Surface finish excellence The art of precision: How MAQ tools enhance surface finish in machining operations

Related Vendors

AMETEK GmbH Division Creaform Deutschland

BORIDE Engineered Abrasives

Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co. KG

MAQ AB

In machining operations, the quality of surface finish plays a significant role in a component's aesthetic, functionality and service life. Among tested tools, MAQ's offering excelled in creating smoother finishes on 4340-alloyed steel, demonstrating their value in achieving optimal finishes without sacrificing productivity.

Striving for the optimal surface finish efficiently is a common objective in machining operations. The surface finish of a component has significant effects on its aesthetics and functionality. While some components require a textured finish for specific uses, such as enhancing grip, the discussion here is focused on the aspects of surface quality and precision, which are critical to a component's service life.

The surface finish impacts not only a component's visual appeal but also its functional lifespan and overall quality. Benefits of a smoother surface finish include: reduced propensity for fatigue-induced cracking, decreased friction due to enhanced lubricity, improved corrosion resistance through minimized surface defects and greater load-bearing capacity.

In turning operations, creating a smoother surface finish often necessitates increasing the nose radius of the cutting insert and reducing the feed rate, both of which may lead to increased vibrations during machining. A lower feed rate may result in more vibrations due to a higher overlap ratio in the subsequent feed positions of the insert. The performance of the tool is evaluated based on the highest-quality surface finish it can achieve at a certain cutting speed and at different Length/Diameter (L/D) ratios. It is crucial to maintain accuracy and surface finish without sacrificing productivity through drastic changes to cutting parameters.

To distinguish between different tools, cutting tool manufacturer MAQ performed test on 4340-alloyed steel with Hardness Rockwell C (HRC) 28-30, at a constant cutting speed of 200 m/min and a depth of cut at 0.5 mm. The findings revealed that the surface finish achieved using the MAQ tool outperformed all other tools tested.

The utilisation of MAQ tools can bring users closer to the desired goal and lessen the effort required to prepare the workpiece for its subsequent operations, such as plating or other surface coatings. For those facing challenges with surface finish in machining operations, desiring to achieve an even better surface finish, or aiming to boost productivity, considering the use of MAQ tools may be beneficial.

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