Jerry Von Bokel, District Manager
To stay competitive, companies need to keep overhead under control to reduce unnecessary cost. To do this, customers often want to eliminate sub-contracting and choose the most efficient tool for in-house production. This is where OSG’s HY-PRO® CARB VGx variable geometry end mill series comes into play.
One customer located in St. Louis, MO came to us when they were just starting to cut their own parts for the power generation industry. Previously they were sub-contracting this work to other vendors, but the customer knew that it would be less expensive to produce the parts in-house. They already had a couple machining centers in the facility to do emergency work. All they needed was to find the right tooling to perform the production of their own parts. The lead machinist found success with a competitor’s end mill, but he was open to trying? something new if ?it would benefit? the company. I? suggested OSG’s HY-PRO® CARB VGx end mills.
The VGx series features chatter-free machining of a wide range of materials and milling applications. The VGx’s variable index and eccentric relief design helps eliminate chatter by breaking up harmonics that are produced during normal milling operations. For further stability and minimal wear, the VGx’s raised land configuration and OSG’s TiAIN coating keeps the VGx end mill cutting consistently at accelerated speeds.
With its sophisticated design, the VGx excels in difficult-to-machine materials, such as carbon, alloy steels, cast irons, stainless steels, titanium and nickel alloys, while maintaining high metal removal rates. This keeps inventory cost low due to the reduced need to stock multiple cutters.
We decided to run a test with the VGx versus the competitor’s end mill. The customer was cutting 410 Stainless Steel using a 1/4” and a 3/16” with .03 corner radius. We first ran the competitor’s end mill at 75 SFM, 4,800 RPM, and 38 IPM. To compare, we then ran the 3/16” VGx end mill at 290 SFM, 5,900 RPM, and 23 IPM. By using the VGx, we reduced the cycle time by two minutes on the 3/16” and by three minutes on the 1/4” cutter. Not only did we save the customer time, but the VGx produced twice as many parts for increased overall productivity.
After all the tests had been completed, the operator was still trying to wear out the OSG cutter with no success. The VGx End Mill far surpassed his expectation and was able to run with any materials that they cut, which finally sold the customer on the VGx series. They now stock over? 40 different styles of the HY-PRO® VGx End Mills and are ready to tackle any materials that come their way, proving that the “V” in VGx not only stands for “variable” – but “versatile” as well.
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