CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

TOOLING and WORK HOLDING DEVICES

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar

Professor and Head, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

INTRODUCTION TO CUTTING TOOL MATERIALS:

Cutting tools are available in three basic material types: high-speed steel, tungsten
carbide, and ceramic. High-speed steel is generally used on aluminum and other
nonferrous alloys. Tungsten carbide is used on high-silicon aluminums, steels, stainless
steels, and exotic metals.

Ceramic inserts are used on hard steels and exotic metals. Inserted carbide tooling is
becoming the preferred tooling for many CNC applications. For the full utilization of CNC
machines it is essential to pay due attention to the selection and usage of tooling, namely
tool holders, cutting tools and work holding devices. The tools for CNC machines must be
quickly changeable to reduce non-cutting time, preset and reset outside the machine, high
degree of interchangeability, increased reliability and high rigidity.

CUTTING TOOL CLASSIFICATIONS:

The cutting tools can be classified on the basis of:

❖ Cutting tool material

❖ Setting up of tool
❖ Tool construction

On the basis of cutting tool material, the classifications are:

(a) Carbon tool steel

(b) High speed steel tool (HSS)
(c) Cemented carbide
(d) Ceramics tool
(e) Cubic boron nitride Tool (CBN)
(f) Diamond tool

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

Carbon tool steel:

Carbon tool steel is one of the inexpensive metal cutting tools used for the low-speed
machining operation. These plain carbon steel cutting tool have the composition of 0.6-
1.5% carbon and very small amount of (less than 0.5 %) Mn, Si. Other metal like Cr, V are
added to change the hardness and grain size. High carbon steels are abrasion resistant
and have the ability to maintain sharp cutting edge. Carbon tool steels possess good
machinability. This material loses their hardness rapidly at a temperature about 250°C.
Therefore, it can’t use high-temperature application. It does not prefer in a modern
machining operation.

Carbon steel tool is used in twist drills, milling tools, turning and forming tools, used for soft
material such as brass, aluminum magnesium, etc. Temperature is 450°C. Hardness value
is up to HRC 65.

High-speed steel (HSS):

This is a high carbon steel with a significant amount of alloying element, such as tungsten,
molybdenum, chromium, etc. to improve hardenability, toughness and wear resistance. It
gives a higher metal removal rate. It loses its hardness at a moderate temperature about
650°C. Therefore, a coolant should be used to increase tool life. It can use many times by
re-sharpening. High-speed steel tools are used in drills, milling cutters, single point lathe
tools, broaches.

❖ Cutting speed range - 30-50 m/min

❖ Temperature - 650°C
❖ Hardness – up to HRC 67
❖ T-Type - Tungsten predominant type
❖ M-Type - Molybdenum dominant type

Cemented carbide tool and cermet:

The cemented carbide cutting tool is produced by powder metallurgy technique. It consists
of tungsten, tantalum and titanium carbide with cobalt as a binder (when the binder is nickel
or molybdenum, then it is called cermet). Cemented carbide tools are extremely hard; they
can withstand very high-speed cutting operation. Carbide tool does not lose their hardness

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

up to 1000° C. A high cobalt tool is used for a rough cut while low cobalt tool used for
finishing operations.

❖ Cutting speed range - 60-200m/min

❖ Temperature - 1000°C
❖ Hardness – up to HRC 90

Ceramics:

Most common ceramic materials are aluminum oxide and silicon nitride. Powder of
ceramic material Compacted in insert shape, then sintered at high temperature. Ceramic
tools are chemically inert and possess resistance to corrosion. They have high
compressive strength. They are stable up to temperature 1800°C. They are ten times
faster than HSS. The friction between the tool face and chip are very low and possess
low heat conductivity, usually no coolant is required. They provide the very excellent
surface finish.

❖ Cutting speed 300-600m/min

❖ Temperature - 1200°C
❖ Hardness – up to HRC 93

Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN):

It is the second hardest material after diamond. They are generally used in hand machines.
They offer high resistance to abrasion and use as an abrasive in grinding wheels. Sharp
edges are not recommended. Speed 600-800m/min and Hardness - higher than HRC 95

Diamond and Polycrystalline diamond (PCD inserts):

It is the hardest material known and it is also expensive. It possesses very high thermal
conductivity and melting point. Diamond offers excellent abrasion resistance, low friction
coefficient and low thermal expansion. It is used in machining very hard material such as
carbides, nitrides, glass, etc. Diamond tools give a good surface finish and dimensional
accuracy. They are not recommended for machining steel. Because of its reactivity, PCD
is not suitable for machining plain carbon steels or nickel, titanium and cobalt based alloys.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

PCD is most suited to light uninterrupted finishing cuts at almost any speed and is mainly
used for very high speed machining of aluminium - silicon alloys, composites and other
non - metallic materials. Typical cutting speeds: 200 - 2000 m/min.

