Kneeling – lying and standing: These are the shooting positions for the Olympic three-position event in small-bore rifle shooting. For precise shots, in addition to a steady hand and the correct shooting technique, a very accurate sporting firearm is crucial for a successful competition. The Ulm-based traditional gunmaker Carl Walther GmbH is synonymous with such precise weapons. At its location in Ulm, the company develops and produces sporting equipment that has an excellent reputation worldwide. For manufacturing, Walther relies on a state-of-the-art machine park and precision tools from Paul Horn GmbH.
‘We have been relying on Horn's tool systems for a long time. This includes, for example, slot milling cutters, end mills, and PKD milling cutters as well as various turning tools,’ says Walther process planner Ronny Buchholz. For finishing the system box of the KK rifles, the Walther team uses the Horn PKD face milling cutter DTM 1710. The system box is the central component of the rifle. All other components such as the trigger unit, barrel, and buttstock are mounted on it. A high focus is placed on surface quality. ‘All outer surfaces of the system box are visible surfaces. Here, the shooter loads the weapon, and all attention is on this component. A correspondingly good surface is our quality standard,’ says Buchholz.
Reflective surface
Before switching to the PKD milling cutter, the team relied on a solid carbide end mill for finishing. The surface quality was not bad, but it always required corresponding reworking depending on the finish desired by the customer. Horn technician Thomas Kisch suggested testing the PKD finishing cutter type DTM 1710 for finishing.
‘The task was to increase the efficiency of the finishing process, reduce cycle times, and improve the quality of the surface finishes to minimize reworking,’ says Kisch. However, it was not just a new tool. The manufacturing of the system box was completely restructured. For the complete machining of the component, Walther acquired a new Grob G550. ‘By restructuring the manufacturing of the system box, we were able to optimize numerous milling processes and significantly reduce manufacturing time,’ says Buchholz.
The shorter manufacturing time was also ensured by the Horn finishing cutter. Due to the high achievable feed speeds, the tool system allows for a high degree of productivity and cost-effectiveness. The precision-lasered PKD cutting inserts produce very high surface qualities in the finishing process. The quality of the PKD cutting edge, the PKD substrate, and the µ-precisely adjusted plan ensured this.
The milling body made of an aluminum alloy ensures a spindle-friendly low weight. As long-term protection against the abrasive attack of chips, the milling body is specially surface-treated. To achieve high surface qualities and to be used in the upper speed range, the tool must be finely balanced with the tool holder. For optimal balance quality, balancing holes are provided on the milling body. To achieve the best possible results, the entire machine environment must be considered and brought to a high level of stability. The machine's structure, guides, spindles, and clamping systems for the workpiece as well as the milling tool have a decisive influence on the result.
Diamond grains
The Horn high-performance PKD cutting material consists of a refined mixture of different sizes of diamond grains. The volume fraction of diamond increases, as do hardness, toughness, and cutting quality. Strict quality standards and their control are a matter of course and ensure strong performance. For the milling system DTM 1710, Horn offers the cutting cassettes in two different PKD substrates depending on the material to be machined.
The result convinced the Walther team. With cutting speeds of vc = 3100 m/min and surface qualities of Ra = 0.4 µm, the milling system finishes at the required speed and achieves almost mirror-like surfaces. The time savings amount to about eleven minutes after the transition of the finishing process. ‘We are very satisfied with the performance of the system. This satisfies us, our quality assurance, and of course, the shooters in the end,’ says Buchholz.
Olympic discipline
The small-bore shooters include hobby shooters up to Olympians. Among other disciplines, the three-position event is one of the most well-known. In the Olympic discipline, athletes shoot at a distance of 50 meters. A competition is conducted in the positions kneeling, lying, and standing. Per position, the shooter fires 40 shots. The prescribed times per position range between 60 and 90 minutes. The one who scores the most rings wins the competition. The caliber is 5.6 mm.
The switch to the Horn finishing cutter DTM 1710 was a complete success. Planning to switch additional finishing processes and new projects is underway. ‘With the ability to adjust the plate seats, the tools are flexibly usable. We are already looking forward to the next projects with Horn,’ says Buchholz.
Carl Walther GmbH:
Carl Walther GmbH is a traditional German company known for its high-quality firearms. Founded in 1886 in Zella-Mehlis, Walther has built an excellent reputation in the firearms industry over the years. The company specializes in the development and manufacture of pistols, rifles, and accessories for civilian, law enforcement, and military use. The brand is particularly known for its innovative and reliable products that impress with precision and quality. Walther places great emphasis on safety, functionality, and modern design. With a long tradition and continuous innovation, Carl Walther GmbH remains a leading name in the firearms industry worldwide.
The Horn PKD system:
With over 30 years of experience in the development and production of precision tools with highly hard cutting materials, Horn presents an extensive PKD milling program for productive aluminum machining. During this time, Horn has proven itself in numerous industries – thus becoming an important partner in the field of PKD tools. The PKD milling program is part of this long-term development and complements the portfolio. Based on market experience and customer requirements, Horn has purposefully developed a complete standard program of milling tools. The program stands for process-safe machining of aluminum, non-ferrous metals, and technical plastics. With a focus on resource conservation, coordinated cutting lengths, and tool designs, the tools are available from stock.
With this product program, Horn offers a wide range of standard and special tools from simple PKD end mills to complex and modular combination tools. As a driving force, the focus is on economically thought-out solutions with high productivity, combined with Horn technology, high flexibility, and reliability. The Horn high-performance PKD cutting material consists of a refined mixture of differently sized diamond grains. The volume fraction of diamond increases, as do hardness, toughness, and cutting quality. Strict quality standards and their control are a matter of course and ensure strong performance.
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