The WIDIA Top Ream platform has now been added to the extremely comprehensive and diverse hole making portfolio that is available from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC). The Tamworth cutting tool manufacturer covers all your holemaking requirements and the addition of the WIDIA Top Ream supplements the holemaking range with an impressive hole finishing series of reamers.
The WIDIA Top Ream line is available in diameters up to 42 mm with a complete range of edge preparation processes and geometries available. The keys attributes for high hole quality are the concentricity precision, form and position and surface finish. Whilst boring tools may well be the undisputed leader in all of these areas, they can also prove a method that has a long set-up time. Its here that the Top Ream steps in.
Conventional carbide-tipped reamers produce good hole quality and are considerably faster than boring with an ability to reach much deeper than boring tools. However, reamers also have an Achilles heel as the steel shank that is brazed with the carbide flutes has a thermal coefficient three times that of carbide. This makes it subject to growth during machining operations.
Additionally, sharpening these tools leads to less than desirable results whereby the mixture of carbide and steel wreaks havoc on grinding wheels. Providing a reground edge as good as the original tool is almost impossible. The WIDIA Products Group has addressed these issues and more with its new Top Ream carbide reaming solution. Instead of four to eight individually brazed carbide tips, the Top Ream uses a single carbide disc and brazed joint. This provides a strong connection that is virtually immune to thermal effects during machining operations.
WIDIA’s Manufacturing Engineer, Tom Bobos notes another important advantage of Top Ream’s all-carbide tip, stating: “Steel-bodied reamers tend to get banged up on the ends. The centre can get nicked or distorted, preventing an accurate regrind. With carbide, you always have a good center to locate on. The result is a minimum of four ‘like new’ regrinds versus an average of three questionable ones.”
“A single piece of carbide is inherently more stable and resistant to vibration. The through-hole style has an 18-degree left hand spiral that does a great job of pushing the chip forward. It really is best in class.”
The Top Ream platform offers best in class carbide as well. The WIDIA WU05PR advanced reaming grade was developed specifically for the demanding tool wear and surface finish requirements encountered in most hole reaming operations. For example, tests performed over a total cut distance of 30m in length showed an ability to consistently maintain surface finishes of 32μin Ra (0.8μm) in 4140 steel alloy and 64μin Ra (1.6μm) in gray cast iron, three times that of TiAlN-coated tools.
The Top Ream covers hole diameters up to 42mm and the TRF shank-style starts at 14mm, with the TRM modular tool offered from 20mm and beyond. One of the best features of the Top Ream line is the TRM series’ mounting mechanism. It makes simultaneous contact on the face and taper of the cutting head. Twist the locking screw and the reamer head pops out with no need for head to body orientation. This provides a strong, vibration-free and extremely precise reamer interface. For more details on how the Top Ream can progress your hole quality, surface finish and precision whilst giving you a cost effective and easy-to-set alternative to boring tools, call ITC now.