On the Basis of Setting up of Cutting Tool, it is classified as:

(a) Preset tools.

(b) Qualified tools.
(c) Semi qualified tools.

Preset Tools:

The setting of tools in advance at a place away from the machine tool or offline, in special
holders is known as preset tools. A presetting device is used to preset axial and radial
positions of the tool tip on the tool holder. Once this is done, the tool holder is ready to be
mounted on the machine and produce a known dimension. Presetting devices to various
levels of sophistication are available like optical projector.

The relationship of the tool with reference to the tool holding mechanism requires a special
attention during CNC machining process. The actual point to be programmed in a CNC
part program is the tip of the tool whereas the axes will be moving with respect to a known
point in the spindle, e.g. the centre of the spindle in case of machining centres. It becomes
therefore necessary to know precisely the deviation of the tool tip from the gauge point on
the spindle.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

Qualified Tools:

Tool which fits into a location on the machine, where its cutting edge is accurately
positioned within close limits relative to a specified datum on the tool holder or slide, is
known as qualified tool.

Semi-qualified Tools:

The qualified tools which can be adjusted to the dimensions by using several adjustable
buttons on the tool shank are known as semi qualified tools. These tools demand regular
maintenance and calibration for accurate dimensioning.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

On the Basis of Cutting Tool Construction, it is classified as

(a) Solid tools.

(b) Brazed tools.
(c) Inserted bit tools

Solid tools: Are usually made of High speed steel or High carbon steel. These tools are
used on high speeds with sufficient quantity of cutting fluid to get good surface finish and
longer tool life.

Brazed Tools: A forged shank of high strength steel with belt of high speed steel,
tungusten carbide stellite brazed to the shank on the cutting edge.

Inserted Bit Tools: The tools with indexible inserts of harder and special grade carbide or
ceramic materials. A wear resistant layer of Titanium nitride of Titanium carbide is coated
on the insert it reduces the cost of tool. Inserts can be easily removed from the tool holder.
So tool changing time and cost of machining are less.

MAINTENANCE OF CNC MACHINES:

Proper maintenance of CNC Machines is very critical in ensuring as high availability of the
machines. CNC Machines are complex equipment with several subsystems, many of
which consist of several hundreds of parts. The break down of CNC machines will not only
upset the production schedule but also will result in huge losses as the machine hour rates
of these machines are high. Modern CNC machines incorporate several technological
features to facilitate speedy maintenance. Downtime of these machines should be kept to
a minimum in order to realize the economic advantages of this technology in full. Repairing
CNC Machines is time consuming and costly considering the following factors:

(i) A substantial amount of spares are not indigenously available.

(ii) Delay in procuring spares.
(iii) Lack of adequate manpower to troubleshoot CNC systems, particularly when the
systems are imported.

Breakdown maintenance, therefore, is less preferred than preventive maintenance.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

Preventive Maintenance:

The main objectives of preventive maintenance of CNC machines are to:

(i) Maximize machine availability

(ii) Minimize downtime
(iii) Maintain positioning accuracy
(iv) Increase the service life of the machine.

Generally, the manufacturer of the machines will give certain guidelines regarding
preventive maintenance. The general emphasis of preventive maintenance is to reduce
wear and eliminate malfunctions. Preventive maintenance programmes should include the
following:

Daily schedule: Oil checks (hydraulic oil, lubricating oil) in various locations are to be
carried out daily. It is a good practice to clean the machine ways thoroughly and oil them
at the end of the day’s work. The hydraulic oil pressure and pneumatic pressure (if used)
should be monitored. Hydraulic pressure settings should be checked.

Monthly preventive maintenance: This may include hydraulic oil cleaning, checking of
clamping, hydraulic operation of chucks, tailstocks, steadies, filter changes etc. The
schedules for some of the preventive maintenance actions are normally indicated by
manufacturers.

