High Dynamic Turning (HDT) from Ceratizit combined with the company’s dynamic FreeTurn tooling allows customers to carry out all traditional turning operations such as roughing, finishing, contour turning, face turning and longitudinal turning with just one tool. HDT with FreeTurn represents a completely new method of turning.

For 100 years, new cutting materials, new chip breakers and a few new tooling systems have been invented to optimize turning. However, the actual basic turning process has remained essentially unchanged. Even today, a contour is created with an indexable insert at a fixed angle to the workpiece. This method has not changed, even with the addition of controllable axes in modern turning-milling centers, machines which are intended to serve one purpose, namely, to manufacture a component as completely as possible within a single machine work envelope. 

Ceratizit has taken advantage of the features on these turning-milling centers and developed the High Dynamic Turning (HDT) System. The simple idea behind HDT: the tool approach and point of contact in the machine can be varied as opposed to conventional turning with a fixed tool. 

Instead of the classic, static position of the insert in the holder, the milling spindle is now used to produce the corresponding approach angle to the workpiece. The use of the spindle drive, in conjunction with the slim, axial tool design of the FreeTurn tools by Ceratizit, creates a degree of freedom of 360° without the risk of collision, thus providing unprecedented flexibility. Due to the rotation around its own tool axis, the cutting edge change can be done without interrupting the cutting process. 

Additionally, the angle of approach is freely variable at any time and can even be changed while cutting. This not only enables flexible machining of almost every workpiece contour, but also optimum chip breaking, higher feed rates and an increase in tool life. Depending on the machine capabilities, the technology can be used functionally in all areas of turning operations. The approach of the milling spindle on the Y/Z axis on turning-milling centers is widespread. 

As a result, further possibilities can be achieved with HDT that seemed previously unachievable. For example, cutting from above and below is possible. Depending on the machining area and workpiece size, this freedom can be an important factor in production.

 

This new development is available now and will be showcased at IMTS 2020 in Chicago.