Efficient Drilling in Toolmaking Mangner Reduces Setup Time and Costs with Mapal Change Tool Drills

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Zerspanungstechnik Mangner GmbH was able to increase its drilling efficiency with a large tool package from Mapal. The package included 110 TTD replaceable head drills and a supply of solid carbide heads.

When Mike Mangner started his company in 2013 in a small rented hall, the tools still had to be changed by hand. The young company developed quickly. Just one year later, the current company building was purchased and the first Hermle machine was installed. As a classic contract manufacturer, Mangner mainly has customers in tool and mold making. The company serves them in the areas of die casting, sand casting and model making. A large proportion is destined for the automotive industry. Parts for general mechanical engineering are also produced. Mangner's customers come from all over Germany, but mainly from the region.

There are now 15 machining centers in production, most of which are from Hermle. From the small 5-axis machine to the machining center for components measuring 1 meter × 1 meter (~3.3 feet x 3.3 feet), they cover a wide range of components. There are approximately two machines per operator, and programming takes place directly at the workstation. Mike Mangner's optimization philosophy includes having many of the same machines in use. The next step in standardization is to have as many identical tools as possible available in these machines.

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With this concept, we have strengthened our position and can deploy operators flexibly if required.

Mike Mangner, Managing Director, Zerspanungstechnik Mangner GmbH

Hirth Serration from Mapal Allows High Torques

Two years ago, Dominik Geßner moved to Mangner as production manager, bringing experience and contacts with him. These included Mapal and its area sales manager Uwe Rein. Geßner campaigned for the introduction of the TTD replaceable head drills, which he had already come to know and appreciate in previous years.

The TTD replaceable head drill is the most important area of application for the TTS interface (Torque Transfer System). This interface is given stability by the radial Hirth coupling with twelve or 18 teeth, depending on the diameter of the adapted solid carbide drill head. Variable geometries of the interchangeable head are possible thanks to the form-fit toothing. In addition, optimum torque transfer and high changeover and concentricity accuracies are guaranteed.

The replaceable drill head is securely fastened by a grub screw attached to the side of the holder. This allows the core bit to be changed directly in the machine. A positioning aid integrated into the toothing ensures that the flutes and coolant transfer from the holder to the replaceable drill head are aligned. With its cutting edge geometry, the drill head is at the quality and performance level of solid carbide drills.

Processing Time Has Been Reduced

"These drills really come into their own in hardened material, which they process reliably," reports Dominik Geßner. "We achieve a long tool life, which reduces the throughput time of our drilled parts." In the past, Mangner used to drill holes before hardening. Now that additional clamping is no longer necessary, set-up times are reduced accordingly. This increases efficiency in production and brings added value to the company.

The tool system previously used had a very weak point: If the solid carbide drill head was torn off, the holder for the drill bit was usually damaged as well. According to Geßner's experience, this has never happened with Mapal. After a breakage, it was always possible to continue working with a new drill head, which limited the damage caused. "I looked at changing the tool system primarily from a cost perspective," says Mike Mangner, explaining his decision to opt for Mapal.

Increasing Economic Efficiency and Sustainability

Mangner uses the drills primarily for piloting deep holes and for complete drilling of cooling systems, so-called cooling risers. The normal bevel of the cutting edges is 140 degrees, but Mapal also offers variants for special applications. For example, countersunk holes can be drilled with a 180-degree point, which would otherwise only be possible with a milling cutter. Ball drills enable radii at the end. With careful handling, the drill heads can be reground up to three times at Mapal, as Dominik Geßner reports. "This is very sustainable and also reduces the average price of the tool."

The tool package supplied by Mapal contained diameters from 12 to 45 millimeters (~0.5 to 1.8 inches), with tool lengths of 3xD, 5xD, 8xD and 12xD.

We cover a certain diameter range with the replaceable head drills in increments of one tenth. With drills made entirely of solid carbide, the tools would be unaffordable.

Dominik Geßner, Production Manager, Zerspanungstechnik Mangner GmbH

The many sizes reflect the different requirements in production. Series with up to 100 parts are rather rare here. Typical batch sizes are between 1 and 10 pieces. The material is often hot-work tool steel 1.2343, but special materials, various hardened steels and aluminum are also machined.

Following the successful use of TTD drills, the cooperation between Mangner and Mapal is likely to be further expanded. Reamers are already in use. Milling cutters are also being used on a trial basis. Uwe Rein can imagine that high-feed milling could be the next step.