Blaser Swisslube Expands Technology Center

The Technology Center enables machining specialists to provide customers with cutting and grinding fluids that deliver added value and help to optimize their productivity, economic efficiency and quality of their machining operations.

Lubricant company Blaser Swisslube recently extended its ultra-modern Technology Center, which now occupies about 3,200 sq ft of floor space at its head office site in Hasle-Rüegsau, Switzerland. For the last four years, this is where the latest metalworking fluids that have been developed are tested, and where the versatile machining operations of customers and partners are recreated in a realistic way.

The Technology Center enables machining specialists to provide customers with cutting and grinding fluids that deliver an effective form of added value and which help to optimize their productivity, economic efficiency as well as the quality of their machining operations. Test results provide convincing evidence.

Blaser Swisslube has now created optimum conditions for simulating and testing the latest machining technologies in its Technology Center, founded at the end of 2008, with two 5-axis machining centers, one turning and milling center, a 5-axis tool grinding machine and two new CAD/CAM workplaces.

“This enables us to provide our customers with even better levels of support, and to help them improve their productivity and economic efficiency, as well as to optimize the quality of their machining operations”, explains chief executive officer Marc Blaser.

In addition to the tests conducted on recently developed metalworking fluids for the machining of an incredibly diverse range of materials, and the close-to-reality simulation of production situations, the infrastructure enables machining seminars to be delivered from the head office site in Hasle-Rüegsau.

In collaboration with customers, universities, colleges of advanced technology or trade associations, innovative machining technologies and the latest materials are tested with various metalworking fluids, after which the processes, as well as the cutting and grinding fluids, can be optimized and developed yet further.

Test 1: Deep-hole drilling 18 times faster
The influence of metalworking fluids on the machining process is often underestimated. A recent project conducted with the Technical University (Technische Hochschule) in Aachen demonstrated this very clearly. The aim of the project was to reduce the machining time required to drill a deep hole in tempered steel, an operation that had taken three minutes, while endeavouring to retain the same standard of quality.

Until its collaboration with Blaser Swisslube, the Technical University in Aachen had been using a conventional cutting oil for this machining operation.

Starting Position
Operation: Deep hole drilling, diameter .31 in to a depth of 7.8 in
Pre-machining of pilot hole of same diameter to a depth of .62 in
Material: 42CrMo4 + QT, 1000 MPa tensile strength
Machine type: Mazak Variaxis 500
Tool: Kennametal and Titex drilling tools
Cutting parameters: Vc 394 ft/min, f .001 in/Rev

To optimize these demanding drilling operations, a process of rigorous testing and adjustment was applied to tool, drilling strategy, machining parameters, metalworking fluid delivery and metalworking fluid. The water-miscible cutting and grinding fluid was pumped through the tool at high pressure (psi 870) to evacuate any chips occurring and to prevent the downtime otherwise caused by chip removal.

The key thing here is to select a metalworking fluid with no tendency to foam, even at high pressures. Always prevent air bubbles from arising in the emulsion since these counteract the cooling action and also obstruct the flow rate that enables chips to be cleared effectively.

At the end of this project, the original time required of three minutes per hole was reduced to ten seconds for a depth of 7.8 in – an 18-fold improvement in efficiency.

Click here to view a video recording of the deep hole drilling operation – watch it and convince yourself!

Test 2: Tool life increased
Another successful project at the Technology Center dealt with the machining of a titanium component. Through the use of the optimum metalworking fluid, it was possible to improve the tool life by more than 30 percent in series production, compared to a conventional metalworking fluid.

Starting Position
Operation: Milling (pocket machining)
Material: Titanium TiAl6V4
Machine type: Mazak Variaxis 500
Tool: Sandvik VHM miller
Cutting parameters: Vc 525 ft/min, f .006 in/tooth, ap .984 in, ae .035 in, tea° 32 (angle of deflection)

The test project involved milling two identical titanium components. For this, the components were produced on the same Mazak machine, using the same tool, and with a milling program from 3D Concepts. The only difference was the kind of metalworking fluid employed.

With the conventional metalworking fluid, it proved possible to manufacture one and a half titanium components before tool wear made it necessary to stop production. The solid carbide milling tool had been subjected to extreme stress loadings and clear signs of breakage down its cutting edges were visible, alongside the normal signs of wear.

With a new high-performance metalworking fluid specifically designed for the machining of titanium, it was possible to manufacture two complete workpieces without reaching the previously defined tool life criterion (wear of .008 in) – an impressive improvement in performance.

From Coolant to Liquid Tool
CEO Blaser says, “Both projects demonstrate that the three factors of productivity, economic efficiency and machining quality depend in large part on the choice and quality of metalworking fluid and on the expertise of the machining specialists.”

Accompanying that optimum choice of metalworking fluid is the technical expertise of Blaser specialists in Sales, in the R&D laboratory, in the Technology Center and in Customer Service that gives Blaser partners real tangible benefits. “This technological expertise transforms our cutting and grinding fluids into a liquid tool, and into a precisely engineered solution to meet the specific needs of each of our partners.”

Do you have any questions or would you like further information? If so, please do not hesitate to write to technologycenter@blaser.com. We will take great pleasure in answering your questions.

Blaser Swisslube is a globally active company in the metalworking fluid sector. The independent and family-owned Swiss company was founded in 1936 and has since grown from a small business into a global player, employing over 500 people worldwide. With its own subsidiaries and representative offices, Blaser Swisslube is close to its customers in about 60 countries.

Blaser Swisslube develops, produces and sells high-quality cutting and grinding fluids. Its customers then use Blaser metalworking fluids with great success to produce everything from the tiniest of components for the watchmaking industry or medicinal technology to gigantic structural elements in the aircraft industry.

Blaser Swisslube is active in the U.S. market for more than 30 years. Way back in 1986, a production facility and an office complex were constructed in Goshen, NY. At the same time, Goshen is the head office location for the “Americas Region” (North, Central and South America). Today a team of 40 co-workers collaborate with about 50 distributors and agents to assure good availability and a professional level of support. www.blaser.com