Need help with Titanium cycle times!!!

[HAMMER66]

I want to speed up cycle times on all my Titanium opps. Please help. I manufacture Blades,IBR's, and Blisks for the power and aviation industries. I am really behind the eight ball on my schedule, and any help I could get is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

[rapidtraverse]

Chris,

I feel your pain.

Many factors to consider in an attempt to increase cycle time. I really don't think there is a quick fix.

I subscribe to the logic that you have to look at the overall operation from vendor to customer.

As far as machining operations go, you are limited to the cutting conditions. Rigity of set up, tooling, programming. Sounds like you have machined yourself into a corner.

As time is a premium i'd imagine the customer really isn't cocerned about cutting conditions and it must be difficult to spend any energy to consider revamping your tooling, but you should first look at your set-up.

With that, perhaps it would be to your advantage to get in touch with a tooling supplier. Afterall, cutting conditions are a tangible area in which one is able to improve proformance--In the Puget Sound area I know Iscar offers superior customer service.

Intangables to consider are shop moral, skill set, and a whole lot of appearantly insignifigant small issues that have now snow balled.

In closing, I select tooling for Ti. Simularly to tooling I'd use for Al. Feed it like stainless and let the machine do the work. The machineries hand book offers a lot of information which may help.

[HAMMER66]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did not machine myself into a corner. I took a new job and was handed a rats nest. I am making good strides in getting it straightened out. It is now time to begin reviewing programs and cycle times, to optomize my department. I did some research on the internet this past weekend and found some valuable information. Hanita has a line of tools called Varimill that boast 5 to 10% increases in feedrate, and longer tool life. Also I read several articles saying that it is better to use coated Cobalt or Hss cutters to rough with using a heavy enough chip load to create a shearing effect. They say it cuts down on thermal damage to the tool as well as prevention of work hardening the part. Have you heard or tried any of these methods???

Chris

[rapidtraverse]

I've always believed in "Crowding the Tool" when cutting Titantium.

The research you've done sounds like your right on track.

[cnc-king]

Originally Posted by HAMMER66 Thanks for the suggestions. I did not machine myself into a corner. I took a new job and was handed a rats nest. I am making good strides in getting it straightened out. It is now time to begin reviewing programs and cycle times, to optomize my department. I did some research on the internet this past weekend and found some valuable information. Hanita has a line of tools called Varimill that boast 5 to 10% increases in feedrate, and longer tool life. Also I read several articles saying that it is better to use coated Cobalt or Hss cutters to rough with using a heavy enough chip load to create a shearing effect. They say it cuts down on thermal damage to the tool as well as prevention of work hardening the part. Have you heard or tried any of these methods??? Chris

i would take a look at data flute cnc their cutters worked great for me to rgh and fin titanium

[Chuck Reamer]

Hanita Varimills are amazing, I have not used thim in Ti but on tool steels they out perform by at least %30 from anything else I have used.

[big_mak]

look at mini-cut for some nice hss cobalt roughing endmills.

[cncswiss1]

for small parts Ti6Al4V eli High speed roughing I use Z-carb ball nose end mills @ 8500 rpm 100 ipm .012-.015 radial stepover and as deep axial as there is flutes, straight oil coolant (hangsterfers NG). this translated into 550sfm 5% feedrate and 5% stepover.

finishing 200 ipm @ 27k rpm with 3.5mm bnem, 2-3% stepover.