The Benefits of Balance
UMC recently invested in a Zoller Tool Balancer and Presetter to help keep tools and parts in balance during production. In high-speed precision machining, where tools are rotating at 15,000 to 25,000 RPMs, a balanced tool is imperative to maintaining the reliable production and exacting specifications required for highly-regulated and high-stakes industries such as medical device and aerospace. Even the best-made, most perfectly symmetrical tool holder will still have an imbalance and will be impacted by the materials we’re machining. The force behind any imbalance only increases with increased speeds.
When tools on the machining floor are balanced, everything benefits, from end-product quality to production cost. Here are the top three benefits from investing in the Zoller Tool Balancer and Presetter:
1. Increase the life and performance of machine tools
The force behind any unbalance becomes greater the higher the speed the object is spinning. So, the faster something is turning, the more critical balance becomes. Keeping tools in balance reduces vibrations, decreases wear on bearings, and increases spindle life. Longer-lasting tools save money and reduce downtime.
Balanced tools also perform better with higher machine-tool RPM and increased feed rates and cutting capacity.
2. Improve surface finish
When the tool, toolholder, and spindle work together, they vibrate at a certain frequency. The tool leaves waves on the machined surface that match this vibration. The waves can cause the cutting edge to experience a variable load, called chatter. When it comes to producing a perfect finish, the goal is always to reduce this chatter.
Chatter can be reduced by adjusting the setup to make it more stable or by finding a spindle speed where the cutting edge harmonizes with the frequency of the system. With a tool balancer, the tool is automatically varied until it is balanced.
Less chatter results in a more accurate surface finish requiring less polishing.
3. Improve repeatability
The balancer removes variables of imbalance in a process, which means results are repeatable and predictable. Balancing is also a key factor in machining accuracy. Repeatability and accuracy in machining means a solid process that can reduce lead times as well as lower costs.
In the end, the most important aspect of tool balancing is the impact it has on UMC’s customers. With a high-tech balancing system, UMC can provide customers with faster, more reliable, higher-quality production.
Are you ready to experience the UMC difference? Request a quote today by clicking here.