CNC Turning A Small Groove Makes the Difference

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Waibl GmbH has recognized the advantages of the new Ingersoll cutting insert VBMX. After initial tests, it is now being used for all turning operations.

Founded in 1972 as a family business, Waibl GmbH forms a corporate group with Futronika AG, which emerged from the merger of Futureblech AG and Zelenka AG. Waibl and Futronika are headquartered in Hofolding near Munich and operate as independent companies but are owned by the same entity. The daily business is managed by the two brothers, Michael and Ralf Waibl. The business areas complement each other, covering all processes of metalworking. With a total of 90 employees, 15 of whom work at Waibl GmbH, the group generates an annual turnover of 15 million euros (approx. 17 billion USD).

Futronika focuses on all aspects of sheet metal processing as well as the assembly of complete machines. The in-house, state-of-the-art powder coating facility enables the final individual and durable finishing of components. Waibl specializes in machining processes and is explicitly responsible for the development of designs, special machine construction, and prototype manufacturing. Key areas include CNC turning and milling as well as welded assemblies.

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The focus of the corporate group is on complete project assignments for machines and assemblies as well as the production of individual components. "Customers can come to us with an idea or a drawing, and we turn it into reality using the best technical possibilities," explains Michael Waibl. As a contract manufacturer, the company handles the entire value chain, from consulting, planning, design, procurement, production, surface finishing, and assembly to shipping. As part of their long-term strategy, Waibl highlights a 360° portfolio, where a product is guided from concept to series production.

Everything that happens between the drawing and the test run is done in-house.

Michael Waibl, Managing Director at Waibl GmbH

The company works for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, motorsports, additive manufacturing, semiconductor industry, medical technology, and construction industry. Among other things, 3D printers and hydraulic pumps have already been built in Hofolding (Germany). Typically, smaller machines weighing up to 1.5 tons and with a maximum size of approximately 3 meters × 3 meters are manufactured.

Our strengths are the high flexibility and the speed with which we manufacture components of the highest quality.

Michael Waibl, Managing Director at Waibl GmbH

A wide range of different materials is processed, with a current focus on stainless steel and aluminum. Carrying out all manufacturing steps under one roof enables short delivery times.

Erich Dreher, as the head of the CNC turning department, is responsible for attending trade fairs and procuring tools, with which he is very familiar after 18 years with the company. He likes to use trade fairs, such as the AMB, as a source of information. There, he looks for innovations that he believes can improve their own manufacturing processes. He found what he was looking for at the Ingersoll booth, where he noticed a turning tool he had never seen before: the new VBMX indexable insert for the MultiLTurn system.

Due to the sharp angles of the MultiLTurn indexable insert, the V-insert is suitable for various profiling operations. However, the clearance angle between the pressed insert and the insert seat causes the insert to twist during machining, leading to dimensional deviations. To reduce such dimensional deviations caused by the twisting of the pressed insert, Ingersoll presented the new positive VBMX indexable insert and corresponding holders at the trade fair.

On the underside of this indexable insert, there is a groove that ensures a stable fit of the insert on a special washer, while the rear part of the insert is held in a correspondingly designed pocket.

The special feature of the system is the indexing of the cutting insert on the support plate, which allows us to guarantee high dimensional accuracy because the insert can no longer shift in the holder. With the groove in the insert, contour distortion is practically eliminated, as is the case with other finishing inserts.

Michael Bum, Technical Advisor for Ingersoll

Bum equipped Waibl with a special holder from the MultiLTurn series, featuring internal cooling with direct coolant transfer, which he believes achieves better results, especially when machining stainless steel. The holder not only offers top cooling to flush away chips but also includes a bottom coolant stream that efficiently cools the cutting edge. "The cooling now reaches the cutting edge optimally," confirms Erich Dreher.

Like any contract manufacturer that preferably produces individual parts, Waibl also finds it difficult to directly compare tools. However, it is not entirely impossible.

In the meantime, our parts portfolio has evolved, and we are now increasingly dealing with small series as well. Therefore, we can estimate the different service lives of various tools.

Erich Dreher, Head of CNC Turning, Waibl GmbH

With older holders, it was quite normal for the insert seat to wear out over time. As a result, corrections were repeatedly necessary during a workday, which is no longer the case with the VBMX. "Once the new insert is secured after the first cut, the values remain consistent, which is a significant relief for us," says Dreher. The noticeable reduction in insert consumption during production was quantified in a small series through direct comparison. Previously, the competitor's inserts could produce 45 parts, whereas the new cutting tool from Ingersoll produces 60 parts—and this without the need for operator intervention or adjustments.

Avoiding vibrations through the fixed insert seat contributes to the longer service life, as does the optimal cooling of the cutting edge. Waibl's turning department now uses the system for all components made of steel and stainless steel, whether tough or hard. The VBMX is used as a universal insert wherever a clean surface is required.

*Dipl.-Phys. Manfred Flohr is a freelance specialist journalist

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