Not a Small Challenge Cutting Tools for Miniature Dental and Medical Parts
Not a Small Challenge Cutting Tools for Miniature Dental and Medical Parts
Successful development of innovative and dynamic parts in today’s miniature dental and medical components industry presents a formidable and equally dynamic challenge to cutting tool manufacturers.
The fast-growing field is driven by enterprising orthopedic surgeons and dental professionals together with medical device manufacturers, who work in cooperation with machine and tool manufacturers to transform their inventions into parts that are revolutionizing medical and dental procedures.
The materials for producing medical screws and implants are titanium superalloys, although stainless steel hard materials are utilized when a special ratio of depth of cut to chip thickness is required. These materials are gummy and cause built – up edge (BUE), which tends to wear down edge sharpness, while the high temperatures generated during chip breaking shorten tool life and damage surface quality. ISCAR applies unique geometries, tools, and grades to resolve these issues and create custom tool assemblies for the complex series of operations involved in machining miniature medical parts, such as dental screws and hip joint replacement implant components.
ISCAR is introducing the PENTAIQGRIP line for parting and grooving operations with a 5-edged insert for much deeper grooving and parting applications, compared with currently available pentagonal inserts.
PENTAIQGRIP has an innovative dovetail clamping structure that ensures a face contact of the insert, which means that the insert is very rigid in the pocket and therefore capable of recessing and holding side forces.
All these characteristics ensure excellent straightness and surface finish for parting applications.
A new user-friendly clamping mechanism enables easy and quick cutting edge and insert indexing. Three insert sizes are available for parting 22, 32 and 40 mm diameters.
PENTAIQGRIP is a powerful insert with 5 edges for accurate parting and grooving operations.
ISCAR applies unique geometries, tools, and grades to create custom tool assemblies for the complex series of operations.
Dental Screws For rough OD (outer dimension) turning, ISCAR developed a SWISSCUT compact tool designed for Swiss-type automatics and CNC lathes, which enables reduced setup time and easy indexing without having to remove the toolholder from the machine.
Another option features SWISSTURN toolholders, with a clamping mechanism to optimize insert clamping and replacement on Swiss-type machines, and JETCUT high pressure coolant tools. SWISSCUT tools perform the turn threading.
CHATTERFREE endmills are utilized for the slot milling stage to maximize stock removal rate, eliminate vibration and reduce cycle time. The ground geometry provides excellent surface and tool life, while machining at high material removal rates.
PENTACUT parting and grooving inserts perform the cut-off operations. With 5 cutting edges and very rigid insert clamping, PENTACUT is a stronger insert for higher machining parameters particularly on soft materials, parting of tubes, small and thin-walled parts.
SWISSCUT tools are used for face and OD turning (screw head turning), and SOLIDDRILL solid carbide drills, with 3xD and 5xD drilling depths and righth and cut, for the drilling. The drills feature coolant holes.
The thread milling stage uses SOLIDTHREAD thread mills, whose short 3-tooth cutting zone with 3 flutes and released neck between the cutting zone and the shank enable precise profiles and high performance. The extremely short profile exerts a low force which minimizes tool bending, facilitating parallel and high thread precision for the entire length. Solid carbide SOLIDMILL endmills with 2 flute, 30°helix medium length, perform the key head milling operation.