Abstract: A cutting tool with interconnected arms that increases the stiffness to weight ratio of the cutting tool is described. The principles of the invention can be applied to any cutting tool, such as a reamer, a milling cutter, a slotting cutter, and the like. In one example, a cutting ring includes a cutting head assembly with a leading arm, a trailing arm, and a cutting head supported by the leading arm and the trailing arm. The trailing arm interconnects with the leading arm of an adjacent cutting head assembly, and the leading arm interconnects with a trailing arm of another adjacent cutting head assembly. As a result of this interconnection of arms, the axial, radial and tangential stiffness to weight ratio of the cutting tool is increased. A support member may be included to further increase the stiffness to weight ratio.

Abstract: In one aspect, centrifuge feed pipes are described herein having design and architecture for mitigating wear during centrifuging operations. In some embodiments, a centrifuge feed pipe comprises a feed material inlet, a feed material outlet, and a conduit body extending along an axis between the feed material inlet and outlet, the conduit body having a variable inner diameter at one or more locations along the axis. In being variable, the inner diameter is not uniform over all radial positions of the inner diameter.

Abstract: A tool body (12) for a shell end mill (10) is described with at least one helical chip guiding groove (24) arranged at the circumference of the tool body (12) for chip dissipation and at least two receptacles (28) for indexable cutting inserts (26) arranged at the chip guiding groove (24). In this case, the receptacles (28) each comprise a base surface having a bore for receiving an indexable cutting insert fastening screw (34) and at least one first abutment surface adjacent to the base surface. The transition between the base surface and the first contact surface is a groove. In addition, a cutting tool is described with such a tool body, wherein a two-sided indexable cutting insert (26) is attached in each receptacle (28).

Abstract: A cutting insert for milling operations, such as, face milling, slot milling, plunge milling, and ramping operations. The cutting insert exhibits a combination of favorable cutting-edge strength, and unique cutting-edge geometry to allow milling operations at relatively high feed rates. The cutting insert includes at least four convex cutting edges. Certain embodiments of square cutting inserts will have four convex cutting edges connected by nose corner regions. Each convex cutting edge includes a first curved cutting-edge region having a radius greater than or equal to two times a radius of the largest circle that may be inscribed on the top surface. Each convex cutting edge also includes a second curved cutting-edge region adjacent the first curved cutting-edge region and having a radius less than or equal to the diameter of the inscribed circle. Each convex cutting edge may also include one or more straight cutting-edge regions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method for fabricating a three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet part, the method comprising forming the three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet part by an additive manufacturing technique; encapsulating the three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet part in a conformable fugitive material to form an encapsulated three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet part; and cold isostatic pressing the encapsulated three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet part with pressurized incompressible fluid that contacts the conformable fugitive material. Also disclosed are three-dimensional metal, ceramic, and/or cermet parts fabricated according to said method.

Abstract: A cutting tool includes: a body extending along a longitudinal axis between a leading and trailing ends, the body having a clamping region disposed at or about the trailing end and a cutting region which extends toward the clamping region from the leading end of the body; a plurality of flutes defined in the body, each extending from the leading end toward the coupling portion; a plurality of peripheral cutting edges, each extending from the leading end toward the coupling portion along a corresponding flute of the plurality of flutes; and a plurality of end cutting edges disposed at the leading end, each end cutting edge extending from at or near the longitudinal axis outward along a corresponding flute. At least one end cutting edge is defined, in-part, by a plurality of rake faces which each extend from a corresponding portion of the one cutting edge into the corresponding flute.

Abstract: Railway wheel milling tool system including a railway wheel truing cutters and tangential railway wheel milling inserts are disclosed. The tangential milling inserts have at least four indexable cutting edges, each with a central wiper cutting edge segment between two convex cutting edge segments. The milling inserts may allow both the flat portion and curved portion of a railway wheel to be machined with an improved surface finish. The railway wheel truing cutters comprise a plurality of insert pockets structured and arranged to receive the tangential railway wheel milling inserts.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods of making freestanding metal matrix composite articles and alloy articles are described. A method of making a freestanding composite article described herein comprises disposing over a surface of the temporary substrate a layered assembly comprising a layer of infiltration metal or alloy and a hard particle layer formed of a flexible sheet comprising organic binder and the hard particles. The layered assembly is heated to infiltrate the hard particle layer with metal or alloy providing a metal matrix composite, and the metal matrix composite is separated from the temporary substrate. Further, a method of making a freestanding alloy article described herein comprises disposing over the surface of a temporary substrate a flexible sheet comprising organic binder and powder alloy and heating the sheet to provide a sintered alloy article. The sintered alloy article is then separated from the temporary substrate.

