milling, and other special purposes. Using the latest in CNC grinding technology to ensure flawless edge preparation, the tool manufacturer produces inserts with edge radii of 2.5 µm–0.1 mm. At this level of manufacturing precision, a mea- surement system capable of highest resolutions is required to accurately inspect a tool’s edge. “Before we became aware of Alicona‘s products, we


used a profile projector to measure edge preparation. The system simply wasn’t precise enough to accurately identify edge radii in the micrometer range. It was only after switching to the EdgeMaster that we became capable of high-resolution measurement and precise mapping of edge shapes,” said Flolo. The EdgeMaster has made it possible for Tool Flo to map edges using two radius parameters, including a so-called ellipse fit. This is in contrast to conven- tional methods that use only one radius parameter. “When trying to measure the many undercuts and chamfered edg- es on inserts, our old measurement system quickly reached its limits. Now we’re capable of measuring even complex geometries at resolutions previously unknown to us, and the results are traceable as well,” said Flolo, contrasting the old profile projector with the EdgeMaster. Apart from radii, Tool Flo also uses the EdgeMaster to verify edge parameters such as the clearance, wedge, and rake angles. True and projected bevel lengths of the cutting edge are also measured. In addition to mapping the cutting edge’s geometry, Tool Flo also inspects it for chipping. This reduces the risk of cracks and increases tool life. “Thanks to Alicona, we have been able to eliminate all guesswork regarding edge geometry,” Flolo said. Manufacturing tolerances in the micrometer range make it impossible for Tool Flo to accept measurement errors. However, conventional measurement systems often struggle to provide solid high-resolution measurement results in production environments. For this reason, Tool Flo relies on Alicona’s fully automatic optical 3D measure- ment systems to ensure highest measuring accuracy in the production process. With the EdgeMaster, Tool Flo is equipped with a measurement system that eliminates all sources of user error and thus provides unambiguous and conclusive measurement results. The system offers repeat- able and traceable high-resolution measurements, even when subjected to vibrations, extraneous light, and fluctua- tions in temperature. Reference category and tolerances only need to be set up once. Afterwards, the EdgeMaster carries out mea-


surements without requiring the user to adjust any further settings. The user simply places the insert into the respec- tive grip, starts the measurement, and, after a few seconds, receives the measurement log. The measurement range is automatically selected by the system according to the predefined measurement area. “We use the EdgeMaster as part of our production process. It’s easy to set up and can be operated by all of our employees without any special training,” Flolo said. “Since 1978, Tool-Flo has become a prime supplier of carbide inserts for threading, grooving, turning, milling, and various style specials. We have been looking for years for quality control inspection systems offering what Alicona supplies. Others have given us promises, Alicona showed the proof,” said Flolo. “We are convinced about the accuracy and repeatability of the tool measurement capabilities. This brought us to a new level of quality beyond belief.” For more information from Alicona Corp., go to www.alicona.com; or phone 630-372-9900.


Scientific Cutting Tools Over 50 Years of Excellence


5ISFBE .JMMT *OEFYBCMF 5PPMT 4JOHMF 1PJOU 1PSU 5PPMT 4QFDJBMUZ $PPMBOU 5ISPVHI


1SFNJVN 4VCNJDSPO $BSCJEF ,OPXMFEHFBCMF 5FDI 4VQQPSU


2VBMJUZ 1SFDJTJPO 5PPMT 0WFS


1SPEVDUT


805.584.9495 800.383.2244


5FDIOJDBM BTTJTUBODF JT BWBJMBCMF "TJTUFODJB U¥DOJDB EJTQPOJCMF FO FTQB­PM www.sct-usa.com


sales@sct-usa.com Booth 915 PMTS April 2017 | AdvancedManufacturing.org 75


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116