Four times more threads with hard milling

Tools for punching sheet metal have to withstand a lot. Hago Feinwerktech­nik GmbH therefore uses materials of up to 66 HRC in its own toolmak­ing facilities. In order to incorporate threads and contours into these ma­terials, the company relies on cut­ting tools with complete process re­liability. Here, two Gühring tools not only impress with low wear, but also with considerable cost savings – a real competitive advantage for Hago.

Almost no other sector has to deal with as much cost and competitive pressure as mould and die. Paul Preiser, who is in charge of component production at Hago Feinwerktechnik, is well aware of this: “We are always interested in alternative solutions and try to be involved at an early stage in new technologies in order to secure a competi­tive advantage for the company.” Like about 50% of companies in the field of mould and die, Hago deals with sheet metal processing. Based in Küssaberg (Waldshut district), the company produces sheet met­al parts for the automotive industry using punching technology.

When Paul Preiser took over his department a few years ago, he no­ticed that there were huge costs in the field of cutting tools. His first step: To get things in order. “I was looking for a way to bring a more systematic approach to the tool management field,” he recalls. He then came across some tool management cabinets from Gühring at another local company.

Today, three of these tool cabinets ensure that all cutting tools are organised, locked and stored in their draw­ers with controlled dispensing. But that was just the beginning. He then started to anal­yse the cutting tools: “Where can we make improvements? What tools can we do with­out?” For him, it was clear what was need ed: He wanted Hago to use tools that were specially made for mould and die.

Hardly any wear, no matter how hard

Punching tools are subject to high require­ments as they are used on presses with a pressing force of up to 1200 tonnes and must guarantee reliable, stable and reproducible processes. Hago therefore relies on steels with degrees of hardness between 56 and 66 HRC (e.g. cold work steel 1.2379 and powder steel). Howev­er, it was precisely this variety of materials that posed difficulties for the employees in the toolmaking department. For example, a competitor’s thread milling cutter performed well in one material, but on an alloy with 66 HRC it eroded the teeth away – literally. After just four threads, the gauge was no longer accurate.

This is where Gühring and its micro thread milling cutter came in: Its coating is specially devel­oped for hard machining in mould and die. This was reflected in the tool life in particular: The Gühring thread milling cutter created twelve threads instead of just three. As a result, Hago saves three times as much on tool costs: Firstly, because less wear reduces the need for tools, secondly because all materials can now be ma­chined with just one tool and thirdly, because the thread milling cutter is a combination tool which produces the core hole and thread in one step and without a tool change cycle. “For us, the focus was on the cost aspect,” says Paul Prei­ser. “We have achieved cost savings of around 20% using the Gühring thread mill­ing cutter for this machining operation.” Today, the tool is used for all threads in the field of hard metals at Hago.

High-feed milling in the premier class

The result is a completely new tool solution for mould and die: With its innovative high-feed design, the HPC radius milling cut­ter G-Mold 65 HF ensures max­imum feed rates at low cutting depths. Central internal coolant ducts increase process reli­ability when roughing hard ma­terials up to 65 HRC and deep cavities. This has also been demonstrated at Hago: With the G-Mold 65 HF, Gühring reached the target depth of 35 mm in 84 minutes. Despite high cutting values, the tool showed little wear after machining. Once the milling cutters have reached the end of their tool life, Hago has them re-ground direct­ly at Gühring to save tool costs.

Developing alternatives together

Gühring and Hago have far from reached the end of their search for economic alter­natives. “Further tests will definitely follow,” promises Oliver Mattes. At each of his vis­its, he and Paul Preiser think about which machining operations can still be optimised with the help of Gühring. Paul Preiser also appreciates this successful collaboration: “It is important for us to have a partner that we know personally and with whom we can draw on shared experience.” He found such a partner in Gühring. “We are very happy with our relationship with Gühring. If we have any problems, the sales team can be reached at any time and help us to look for an approach that can be tested here as a solution.”

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