Cutting Tools for Miniature Dental and Medical Parts
New tool holding products mirror modern metalworking demands
Successful development of innovative and dynamic parts in today’s miniature dental and medical components industry presents a formidable and equally dynamic challenge to cutting tool manufacturers.
ISCAR, a leading manufacturer of cutting tools for metalworking, invested time and resources to develop optimal machining solutions for the medical sector, applying unique geometries, tools, and grades. Utilizing CAD/CAM systems to create custom tool assemblies according to the ISO 13399 standard, ISCAR developed cutting tools for machining miniature medical parts – specifically dental screws and components for hip joint replacement implants.
Dental Screws
ISCAR provides dedicated cutting tools for each of the main operations involved in machining dental screws.
ISCAR developed two options for rough OD (outer dimension) turning. The SWISSCUT compact tool is designed for Swiss-type automatics and CNC lathes, and enables reduced setup time and easy indexing without having to remove the toolholder from the machine, while the inserts are equipped with chip deflectors designed specifically for machining small parts. The second option features SWISSTURN toolholders, with a unique clamping mechanism to optimize insert clamping and replacement on Swiss-type machines, and JETCUT high pressure coolant tools. SWISSCUT tools are used for the turn threading operation.
CHATTERFREE endmills are utilized for the slot milling stage to maximize stock removal rate, eliminate vibration and reduce cycle time. The unique ground geometry provides excellent surface and tool life, while machining at high material removal rates.
PENTACUT parting and grooving inserts perform the cut-off operations. With 5 cutting edges and very rigid insert clamping, PENTACUT is a stronger insert for higher machining parameters particularly on soft materials, parting of tubes, small and thin-walled parts. SWISSCUT tools are used in the face and OD turning (screw head turning) operation, while the drilling operation is performed by SOLIDDRILL solid carbide drills with 3xD and 5xD drilling depths and right-hand cut.
Femoral Head
The machining required for a femoral head involves many ways. ISOTURN turning tools may be used for rough turning. The ISO standard tools perform most of the industry’s chip removal in applications ranging from finishing to roughing. Offered in all standard geometries, the trigon (semi-triangular) turning inserts for axial and face turning feature six 80° corner cutting edges. For profile machining, ISCAR provides intricate and precise V-LOCK V-shaped special profile grooving inserts for the range of 10 – 36 mm. Precision ground and utility CUT-GRIP full-radius inserts are used for performing semi-finish turning.
Acetabular Shell
Machining of the acetabular shell component consists of rough internal turning, finish profile milling, shouldering, upper and bottom chamfering, drilling, thread milling, external rough turning, and external grooving operations.
HELI-GRIP double-ended inserts are used for the rough internal turning operation, as the twisted design allows them to groove deeper than the insert length. Internal finish milling is performed by SOLIDMILL 3-flute. SOLIDMILL endmills with 4 flutes, 38° helix, and variable pitch for chatter dampening, perform the finish shouldering operations, as well as the special-shaped endmill which performs the upper and bottom chamfering operations that follow the drilling stage.
SOLIDDRILL solid carbide drills with 3-20 mm range and 3xD and 5xD drilling depths are used for the drilling operation. SOLIDDRILL tools feature a right-hand cut with and without internal coolant nozzles and advanced TiAlN coating for optimum hole quality, high performance reliability and economical output.
Thread milling is performed by SOLIDMILL solid carbide internal threading endmills, which integrate coolant holes for ISO thread profiles. ISO standard inserts with SWISSTURN toolholders feature JETCUT high pressure coolant are used for rough turning and external grooving is performed with CUT-GRIP precision inserts.
SOLIDMILL endmills with 4 flutes, 38° helix and variable pitch for chatter dampening with 3xD relieved necks , and SOLIDMILL 3 flute, 30° helix short solid carbide ball nose endmills perform the final milling operations.
Bone Plate
The machining required to manufacture a bone plate involves rough and finish milling, shouldering, drilling, and mill threading.
For rough milling, the FINISHRED endmill geometries allow the tool to perform roughing and finishing operations at the same time. The result is the ability to apply roughing machining conditions, while obtaining excellent surface finish. MULTI-MASTER interchangeable solid carbide tapered heads are applied to the finish milling operation, whereby the curved surfaces can be machined by tilting the tool and applying a large corner radius at small cutting depths. Shouldering is performed with CHATTERFREE endmills which enable high material removal rates, eliminate vibration, and reduce cycle time.
For the final milling stage, MULTI-MASTER 4 flute, 30° helix short solid carbide ball nose endmills in the 5-25 mm range are employed, while SOLIDDRILL solid carbide drills with no coolant holes and 4xD drilling depth, are used to ensure stable and accurate drilling. SOLIDTHREAD 55° or 60° profile solid carbide taper thread mills are used for the mill threading operation.
Article by: ISCAR (THAILAND) CO., LTD. & MEGA Tech
Reference : https://www.iscar.com/index.aspx/lang/en