Chardon, OH. - Browne & Company, a leader in the metalworking industry, is proud to announce the grand opening of its new Metalworking Technology Center in Northeast Ohio. This state-of-the-art facility is set to revolutionize the metalworking sector with its cutting-edge technology and tooling, provided by the renowned Haimer presetting and shrink fit tooling. 

​You can also find the latest high performance cutting tools displayed from Fullerton Tool, Regal Cutting Tools, Rocky Mountain Twist Drill, The Everede Family of tooling, Dapra, and others. 

The Technology Center is designed to meet the growing demands for higher precision, efficiency, and performance in metalworking. It is equipped with the latest advancements in Haimer technology and tooling, ensuring consistent set-up, unsurpassed machining accuracy, better tool life, and improved part finishes. The center represents a significant investment in innovation and demonstrates Browne & Company's commitment to advancing the metalworking industry.

"We are excited to unveil our new Technology Center, which symbolizes our dedication to providing the best in metalworking solutions," said Dave Browne, President of Browne & Company. "This facility not only showcases the latest in technology and tooling but also serves as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and education."

Schedule a Demonstration
Don't miss the opportunity to experience the latest in metalworking technology and innovation. Click the button below to schedule a demonstration with our team and discover how Browne & Company can elevate your metalworking projects.

About Browne & Company
Browne & Company has been at the forefront of the metalworking industry, offering innovative solutions and high-quality tooling to clients across various sectors. With a focus on precision, efficiency, and reliability, Browne & Company continues to lead the way in metalworking technology and services.

written, compiled and edited by Bernard Martin

Class of fit for a cutting tap refers to the specific tolerance or fit that is desired between the threads of the tap and the threads of the hole it is being used to create. In other words, it defines how tightly or loosely the threads should mesh together.

The class of fit is typically expressed using a combination of letters and numbers. The most commonly used standards for class of fit are the Unified Thread Standard (UTS) and the ISO metric thread standard. In the UTS, the class of fit is denoted by a combination of a letter and a number, such as 2B, 3A, etc. In the ISO metric thread standard, it is represented by a combination of a letter and a number, such as 6g, 4h, etc.

For cutting taps, the class of fit is usually specified based on the intended application and the level of precision required. The class of fit can affect factors like the ease of assembly, the strength of the threaded connection, and the ability to engage the threads smoothly during tapping.

A classification system exists for ease of manufacture and interchangeability of fabricated threaded items. Most, but certainly not all, threaded items are made to a UTS classification standard. This system is analogous to the fits used with assembled parts.

• Class 1 threads are loose fit, intended for ease of assembly or use in a dirty environment.
• Class 2 threads are free fit, and the most common. They are designed to maximize strength considering typical machine shop capability and machine practice.
• Class 3 threads are medium fit, still quite common and used for closer tolerances on high quality work.
• Class 4 threads previously designated a close fit for even tighter tolerances, but this classification is now obsolete.
• Class 5 fit is an interference thread, requiring the use of a wrench for turning. These can be seen in applications like spring shackles on an automobile.

The letter suffix "A" or "B" denotes whether the threads are external or internal, respectively. Classes 1A, 2A, 3A apply to external threads; Classes 1B, 2B, 3B apply to internal threads

Here are some common classes of fit for cutting taps:

1. Class 2B (UTS) or 6H (ISO metric): This is a standard fit for most general-purpose applications. It provides a balance between ease of assembly and thread engagement.
2. Class 3B (UTS) or 6HX (ISO metric): This is a tighter fit than Class 2B or 6H and is used when a higher level of thread precision and engagement is required.
3. Class 2A (UTS) or 6g (ISO metric): This is a loose fit that is often used for applications where ease of assembly and disassembly are important, such as with interchangeable parts.
4. Class 3A (UTS) or 6HX (ISO metric): This is a tighter fit than Class 2A or 6g and is used in applications where a higher level of precision is required.

The choice of class of fit should be made based on the specific requirements of the project, taking into consideration factors like material type, thread size, intended use, and the desired level of thread engagement. It's important to consult relevant standards and guidelines to ensure that the chosen class of fit is appropriate for the application.
​

The standard designation for a UTS thread is a number indicating the nominal (major) diameter of the thread, followed by the pitch measured in threads per inch. For diameters smaller than 1⁄4 inch, the diameter is indicated by an integer number defined in the standard; for all other diameters, the inch figure is given.

This number pair is optionally followed by the letters UNC, UNF or UNEF (Unified) if the diameter-pitch combination is from the coarse, fine, or extra fineseries, and may also be followed by a tolerance class.
Example: #6-32 UNC 2B (major diameter: 0.1380 inch, pitch: 32 tpi)

The basic mechanics of forming a chip are the same regardless of the base material. As the cutting tool engages the workpiece, the material directly ahead of the tool is sheared and deformed under tremendous pressure. The deformed material then seeks to relieve its stressed condition by fracturing and flowing into the space above the tool in the form of a chip. 

The important difference is how the chip typically forms in various materials.
 