Abstract: A rotary cutting tool with a shank and an interchangeable cutting tip, wherein the shank includes a pocket which receives the interchangeable cutting tip via an interference fit. The pocket includes two centering wall portions which, when viewed along a central longitudinal axis, are oriented at a first angle with respect to one another, the first angle being greater than zero. The interchangeable cutting tip is axially displaceable between: an initial position, assumed upon being received in the pocket of the shank; a clamped position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is fixedly held with respect to the shank; and a bump-off position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is not fixedly held. A holding element holds the interchangeable cutting tip in the clamped position, and a bump-off element displaces the interchangeable cutting tip between the clamped position and the bump-off position. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a step drill having a shaft section extending along a longitudinal axis of the step drill and a cutting section with a cutting tip, and having a chip-breaking geometry which comprises a concavely curved surface and is configured such that ribbon chips are broken on the concavely curved surface during rotation of the step drill, whereby the chip-breaking geometry is disposed on a reaming step of the step drill.

Abstract: A cutting tool, in particular for machining metal, is described. It comprises a tool main body that has at least one interface for receiving a cutting insert that can be attached to the tool main body. At least one cooling duct is provided in the tool main body and has, at its end on the interface side, an outlet section with an elongate outlet cross-section on the interface side. The tool main body is manufactured at least in sections by means of a generative manufacturing process. A method for manufacturing such a cutting tool is also presented.

Abstract: Cutting tool systems including a cutting tool and cutting inserts are disclosed. The cutting inserts have indexable cutting edges and seating face features which enable uniform facets along a portion of each cutting edge of the indexable insert. The first and second seating face surfaces of the cutting insert each comprise control cavities that adjoin the cutting edge facet surfaces. Each control cavity allows its corresponding cutting edge to have a facet width that is defined by the cavity to provide uniform surfaces. The control cavities reduce and limit the amount of the first and second seating face surfaces that need to be ground. Methods of making such cutting inserts are disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, valve seats are described herein having structure and design addressing degradative stresses encountered by the seats during installation and operation in fluid ends. In some embodiments, a valve seat for use in a fluid end comprises a first section for insertion into a fluid passageway of the fluid end and a second section extending longitudinally from the first section, the second section comprising a frusto-conical valve mating surface, wherein the second section is encased in a ring imparting a compressive stress condition to the second section.

Abstract: A hardware fastener with a movable threaded element suspended within a cavity formed in a body. The movable threaded element has an internal surface with threads for cooperating with a threaded fastener. The movable threaded element is suspended in the cavity by the one or more spring-like members such that an area, A, of reduced stiffness is created in the cavity proximate the movable threaded element, thereby allowing the movable threaded element to move a predetermined distance within the cavity when torque is applied to the threaded fastener. The one or more spring-like members store elastic potential energy to prevent the loss of pretension of the threaded fastener that can be caused by heat or vibration. The invention also eliminates the need for a torque wrench when tightening the threaded fastener to a specified torque value.

Abstract: A hardware fastener with a movable threaded element suspended within a cavity formed in a body. The movable threaded element has an internal surface with threads for cooperating with a threaded fastener. The movable threaded element is suspended in the cavity by the one or more spring-like members such that an area, A, of reduced stiffness is created in the cavity proximate the movable threaded element, thereby allowing the movable threaded element to move a predetermined distance within the cavity when torque is applied to the threaded fastener. The one or more spring-like members store elastic potential energy to prevent the loss of pretension of the threaded fastener that can be caused by heat or vibration. The invention also eliminates the need for a torque wrench when tightening the threaded fastener to a specified torque value.

Abstract: A rotary cutting tool includes a main body, a shank portion having a rearward end, and a flute portion having a forward end with one or more flanks. One or more connecting fluid holes are in fluid communication with a central fluid hole and terminates at a flank at the forward end of the cutting tool. One or more twisted fluid holes extend through a lobe in the flute portion and terminates at a flank at the forward end of the cutting tool. A cross-sectional shape of the connecting fluid holes and the twisted fluid holes is selected to provide enhanced delivery of fluid to the cutting edge. In one aspect, the rotary cutting tool is a modular drill and the flute portion has a pocket for holding a replaceable cutting insert.

Abstract: A cutting tool, in particular for machining metal, is described. It comprises a tool main body that has at least one interface for receiving a cutting insert that can be attached to the tool main body. At least one cooling duct is provided in the tool main body and has, at its end on the interface side, an outlet section with an elongate outlet cross-section on the interface side. The tool main body is manufactured at least in sections by means of a generative manufacturing process. A method for manufacturing such a cutting tool is also presented.

Abstract: A rotary cutting tool includes a tool shank, a replaceable cutting head mounted on the tool shank, a coupling pin, and an actuation member. In one embodiment, the coupling pin has a cylindrical portion with a reduced-diameter portion defined by a pair of angled side walls separated by a bottom surface for cooperating with a non-threaded portion at one end of the actuation member. In another embodiment, the coupling pin has a cylindrical portion with a notch with a pair of side walls for cooperating with a frustoconical member at one end of the actuation member. When assembled, a pair of V-shaped contact surfaces on the cutting head engage a pair of oppositely facing V-shaped contact surfaces on the tool shank to provide stability against the momentum created by cutting forces in two different directions and securely hold the cutting head in place during machining operations.

Abstract: A cutting tool made by an additive manufacturing process is disclosed. The cutting tool has an exterior surface and an enclosed interior cavity defined by one or more inwardly facing surfaces. The interior cavity may have internal supports such as a lattice or a honeycomb structure. The cutting tool may be an insert, drill or endmill with coolant holes.