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Tool handle is an important link to ensure machining productivity

All tool handles are different

No knife handle system is universal. Tool handles specially made for high-speed finishing processes usually lack the rigidity and strength required for efficient machining, such as rough machining of rough castings. On the contrary, the tool handle used for rough machining usually lacks dynamic balance, which can make the tool handle operate at high speed and smoothly in the finishing process. In addition, the robust design and large volume of rough machining tool handle may limit its access to finer or deeper part features.

However, hard-to-machine materials need tool handles with enhanced strength and rigidity. In addition, the shock absorption capacity of the tool handle and the coolant delivery capacity are also important selection criteria. The use of inappropriate tool holders will lead to dimensional errors and parts scrapping, as well as excessive wear of machine tool spindles, shortened tool life and increased risk of tool breakage. In non-critical operations, high-quality and inexpensive tool handles may produce satisfactory results. However, in the process where repeatable precision must be obtained, especially when the scrap of expensive parts will reduce the profit rate of parts, investment in application-centered high-quality tool holders can prevent such unexpected losses at a lower cost.

Some workshop managers may think that the use of long tool handles in various applications can effectively save costs. However, using a * short tool handle as far as possible will greatly improve the rigidity, reduce the vibration that leads to the decline of surface quality and maintain the tool life. The tool handle accounts for less than 2% of the total production cost. Even if the cost of tool holder is reduced by half, it will only save a small amount of total production cost, while the scrap of workpiece or tool breakage will have a significant impact on the cost. High quality tools and tool holders can improve metal cutting productivity, thus obtaining an immediate return on tool investment. Especially in industries such as aerospace parts manufacturing, which have extremely strict requirements on the stability of the processing process, many manufacturers focus on purchasing high-quality tools to avoid producing defective parts or wasting time on troubleshooting and production interruption. Aerospace manufacturers usually take a long time to validate the new tool handle concept before they can conduct production certification.

Workpiece factors affect the selection of tool handle

The factors that affect the selection of the tool holder include the machinability of the workpiece material in each operation and the configuration of the final part. These factors can determine the tool holder size required to reach a specific profile or feature. The tool handle should be as simple and easy to use as possible to minimize the possibility of operator error.

No matter which tool handle technology is used, the rigidity of the machine tool, the power of the spindle and the ability to produce strict tolerances will determine what process is feasible. For example, it is impractical to try to produce micrometer tolerance on worn machine tools. The basic components of the machine tool play a key role - the fast machine tool with linear guide rail will make full use of the tool handle specially designed for high-speed applications, while the machine tool with box groove will provide support for heavy-duty machining. Multi-task machine tool can complete turning and milling/drilling processes at the same time. You can also select the tool handle according to the processing strategy. For example, in order to maximize productivity in high-speed cutting (HSC) or high-performance cutting (HPC) applications, different tools will be selected in the workshop. The former involves shallow cutting depth, while the latter focuses on generating high metal removal rate on machines with sufficient power but limited speed.