Regardless of the tool being used or the metal being cut, the chip forming process occurs by a mechanism called plastic deformation. This deformation can be visualized as shearing. That is when a metal is subjected to a load exceeding its elastic limit.

​The crystals of the metal elongate through an action of slipping or shearing, which takes place within the crystals and between adjacent crystals.

Cast Iron, Hard Brass and other materials that produce a Powdery chip.
 
“Discontinuous Chip - Discontinuous or segmented chips are produced when brittle metal such as cast iron and hard bronze are cut or when some ductile metals are cut under poor cutting conditions.

Medium to High carbon and alloy Steels – Long Chipping Materials
 
“Continuous Chip - Continuous chips are a continuous ribbon produced when the flow of metal next to the tool face is not greatly restricted by a built-up edge or friction at the chip tool interface. The continuous ribbon chip is considered ideal for efficient cutting action because it results in better finishes. Unlike the Type 1 chip, fractures or ruptures do not occur here, because of the ductile nature of the metal.”

Low carbon Steels, Stainless Steels, Nickel Alloys, Titanium, Copper, Aluminum and other soft, “gummy’ Materials.
 
Sheared Chips or as some refer to it “Continuous Chip with a Built-up Edge (BUE). The metal ahead of the cutting tool is compressed and forms a chip which begins to flow along the chip-tool interface.

These metals readily deform in front of the cutting edge and have to be "sheared" by the tool. What the above paragraph doesn’t tell you is that these materials require tools with sharper cutting edges than those used for machining cast Iron or higher carbon content Steels. The chips tend to compress onto the face of the tool which can result in built-up edge. 

The chips formed when cutting these metals are thicker than those produced by Medium Carbon or Alloy Steels at the same Feed Rates and Depths of Cut. These thicker chips are stronger and harder to break. Destiny Tool, through a combination of rake face geometry, carbide substrate and concentricity tolerance is able to enable the chip to more readily "separate from itself" which not only improves MRR, but also reduced heat into the end mill and thereby extends tool life as the feed rate increases.

​High strength metals such as Stainless Steel, Nickel Alloys and Titanium generate high heat and high cutting pressures in the area of the cutting edge. This results in reduced tool life compared to easier to machine materials. 

• This article was originally written in 2001
• Portions of this have been edited from http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/tooling/archives/0101/0101bk.asp
• Plastic Deformation image by Jutka Czirok, Design Technology and ICT Teacher
• Special thanks to Charles Colerich, who created these drawings for me in 1994.

Dapra Corporation has announced the DAPRA Next Technology - High Feed Indexable Milling Platform - "VAPOR™ powered by TRI-X2".

VAPOR™ is ideal for extreme machining. The VAPOR™ platform has unique elements in body design and TRI-X2 insert geometry for higher metal removal rates and extended tool life. 
​
The design is created for lighter, faster cutting and versatility through positive cutting geometry and excellent ramping capability. It's designed with a new double-sided insert series for lower cost per usable cutting edge. Inserts are installed with a large insert screw for longevity and easy indexing. This makes the advanced design highly shock resistant through-hardened steel.

• Available in both endmill and shell mill configurations
• A diameter range of 0.500” - 2.00”, with up to 7 flutes
• Through coolant holes for maximum control and chip evacuation
• Initial offering is a double-sided 6mm insert series
• Additional product series coming soon!

​

CHARDON, OH - Browne & Co is excited to announce that they begin representation of Dapra Corporation products in December 2022.  

Dapra specializes in the design, service, and support of American-made, high-performance indexable carbide milling tools for a broad range of operations.

Dapra Corporation is a U.S.-based, multi-generation family-owned parent company to multiple brands which provides high-quality engineered solutions for various manufacturing and industrial markets. From indexable cutting tools to permanent part marking equipment Dapra Corporation continues to develop and invest in solutions to empower the success of manufacturers across North America.

For over 65 years Dapra has provided milling, workholding, and power tool solutions to a wide array of manufacturing segments including aerospace, automotive, mold and die, and firearm. With their proven high-performance solutions combined with industry-leading application expertise and a robust distribution network Dapra has earned the trust of businesses from around the world.

From small workshops to globally diversified manufacturers, they are more than a supplier, they are a partner in yours and our success.

According to David Browne at Browne & Co., "At our core we have always had a very strong presence in CNC milling products.  We're at the spindle.  Dapra really matches what our company does and we're excited to launch into 2023 with Dapra's high performance milling products."

Browne & Co. is excited to work with our customers with these premiere products that include:

• VAPOR™ High Feed Mill - a high feed indexable mill that maximizes metal removal rates. Utilizing light depth of cut (DOC) combined with extreme feed per tooth (FPT) to increase productivity
• ​​Copy / Face Milling - This family of end mills and face mills (shell mills) provides aggressive material removal so you can maximize your copy milling operations with our single- and double-sided Toroid series button cutters.
• Shoulder & Edge Milling - Obtain extreme metal removal with our single-sided and EDGE² DSS double-sided 90° Square Shoulder milling tools. These high-performance end mills and face mills (shell mills) cut to a true 90 degrees, generating smoother finishes
• ​Finishing / 3D Contour Milling - Achieve superior surface finishes with our single-sidedand EDGE² SBN double-sided Ball Nose series. Use ball nose tools for fine finishing of slopes and curves. Back draft/bull nose tools are great for finishing tapered walls and deep straight walls.

