Technology

Tools for modern lightweight materials Reliable machining of CFRP, GFRP, titanium and composite materials

MAPAL technology:

More and more applications are making use of lightweight materials Where reducing weight while maintaining stability is a key issue, modern materials are conquering ever more applications. Products of lightweight design, particularly those made of fibre composite materials and multimaterial systems (CFRP-metal multilayer composites), are becoming increasing common in the key industry of vehicle manufacture, as they spread from their origins in the aerospace industry. Here lightweight design is also playing a crucial role in the introduction of electric mobility. Lightweight materials are in the meantime established in wind energy converters and are increasingly common in machine tools, industrial robots and the consumer sector. In intensive collaboration with customers, for example from the aerospace sector, MAPAL has created a comprehensive range of tools for the reliable machining of modern materials.

Tools for modern lightweight materials

New challenges for tool solutions Depending on the requirement, modern lightweight materials are widely varying materials and reliable machining represents a real challenge. For the area of drilling and milling fibre-reinforced plastics MAPAL has specially developed new tool solutions that address these specific requirements. The portfolio covers standard products made of solid carbide, tools with PCD tips and also customer-specific custom solutions. The basics for machining modern lightweight materials: During tool design the focus is on the avoidance of delamination, formation of burrs or fibre projections on the part. PCD-tipped inserts or special diamond coatings on solid carbide tools provide long tool lives even with extremely abrasive materials. The MAPAL range includes tools for drilling, milling and reaming CFRP, GFRP, aramide, soft foam, plastics and CFRP-metal multilayer composites (stacks).

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Drills for modern materials New drills for the cost-effective machining of lightweight materials such as CFRP, GFRP or CFRP-metal multilayer composites (stacks) For machining bores in modern materials such as CFRP, GFRP, or CFRP-metal multilayer composites (titanium and aluminium), MAPAL has developed special solutions that prevent delamination and fibre projections. Depending on the design, they have special geometries, high-performance diamond coatings or cost-effective replaceable head systems. Irrespective of whether machining unidirectional or multidirectional CFRP composite materials – the new drill types MEGA-Drill-Composite-UD and MEGA-Drill-Composite-MD successfully meet the challenges of complex materials with their high-performance diamond coatings and impress with long tool lives. 1. MEGA-Drill-Composite-MD For usage in CFRP with multidirectional fibres

3. T TD-Stack-Drill (replaceable head) For usage in CFRP-metal multilayer composites

2. MEGA-Drill-Composite-DU For usage in CFRP with unidirectional fibres

4. MEGA-Stack-Drill For usage in CFRP-metal multilayer composites

Advantages:  o delamination, fibre projection N or burr formation on the part L ong tool lives thanks to special diamond coatings  esigns with countersink steps D possible P roven replaceable head system reduces tool costs for larger diameters

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Tools for modern lightweight materials

Milling cutters for fibre-reinforced plastics Optimum machining results and tool lives on machining grooves, trimming, milling contours and pockets For the production of breakthroughs and pockets in fibre-reinforced plastics and for trimming the outer contours, MAPAL offers solid carbide end milling cutters with a diamond coating and PCD-tipped or CVD-tipped milling cutters. They impress with very good machining results. They prevent delamination at the edges of the parts and permit short machining times and long tool lives. Even large parts can be safely and reliably machined without the risk of costly reworking and corrections. The MAPAL PCD milling cutter programme for CFRP and GFRP parts includes ball nose and torical end mills for three-dimensional surfaces as well as cylindrical milling cutters. Thanks to the positive cutting edge geometries, the fibres of the material are optimally cut and good surface finishes are obtained even when machining spherical surfaces. 1. PCD and CVD end milling cutters Long tool lives on milling and trimming CFRP/GFRP

4. OptiMill-Composite-Speed Roughing and finishing of CFRP in one machining step

2. OptiMill-Composite-Quadro Finishing of CFRP/GFRP parts with high surface finish requirements

5. OptiMill-Composite-TwinCut Milling and trimming of Kevlar parts

Advantages:  illing cutter programme with M PCD/CVD-tipping and made of solid carbide with diamond coating L ong tool lives even with extremely abrasive composite materials Very good surface finishes P ractically no delamination on the part

