Innovative Tooling: Adapting and Upgrading for Machining Success

“Lead, follow or get out of the way.” Lee Iaccoca’s words, once a rallying cry for Chrysler Corporation, resonate even more strongly today in machining and manufacturing. To stay efficient, effective, and competitive, leaders must embrace innovation.

Hands‑on machining experience is invaluable, but it should serve as a lens for evaluating emerging technologies rather than a blanket endorsement of the old ways. The field is evolving rapidly with through‑tool coolant, high‑pressure coolant, and high‑speed machining becoming industry standards.

So, what’s next? Who will take the risk? You.

A Case in Point

Titanium, once reserved for military and space applications, is now ubiquitous—from golf clubs and automobiles to smartphones and hip‑replacement implants. Yet, its machining remains challenging. Titanium’s unique properties mean that chip formation only begins at elevated temperatures, and conventional tools—high‑speed steel, carbide, and coated carbide—suffer under such heat. The result is high cutting forces, rapid tool wear, long processing times, and increased costs.

One aerospace supplier faced a titanium part that required more than 20 hours of machining and excessive material to dissipate heat and control warping. The process was costly and inefficient.

The Key to Success

Research conducted at the supplier’s facility, validated through tool‑life testing at Dr. M. Eugene Merchant’s machining TechSolve Labs in Cincinnati, revealed that the right tooling and coolant strategy could transform the process. The study identified a 10‑flute, TiAlON‑coated solid carbide end mill as the optimal tool. The additional flutes lowered chip load per tooth, enabling higher feed rates while reducing cutting forces and heat generation.

High‑pressure coolant delivered a fine mist directly into the cut, providing superior thermal management. A slight tilt—approximately 1 degree off vertical—eased coolant access and allowed the cutting edge to disengage more readily, further cooling the tool and workpiece.

Combining high‑speed machining principles with effective heat control yielded a process that cut material faster, with lower forces, and less heat. Material usage dropped by one‑third, as the need for excess stock to counter warping vanished. Only two cuts—rough and finish—were necessary, halving the overall processing time and eliminating the “sneak‑up” approach. Warp was minimized, keeping geometry within tolerance and boosting quality yield.

The supplier’s success hinged on a willingness to change. Innovation inherently involves risk, but experienced teams can mitigate it by carefully selecting and testing new solutions. Exposure to cutting‑edge technology empowers operators to make informed decisions that improve performance.

By leading with inventive tooling and advanced processing techniques, manufacturers can compete more profitably on both national and global stages. Either you embrace innovation in your machining operations, or your competitors will.

About the Author

Mike Gugger is the Manager of Special Projects at TechSolve. With over a decade of shop‑floor experience—ranging from setups and CNC program verification to training operators—Mike earned an engineering degree that deepened his practical knowledge. His responsibilities encompass CNC programming, tooling and fixturing development, capital equipment justification, JIT, ISO 9000 compliance, and the implementation of DNC and shop‑floor communication systems.

Through a hands‑on approach, TechSolve’s experts implement lean and other productivity‑improvement initiatives at the enterprise and supply‑chain levels, support new‑product development, and help program and product managers reduce the cost of both high‑volume and low‑volume/high‑cost metallic engineered parts.