These include:

➢ Frequency of hydraulic oil change

➢ Checking and changing of air filters (for blowers) and oil filters
➢ Metering devices in lubricating system
➢ Change of brushes in DC servomotors and DC motors
➢ Checking of backlash in ball screws
➢ Alignment of the machine
➢ Cleaning of coolant equipment
➢ Setting of pressure in pressure switches, pressure regulators, etc.
➢ Checking the battery back up for parameter storage

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

MAINTENANCE FEATURES OF CNC MACHINE:

CNC Machines and systems are designed with a high degree of reliability. The Mean Time
Between Failures (MTBF) of some CNC systems is quoted today at more than hundred
months. System failure in such cases is thus a very rare phenomenon. The buyer should
always look into this aspect before deciding on the purchase of the machine. Systems with
high reliability but higher cost is advisable than low cost systems which are invariably less
reliable. Emphasis on cost reduction may often prove costly in the long run. It is also
necessary to assess the strengths of the machine tool manufacturer or supplier in the
following areas:

✓ Inventory of spares and spare parts support

✓ Availability of enough persons with the seller to carry out maintenance in electrical,
mechanical, hydraulic and electronics hardware
✓ The time elapsed between the intimation of the failure and response by the machine
supplier
✓ Arrangements made by the supplier to obtain spares from his principals.

Diagnostic programs available in CNC machines are a very helpful feature to identify the
causes of malfunctioning. The machine manuals give the alarm message and the remedial
action. With the help of these a large number of snags, the operation of CNC machines
can be rectified by the maintenance staff or even by the operator himself. These
diagnostics check the various sections of the system at the time of start up and only if all
the systems are working satisfactorily, the “ready” signal is displayed.

In advanced countries, the maintenance of CNC machines are facilitated by connecting

the CNC system through telephone cables or internet to the manufacturer’s works so that
the experts can check up the machine through remote access and identify the cause for
snag. This will avoid unnecessary trips by the service engineers and enable quick despatch
of right spare parts or spare boards to the user of the machine.

DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES:

CNC system incorporates features for self diagnosis. When the machine is switched on,
the system undergoes a self check procedure and if any system is malfunctioning, an alarm
message is displayed on the monitoring screen. The system can display detailed

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

information regarding an alarm and its diagnosis. The operator can also edit the
information and modify the display. In some of the advanced machines conversational
diagnostics is available.

REMOTE MAINTENANCE THROUGH INTERNET:

In order to facilitate speedy maintenance, the CNC system can be directly connected to
the factory service center through internet. The service center can sent a diagnostic
program to the CNC machine and this program can locate the faults in the machine or
system. The service center can then take immediate corrective action and the machine
can be rectifi ed within a short time, resulting in considerable reduction in down time. If a
spare parts needs to be airlifted it can be done immediately. If the maintenance can be
carried out at the factory by the factory maintenance personnel, appropriate instructions
can be passed on to them or the nearest service engineer available can be deputed to
carry out the maintenance.

TRAINING IN MAINTENANCE:

The need for having trained maintenance staff for attending to CNC machines is to be
emphasized. The staff can be trained at the manufacturer’s works. Training can be
imparted through special programmes organized by system manufacturers or training
organizations. The modular design of today’s CNC machines enables maintenance to be
carried out quickly.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

TOOLING SYSTEM FOR TURNING CENTRE:

As of now a majority of the tools used for the turning centres are of the cemented carbide
type with indexable insert type. It therefore becomes necessary to understand the ISO
coding systems for these, to be able to easily make the selection. The ISO coding system
(as per ISO 1832 - 1991) for tungsten carbide inserts and external turning tools is shown
in Figs.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

TOOLING SYSTEM FOR MACHINING CENTRE:

A milling tool to be used in CNC machine tool is an assembly of a number of parts besides
the actual cutting tool as shown in Fig. 11.8. The assembly consists of the adopter to suit
the spindle taper such as ISO 40 or 50, a collet for holding the straight shank of the end
mill, a retention knob which is used by the hydraulic draw bar in the spindle housing for
retaining or releasing the tool from the spindle, besides the actual cutting tool, the end mill.
A typical retention knob design as used in BT spindle tooling is shown in Fig. 11.9.

Since the CNC machine tools are versatile, they need to use a large variety of tools to
accomplish the range of machining tasks they are capable of. Hence the general practice
is to allocate a large portion of the budget for the tooling acquisition. There are a number
of shapes of the adopter depending on the machine tool standard followed by the machine
tool builder. The typical BT style and the ANSI CATV style are shown in Fig. 11.10. The
actual shape of the adopter will have to suit the tool change gripper.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

WORK HOLDING DEVICES FOR ROTATING WORK PARTS:

Chuck, Face Plate, Lathe Centers, Steady Rest and Mandrels, etc. are common lathe
machine accessories and the functions of these holding tools work as work holding
devices.

There is the following work holding devices in the lathe machine:

• Chuck
• Centers
• Steady Rest
• Carriers
• Driving Plate
• Face Plate
• Mandrel

Lathe Chuck: Chuck is one of the types of work holding devices in lathe machines that
are used in various operations for holding the workpieces or a job.

