These days, we see organisations searching for commercial advantage in every corner of their operations – and they expect their partners and suppliers to help them continually realise tangible gains. At Nicofe, I believe our focus on continuous improvement across the business enables our customers to achieve more in many different spheres.

I’ve talked before about some of the areas where our approach is making a difference – from a commitment to industry accreditations like AS9120 and the importance of best practice, to investment in new processes, workshop equipment and stocking facilities. And I’ve discussed previously how we’re always looking for smarter ways to pre-empt the operational challenges our customers face. For example, in the development of reverse engineering processes for obsolete materials so that components can be easily replaced or updated when required.

I wanted to pick up on this ‘improvement and innovation’-themed thread to talk a little more about another new project we’ve been working on around the tooling of Controlled Expansion Alloys (CEAs) such as Kovar, Invar, HyMu80, and Hiperco 50¹. The unique properties and microstructure of CEAs, together with a big gap in general machinability knowledge means that manufacturing parts from these materials can be a tricky and time-consuming process. This often pushes up costs and can result in poor-quality components.

Working with a leading specialist tooling company and in collaboration with the University of Bath we wanted to plug some of the knowledge gaps and investigate the best ways to develop and optimise the performance of end mill cutting tools. The study has given rise to significant technical advancements in machining CEAs and has also created a clear set of guidelines on best practice. Some of the highlights include:

• Longer tool life and better performance: 140% increase in life compared to standard coated tools and 400% increase compared to coated tools
• Increased cutting speeds, increased productivity and lower manufacturing costs: for example, a 300% increase in cutting speed for Hiperco 50
• Optimised machining parametres: identification of the best cutting conditions for various CEAs, including specific helix, primary, rake, and dish angles, along with the appropriate RPM and feed rates

Our involvement in this project has helped to create the knowledge necessary to develop an innovative new range of solutions, including drills and thread mills, that will deliver greatly improved, higher quality CEA machining outcomes for less cost. And it’s another great example of our dedication to relentless improvement and innovation. As always, if you’d like to find out more about our work in this  area or have any specific questions on our products or services, please contact me direct.

¹ -Metal names are Trademarks of Carpenter Technology