Mori Seiki introduces tools for grinding and milling in one machining center without the need for tool change
March 04, 2023
Don't be fooled by the name "Grill tool". Although "Grill" has the meaning of "grilling", it is not a tool for roasting sausages or roast chicken, but a metal cutting tool ("Grill"). a synthetic word for Grind and Mill). The tool, developed by Mori Seiki's US Processing Technology Laboratory, can be ground and milled in a single machining center without the need for a tool change. As a machine tool builder, Mori Seiki worked with tool manufacturer Kenner Metals and abrasive tool manufacturer Noritake to develop the tool.
According to Greg Hyatt, vice president of Mori Seiki Co., Ltd., in machining, grinding is a finishing process that can achieve high workpiece quality, but users are often reluctant to bear higher grinding costs, so they The milling process is pushed to the limit to achieve higher marginal quality, but the tool life is also greatly reduced. The Grill tool allows these users to integrate grinding into the milling process without having to purchase a separate grinding machine. The tool can be used in vertical and horizontal machining centers, milling/lathes and lathes with integral motorized turrets.
The Grill tool can perform milling and grinding separately or simultaneously. When milling is performed separately, the grinding disc will retract to the starting position. When the grinding process is carried out separately, the grinding disc is extended by a predetermined distance and then ground with a small depth of cut under the pressure of 1000 psi of coolant, at which time the milling insert is suspended and does not participate in the cutting. The tool can also be milled and ground simultaneously with a large depth of cut.
Grinding can use CBN or diamond metal bond grinding wheels, so there is no need to finish or modify the grinding wheel. Standard inserts can be mounted on the cutter body. The type and density of the milling insert must match the grinding wheel.
A convincing example of a Grill tool is the machining of an aluminum alloy engine block with a cast iron cylinder liner. It would be very difficult to use a milling cutter alone to machine such a cylinder. The geometry of the blade optimized for machining cast iron would foul the aluminum alloy, and the blade grade and geometry of the aluminum alloy could be processed very cleanly. When the cast iron cylinder liner is used, it is prone to chipping and damage. Therefore, the choice of any type of milling cutter can only be a compromise.
Another major use of the tool is in the processing of hydraulic seals. These parts require a high degree of surface finish for improved sealing and leakage prevention, and the grinding function of the Grill tool provides this finish.
