditional polishing done to it. You alsocheck that there is an even sheet metalcolumn all over the test piece. This spot-ting-work is time consuming and if thereis a tool, e. g. 3000 mm x 1500 mm and itshows that there is a corner 0.1 mm lowerthan everywhere else, the whole surfacehas to be ground and polished down 0.1mm, which is a very extensive job.
The die for a cutting tool after manual polishing A pressed and Spotted Workpiece
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PROCESS PLANNING
The larger the compo-nent and the morecomplicated the moreimportant the process
planning becomes. Itis very important tohave an open mindedapproach in terms ofmachining methods
and cutting tools. In many cases it mightbe very valuable to have an external spea-king partner who has experiences frommany different application areas and canprovide a different perspective and offer
some new ideas.
An open minded approach to thechoice of methods, tool paths, millingand holding toolsIn todays world it is a necessity to becompetitive in order to survive. One ofthe main instruments or tools for this iscomputerised production. For the Die &Mould industry it is a question of inves-
ting in advanced production equipmentand CAD/CAM systems.
But even if doing so it is of highest impor-tance to use the CAM-softwares to theirfull potential.
In many cases the power of tradition inthe programming work is very strong. Thetraditional and easiest way to program toolpaths for a cavity is to use the old copymilling technique, with many entrancesand exits into the material. This technique
is actually linked to the old types of copymilling machines with their stylus thatfollowed the model.
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This often means that very versatile andpowerful softwares, machine and cuttingtools are used in a very limited way.
Modern CAD/CAM-systems can be usedin much better ways if old thinking, tradi-tional tooling and production habits areabandoned.
If instead using new ways of thinking and
approaching an application, there will be alot of wins and savings in the end.If using a programming technique inwhich the main ingredients are to sliceoff material with a constant Z-value,using contouring tool paths in combina-tion with down milling the result will be:
a considerably shorter machining time better machine and tool utilisation
improved geometrical quality of themachined die or mould less manual polishing and try out time
In combination with modern holding andcutting tools it has been proven manytimes that this concept can cut the totalproduction cost considerably.
Initially a new and more detailed program-ming work is more difficult and usuallytakes somewhat longer time. The questionthat should be asked is, Where is the costper hour highest? In the process planningdepartment, at a workstation, or in themachine tool?
The answer is quite clear as the machinecost per hour often is at least 2-3 times
that of a workstation.
After getting familiar with the new way ofthinking/programming the programmingwork will also become more of a routineand be done faster. If it still should takesomewhat longer time than programmingthe copy milling tool paths, it will be madeup, by far, in the following production.However, experience shows that in the
long run, a more advanced and favourableprogramming of the tool paths can bedone faster than with conventionalprogramming.
Contents