Inovatools' 'First Choice': High-Performance Metalworking Tools

Tool recommendations Aluminium cutting tools: “Pole position” for better performance, productivity and quality

2024-11-04 Source: Inovatools 4 min Reading Time

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Inovatools enhances metalworking with its “First Choice” range — a specialized selection of high-performance tools tailored to meet a variety of machining needs. With innovations like the ultra-hard ta-C coating for aluminium, the company delivers tools that extend durability, boost abrasion resistance, and reduce heat buildup.

With First Choice, Inovatools makes it easy to quickly identify the right tool for the customer's specific machining requirements.(Source: Inovatools) — With First Choice, Inovatools makes it easy to quickly identify the right tool for the customer's specific machining requirements.
(Source: Inovatools)

The tool manufacturer Inovatools supports the metalworking industry with a wide range of tools for a wide variety of machining challenges. With the so-called Inovatools First Choice (1st Choice), the tool specialists from Germany offer users the opportunity to find high-performance tools for their specific machining requirements quickly and easily. One example is the machining of aluminium. Here, machining solutions with the ta-C high-performance carbon thin-film coating are in ‘pole position’. It increases the abrasion resistance of the tools and promotes higher speeds thanks to minimization of built-up edges and improved heat load.

“Inovatools has pre-selected the best products from the respective tool family and marked them as 'First Choice' as a special recommendation so that users can quickly reach their goal in their search for a tailor-made, application-optimized tool,” says Marcus Schubert, Head of Sales and Marketing at Inovatools. “In this way,1st Choice is a powerful tool for quickly identifying our top tools, for example in the Inovatools online store and in the main catalog, in addition to personal technical advice. We also give special First Choice recommendations in the field of aluminium machining.”

Gallery

The ta-C solid carbide end mill type 2.415 for diameters three and four is equipped with special shank cooling: The cooling channels emerge at the shank transition close to the cutting edge or axially close to the cutting edge diameter. This reduces the likelihood of the component contour.(Source: Inovatools)

The solid carbide milling cutters from the Inovatools ta-C range for aluminum machining are optimally matched to the respective applications and milling strategies in terms of substrate, geometry and coating.(Source: Inovatools)

Above: First choice for the trochoidal strategy TSC: Solid carbide dynamic milling cutter (article no: 2.414, coating ta-C), application: Non-ferrous metals, plastics, GRP/CFRP Below: First choice for the trochoidal strategy TSC: Solid carbide dynamic milling cutter ER (article no: 2.410, coating ta-C), application: Non-ferrous metals, plastics, GRP/CFRP (Source: Inovatools)

The requirements from the tools are evident in the machining of wrought aluminium alloys when forming built-up edges and in the abrasive effect of increased silicon content in cast alloys. This is why optimum chip removal tops the priority list for tool design.

Optimally designed for machining aluminium

The cutting edges of Inovatools tools have a high surface quality. The chip spaces or chip flutes are designed such that the chips flow away quickly, as a result of which, built-up edge formation and thereby premature clogging of the tool are prevented. Dennis Marz, Technical Manager at Inovatools: “All our tools in our First Choice recommendation for aluminium machining are optimally matched to the respective applications and milling strategies in terms of substrate and geometry. Thanks to targeted optimization of the microgeometry, the cutting edges of our tools are extremely resistant. Even thin-walled aluminium workpieces can be processed reliably.”

The ultra-hard thin-layer carbon coating ta-C is used to counteract the abrasive effect of silicon. The special, extremely smooth high-performance coating is highly wear-resistant and low-friction during wet or dry processing, and supports excellent chip removal.

Dennis Marz: “All First Choice articles presented are finished with the ta-C coating. It is not only very hard, but also extremely smooth, because of which cold welds or built-up edges cannot form. This is why the ta-C coating is particularly suitable for machining aluminium. There is a particular advantage when machining hard cast aluminium alloys and composite materials such as GFRP and CFRP: The high resistance to abrasive wear and the low friction between the tool cutting edge and chip ensure a very long tool life.”

At AMB, Inovatools presented new high-performance tools for different materials, and recommend them as a particularly powerful 1st Choice selection in the respective cutting applications. (Source: Inovatools Eckerle & Ertel)

Powerful aluminium cutting tools

Inovatools recommends HPC Allrounders as tools for special performance in aluminium machining in 5 variants in short and long, with or without internal cooling and with corner radius (article numbers: 2.406, 2415, 2.416, 2.404, 2.405). The solid carbide end mill type (2.415) for diameters three and four is equipped with a special shank cooling system: Dennis Marz: “With these tools, 10 cooling channels emerge at the shank transition close to the cutting edge or axially close to the cutting edge diameter. This reduces the likelihood of the component contour impairing cooling. This special, precise guidance of the cooling contributes, among other things, to significantly reducing the heat development in the cutting zone and ultimately extending the service life of the tool.”

For high-performance roughing and finishing, Inovatools recommends ta-C milling cutters with up to four cutting edges: The standard 1 to 3 cutters (article numbers: 2.402, 2.403, 590) are designed for very soft materials. Tools with a flat helix angle are suitable for thin-walled workpieces.

For demanding non-ferrous metals, Inovatools offers the 4-cutter (article number 2.407).

Other1st Choice recommendations are the ta-C coated torus milling cutter (article numbers: 2.408, 2.409) and the full radius cutter (article numbers: 2.411, 2.412) in short and long versions and the ta-C twist drill 5xD with IK (article no: 707) for short processing times.

Process-reliable HPC roughing with Primus corded profile cutter

One example from the high-feed sector is the Primus HPC corded roughing cutter with and without internal cooling (article numbers: 2.413, 251). Special features are the sturdy design and the special cord profile. Dennis Marz: “Extreme feed rates, more cutting volume — with the Primus aluminium roughing cutter, we are providing a high-performance tool. Thanks to its special design features, Primus has what it takes to set new standards in aluminium roughing.”

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Date: 08.12.2025

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It is not only ta-C that makes the tool resistant, but also the cutting edge preparation. Among other things, this prevents micro-chipping and makes the cutting edges more resistant. This significantly increases the service life of the Primus. This is supported by chip dividers in the cord profile. They break the aluminium chips quickly and early, and thanks to smooth flutes they can be quickly removed from the engagement zone. The design advantages ensure high process reliability and high surface quality even with HPC roughing.

Top trochoidal performance

For the trochoidal strategy TSC, Inovatools recommends a short version (article number: 2.414) and a long one with a corner radius (2,410). Dennis Marz: “Thanks to the cutting forces reduced during trochoidal milling, smaller diameters with large cutting edge lengths can be used, which not only saves time, but above all costs.”

Marcus Schubert: “The design advantages of our First Choice high-performance tools for aluminium machining ensure very long tool life even at high feed rates and cutting speeds. The precisely designed tools offer improved machining quality and are cost-efficient in demanding manufacturing processes.”

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