Types of Lathe Chuck

• Four Jaw Chuck

• Three Jaw Chuck

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

• Magnetic Chuck
• Collet Chuck
• Combination Chuck
• Air Chuck or Hydraulically Operated Chuck
• Drill Chuck

Lathe Centers: The Center is a work holding devices in a lathe that is used to support
long jobs in between headstock and tailstock to carry out a lathe operation. Lathe centers
are often made of high carbon steel and then it is hardened, tempered, and grinded. The
center which rotates with a job in the nose of the headstock spindle is called a live center.
The center which is set up at the tailstock is stable and hence it is called the dead center.

Steady Rest: Steady rest is a type of work holding devices in lathe machine that is used
to hold or support long cylinders or thin jobs. The job is supported by this to maintain a
stable position of the job while turning.

Lathe Carriers: The carrier or dog is a work holding devices in lathe machine used to hold
a job when it needs to be fixed between the centers. Work or a job inserted into the hole
of a carrier and then tightly fixed.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

Face Plate: This is a circular plate used to perform various turning operations on a large
flat, irregular shaped jobs, castings, etc. The face plate is fixed on the lathe spindle and
the job can be mounted on it to perform turning operations.

Lathe Mandrel: The lathe mandrel is used to hold the workpieces or a job that is already
bored or drilled. The mandrel is often hardened with tool steel and grinded to a specified
size.

WORK HOLDING DEVICES FOR FIXED WORK PARTS:

Work holding in CNC machine tools is more important since the conventional work-holding
devices such as vices or chucks are rarely used except for very simple components. For
complex shapes of the workpieces, it becomes necessary to use some special fixtures for
quick set up of the workpieces. The modular fixturing systems, which are in vogue for
conventional machine tools have been refined and are widely used for holding the
workpieces in CNC machine tools.

Grid plates are generally used as one of the fixturing bases. The grid plates are provided
with precisely drilled and tapped holes to facilitate the clamping operation as shown in Fig.
11.24. Since the holes on these grid plates are made at precise positions, the operator
would know the exact location of the component depending upon where he is clamping.
These grid plates can be permanently clamped on the machine-tool table if necessary.
This can be very conveniently used together with the zero shift facility (G53 to 58) to clamp
even multiple small components. The grid plate can also come in the form of a cube with
four parallel faces which can all be used for clamping multiple workpieces as shown in Fig.
11.25. This fixture in conjunction with a rotary table will allow it to be used as an indexing
fixture for clamping more workpieces to the machine tool in a single fixture.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

MODULAR FIXTURES:

It is a versatile and efficient workholding system that uses standardized fixtures. These
fixtures can be swapped out or adjusted based on your workholding needs. The versatility
of modular fixturing means that it can be used in every work environment, from large
factories to small shops. Modular fixtures compare favorably to both permanent fixtures
and general-purpose workholders, as they offer excellent detail and accuracy at a much
lower cost than permanent fixtures.

Modular fixturing is a relatively simple process. Instead of creating custom-made plates for
each short run, or using generic clamps and jigs, a modular plate can easily create the
precise fixture you need, then can be easily unassembled to be stored or used for your
next application.

Modular fixturing is commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, and industrial

manufacturing industries. There are many good applications for modular workholding.
These applications include repairing permanent fixtures, making custom replacement
parts, building prototype parts, and intermittent or one-part production runs.

• Custom-made replacement parts

• One-time runs
• Infrequent orders
• Prototypes and trial runs

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

• Damaged permanent fixture replacement

Modular fixturing is a workholding system using a series of standardized components for

building specialized workholders. As shown in Figure below, a modular workholder is
assembled from a variety of standard off-the-shelf tooling plates, supports, locating
elements, clamps, and similar components. The components are assembled with socket-
head cap screws and locating screws. A modular-fixturing system may have hundreds of
different elements. The components can be assembled in different combinations to build
an unlimited variety of workholders.

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M

CNC Machine Tools 18ME821 Module 5

ECONOMICS OF CNC:

The economics of CNC machines can be understood with four factors: machining cost,
material cost, tool cost, and cost of non-productive time (setup costs).

The line labeled “machining cost” (made up of labor and overhead cost of time per piece)
reduces with increasing speed by reducing operating (cycle) times.

The cost for tools, on the other hand, increases with increasing speed. This is because
tool life decreases with increasing speed. Since machining and tool costs vary with the
speed of operation, a minimum total cost occurs at a definite set of conditions for material,
tooling and operating speed.

Purchasing improved tools is one way to move the machining cost, and total cost per
piece curves to the right and down, as is adding coatings, improved metalworking fluids
and their delivery, and so on.

***************

Dr. K. M. Sathish Kumar, Dept. of ME, BMSIT&M