3. OptiMill-Composite-MT Roughing of CFRP/GFRP for milling and trimming

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Wind turbine rotor blades Complete machining of GFRP blade joint The design of the joint between rotor blade and rotor hub is one of the most demanding tasks during rotor blade development on wind energy converters. The bolted joint that connects the rotor blade via the blade bearing to the rotor hub is subjected to extremely dynamic loads. To reduce the weight of the rotor blade and to reduce the manufacturing costs, the manufacturers mostly use the so-called cross-pin joint. To cost-effectively undertake the necessary drilling, milling and cutting operations on the GFRP blade joint, MAPAL has developed innovative tool systems that have also been optimised in relation to the reduced production of dust and chips. 1. PCD core drill Machining of the longitudinal bores and cross bores for the retaining pins PCD-tipped core drills achieve high tool lives and also prevent delamination at the bore outlet. Due to the low volume of chips, also with large machining diameters, the production of dust and chips is significantly reduced in comparison to a conventional drill. 2. Replaceable head drill TTD (special design) Machining of the locking bores for blade alignment in the machine tool The geometry of the replaceable head drill has been specially optimised for the requirements of GFRP machining. The design as a replaceable head system makes the machining of the 32 mm diameter particularly cost-effective.

3. PCD disc-type milling cutter (cutting) Cutting off the protruding resin on the edge of the rotor blade root The disc-type milling cutter ø = 400 mm tipped with 20 PCD inserts ensure machining times are short. The polished tool body reduces the heat produced during the machining. No wandering of the saw cut as occurs during conventional machining with diamond saw blades.

Advantages: Innovative core drill reduces dust and the production of chips  hort machining times during S milling due to maximum number of inserts in the tool body  o delamination, fibre projection N or burr formation on the part L ong tool lives due to PCD-tipped inserts or special diamond coatings

4. PCD face milling cutter (EcoSpeed) Fine machining of the cut edge After cutting off the protruding resin using the disc-type milling cutter, the surface for the joint to the rotor hub is finish machined using a PCD-tipped face milling cutter from the EcoMill series to achieve the required flatness.

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Tools for modern lightweight materials

Aerospace industry – fuselage and wing assembly Machining of CFRP/titanium/aluminium multilayer composites Due to the use of CFRP in modern aircraft structure and aircraft skin assembly, titanium is increasingly commonly used to introduce and distribute the forces. In the fuselage this is the case in the areas of the doors, and in the wing in the area where the loads from the engine are applied, and in the landing gear and the flaps. The geometric requirements on the bores in these highly loaded structural components made of CFRP/titanium/aluminium are very tight and must be achieved in one machining step with high process reliability. Over many years MAPAL has obtained an understanding of the process of mechanically machining the various materials. The result is a tool that, despite varying requirements from this machining, produces bores in H8 quality in one machining step with long tool life. The tool operates with low process heat in titanium, it prevents the adhesion of aluminium and prevents scratches in the CFRP. To be able to machine the different variants of the CFC-metal stack (titanium or aluminium) using only one drilling tool, optimally matched drill geometries and comprehensive process know-how are prerequisites for the manufacture of cost-effective tools. Depending on the arrangement of the material layers, MAPAL offers optimally designed drills in the form of solid carbide tools or based on the replaceable head system. 1. Replaceable head drill TTD-Stack-Drill Drilling aluminium-CFRP stacks, for usage in wing assembly The geometry and the coating of the tool vary depending on the composition of the stack and machining direction. In the case of CFRP-aluminium stacks, the bore is drilled from the solid and produced in H8 quality using the TTD tool. In the case of multilayer composites with titanium, bores > 12 mm are drilled from the solid with the TTD tool and subsequently reamed.

2. HPR replaceable head reamer “Stack-Reamer” Reaming of aluminium-CFRP-titanium stacks, for usage in wing assembly While on the CFRP-aluminium stacks the bores are produced in one machining step, after drilling a CFRP-titanium stack (with diameters > 12 mm) the surface must be fine machined with a reamer. Here an HPR tool with replaceable head and PCD blades is used.

Advantages:  ustom-made tool solutions C for optimum results in all stack variants  rilling from the solid and fine D machining with one tool in CFRP/ CFRP and CFRP/aluminium  atched drilling and reaming tools M for CFRP/titanium in diameters > 12 mm  eplaceable head systems for high R cost-effectiveness  FRP/CFRP: Drilling without delaC mination and fibre projections CFRP thermoset matrix CFRP thermoplastic matrix

 FRP/aluminium: Burr-free drilling C without delamination CFRP Aluminium

 FRP/titanium: Low process heat C at high process speeds 2

CFRP Titanium Aluminium

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MAPAL the major specialist

MAPAL Präzisionswerkzeuge Dr. Kress KG P.O. Box 1520 · D-73405 Aalen · Phone +49 (0) 7361 585-0 · Fax +49 (0) 7361 585-150 [email protected] · www.mapal.com

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