Miniature machining plays a central role in the development and production of highly precise and functional components. The machining of delicate components with demanding tolerances results in workpieces for the medical technology, electronics industry, precision engineering, and watchmaking. Typically, stainless steels, precious metals, and non-ferrous metals are processed, but also titanium and ceramic materials. "Even though it is commonly used, it is actually a bit inaccurate to use the term miniature machining for the entire range of small parts machining," says Daniel Keller, product manager at ISCAR Hardmetal. "Miniature refers to components with a diameter of less than 2.5 millimeters; for larger diameters, we should actually be talking about décolletage."
This distinction is not arbitrary: tools for machining the smallest diameters have different requirements, and the scope for innovation for manufacturers is very limited. "Simply put, in this area, it is really just about providing extremely sharp cutting edges," explains the product manager. "There are no chip formers, the corner radius is zero, and even a very thin coating can be too thick."
In contrast, for larger diameters, users can achieve significant advantages thanks to tools with optimized chip formers, coatings, and edge preparations. This allows for considerable material savings, good handling, long tool life, and high surface qualities when turning, grooving, and drilling.
Economical and user-friendly
Especially because users are machining expensive materials like gold or titanium, they are focused on a resource-efficient use of raw materials. In addition to high costs, sustainability considerations play a significant role. "Here, our tools can provide valuable services, such as the extra-narrow DOGRIP grooving tools," says Keller. "With cutting edges that have cutting widths between 0.8 and 1.2 millimeters, they significantly reduce raw material consumption."
The user can safely and economically groove bar material with diameters of up to 22 millimeters; the chip former creates a smooth cut, resulting in beautiful, curled watch spring chips that are easy to evacuate. Other modular systems also conserve resources and support users in achieving their sustainability goals. "Here, only the cutting insert or the drill head needs to be replaced instead of the entire tool, as with the PICCOSUMOCHAM drills," explains the product manager. "This saves users large amounts of solid carbide and tool costs."
Change head solutions offer another advantage: they simplify handling and reduce setup time. For example, with the NEOSWISS turning tool, the shank remains in the machine during the cutting change. The machine operator only removes the head and changes the cutting edges outside the often tight interior of the long-turning machine. "This is quick, and it eliminates the need for re-measuring after changing the blades," says Keller. "Thus, the setup time is practically reduced to zero."
Long tool life and high surface quality thanks to cooling
"In miniature machining, users naturally place great value on long tool life and high surface qualities," says the product manager. "Our targeted high-pressure cooling directly in the cutting zone supports this." Cooling channels integrated into the tool - flow-optimized and additively manufactured - deliver the coolant directly and at high pressure to the cutting edge, effectively dissipating the heat generated there. The user benefits in multiple ways:
The cooling preserves the tool and extends its life. Additionally, the high pressure of the coolant aids in chip evacuation and enables smoother surfaces with significantly fewer scratches from flying chips. "Newly developed chip formers also make an important contribution to chip control, ensuring stable processes and higher productivity," says Keller. "This allows the user to work unattended as well."
ISCAR has numerous tool solutions in its portfolio that make these advantages - material savings, good handling, long tool life, and high surface qualities - available to users in miniature component machining. Daniel Keller: "Our PICCO system, for example, covers the entire spectrum, along with specialized tools for turning, grooving, and drilling."
The generalist: The PICCO system
With its multifunctional, jet-cooled inserts, ISCAR's PICCO system offers the right tool for every application. With PICCOCUT, the tool specialist provides users with all common geometries of cutting inserts for a wide range of internal machining. These are made from a TiAlN-PVD-coated fine grain type IC908 and feature an internal coolant supply directly to the cutting edge. This ensures longer tool life and better chip control. For greater stability and higher precision, ISCAR has equipped the cutting inserts with a longer clamping surface and rotated them by 90 degrees. "This allows the user to safely and efficiently turn, groove, thread, chamfer, form turn, and axial groove," says Keller.
As part of its new LOGIQUICK campaign, ISCAR has further expanded its PICCO line. For the highly precise and efficient internal machining of small components on long-turning machines, there is now the three-edged PICCO3CUT with diameters between three and seven millimeters. Its targeted cooling at all cutting edges minimizes wear, increases tool life, improves surface quality, and facilitates chip removal. Also new in the PICCO line is the change head drill PICCOSUMOCHAM.
"The extremely small tool with diameters between four and ten millimeters can be conveniently equipped with drill heads of different geometries and features internal coolant channels for efficient cooling," explains Keller. "This trio of innovations rounds off the PICCOINDEX inserts." The small indexable insert tool is versatile, available in diameters from 4.5 to six millimeters, and also features internal channels for targeted cooling.
Turning tool in small diameter
“For maximum flexibility when turning small parts, we have the interchangeable head tools of the NEOSWISS series in our portfolio,” says Daniel Keller. The modular quick-change system for long turning machines consists of a shank and various tool heads for all typical machining operations such as turning, grooving, threading, or cut-off turning. The shank remains in the machine during the change. The machine operator only removes the tool head, which can be easily reinserted after cutting or head change. Re-measuring or re-approaching is unnecessary, and the system is practically ready for use without setup time.
“To turn even faster and more efficiently, users can rely on the new QUICKSWISS,” says the product manager. The modular turning system is equipped with a stable plate clamping and can also be used for precise reverse turning.
Specialists for grooving
“Various chip formers and geometries ensure that users have effective chip control and can also machine demanding materials with high repeat accuracy with the grooving tools of the PENTACUT line,” explains Daniel Keller. The tool owes its name to the five cutting edges on a single cutting insert. The plate with a diameter of 17 millimeters and special geometry is particularly suitable for process-safe use on long turning machines.
Due to the well-thought-out plate seat, machine operators can continue to use the remaining four cutting edges even in the event of a break. The highly positive chip former ensures a particularly smooth cut. The precision-ground cutting insert allows for very high change accuracy, eliminating time-consuming measurement corrections. On the other hand, users achieve high surface qualities and dimensional accuracies on the workpiece.
Material savings thanks to indexable cutting inserts (WSP) in cutting widths between 0.33 and two millimeters, as well as a clean cut during high-precision grooving on long turning machines, are the focus of the double-edged QUICK2CUT. Users can process workpieces with diameters up to twelve millimeters safely. A robust and secure clamping with complete base support additionally stabilizes the tool and reduces the forces that occur. “The charming thing about this tool: all WSP can be used on the same tool holder,” adds Keller.
For internal grooving and cut-off turning, ISCAR offers the four-edged QUICKIGROOVE in its program. The tool is versatile and can be mounted on both right and left tools. It features a stable screw clamping and offers very high precision and repeat accuracy during tool changes. “Thanks to jet cooling directly into the cutting zone, users achieve very high tool life, excellent chip removal, and top surfaces with this tool,” says Daniel Keller.
Drilling with long overhangs
For deep drilling with small diameters, ISCAR now offers its proven SUMOCHAM interchangeable head drill with a MULTIMASTER interface. The special advantage: In addition to easy handling and quick tool changes in the machine, which reduce downtime, as well as effective cooling directly in the cutting zone for long tool life and good chip removal, the MULTIMASTER tools allow for process-safe machining with long overhangs at low tool diameters.
“Whether generalist or specialist – ISCAR has the right tool for every task in miniature machining in its program,” summarizes Daniel Keller. “And if it should actually happen that no standard tool can win a flower pot, we can certainly provide a tailor-made special solution.”
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