The ARNO FAST CHANGE system is a complete quick change solution for your Swiss machine. It consists of a through coolant gang plate that acts like a manifold, so all of the coolant is delivered behind the scenes.

It's your solution for easy tool changes despite limited space in Swiss type machines: The two-part AFC holder – even untrained staff can replace tools fast and reliably.
​

The through coolant split shank tools will reduce your tool swap time to a minute or less. This is an innovative system that is engineered and manufactured in Germany solely to keep your spindles running and dropping more finished parts per shift.

​As of right now we have 51 gang plates in stock for: Citizen, STAR, Hanwha, Tsugami, KSI Swiss, DMG Mori, Nexturn and Tornos.

To learn more, click the button below:

Appears in Print at Production Machining as: 'A Swift Tool Change for Swiss-Type Machines'
​
​This coolant-through tooling system replacement for the gang plate on a Swiss-type machine can save hours of spindle downtime per day as well as increase tool life and enhance chip control.

by LORI BECKMAN Senior Editor Production Machining
​

While servicing the tools on a traditional platen on a sliding headstock lathe, it can take 10 minutes or more to index one insert. While indexing the tools, coolant spigots can get knocked loose by an operator and can cost a machine shop tool life and time. Once the inserts are indexed, it can take several starts and stops of the spindle for the operator to see if the coolant stream is being directed to where it needs to be.
​

Arno’s Fast Change (AFC) tooling system consists of a gang plate that holds split-shank, coolant-through turning tools, parting tools and grooving tools. Designed like a manifold, the coolant is rerouted through the gang plate to the tools. The UN-style slot in the fixed stop picks up the coolant and runs it through the pipette to the front end where the coolant goes directly to the cutting edge. The AFC system can supply coolant to one port that supports all the tooling positions, or it can supply two ports and divide the tooling positions with the needle valve.

The tooling system only needs to be plumbed once and, according to the company, after that, a high-pressure coolant line should not need to be touched again. With proper setup, the high-pressure lines are moved behind the machine guards, creating a clean machining environment. This enables operators to complete safer routine maintenance. Also, the AFC’s low-profile clamps do not collect as many chips compared with a typical clamping system.

When replacing a split-shank tool, the operator simply loosens two clamps to remove the cutting head and then replaces it with a new one, the company says.

Using the AFC system, Arno reports that it takes 17 seconds to change a tool, a vast improvement to the typical 7 to 10 minutes it can take using a traditional gang plate. The conventional method might take five minutes to change a tool, a minute to touch the tool off and another minute to adjust the spigot, for instance.

In comparison, when an operator is working with the AFC system, retouch is not necessary because the tool will repeat within plus or minus a thousandth of the previous tool positions. There is also no need to factor in time for readjusting coolant lines because the new system is a true, coolant-through system.

It is also not necessary to factor in the clearing away of chips because those surfaces have mostly been eliminated with the smooth AFC design, according to Stroup. Therefore, the 17-second tool change time is the only time to factor in.

​But, for a real-world example, he increases the time to one minute to consider a distracted operator that might use extra seconds

Guest Blog by Mark Donze at Fullerton Tool 

First, let's discuss general purpose end mills. General Purpose (GP) End Mills are standard single, 2, 3, or 4 flute geometry end mills made for use in a wide variety of materials.

​Benefits of General Purpose End Mills:

• Lower prices
• Very versatile - they work in a variety of materials and applications
• Typically easier to resharpen - general-purpose end mills can usually be resharpened by the user or by a local regrind shop, whereas a high-performance end mill typically will need to be sent back to the OEM for resharpening

Next, High-Performance (HP) End Mills contain specialized geometries for a specific material being cut.

Benefits of High-Performance End Mills:

• Material and/or application-specific - This does not mean that an HP cutter will not work in more than the listed materials or applications. For example, our Fury end mill is recommended for a wide range of materials and applications and will cut almost anything and any tool path. So don't be afraid to experiment.
• Better tool life, especially in difficult-to-machine Materials - HP cutters typically require less frequent tool changes and fewer offsets.
• More adapted to high-speed machining or other advanced milling techniques.
• Better surface finishes on your parts.
• Usually have premium coatings that target a specific range of materials.
• Typically have edge preps like hones or polishes that target a specific range of materials

With this information in mind, if you are a company that does small runs in a wide variety of materials you may prefer GP end mills. Whereas, if you are making high-volume parts where cycle-time and up-time are king, you may prefer an HP end mill for your use. Remember, there are no hard lines drawn. Each application is different and preference is ultimately up to you, the end-user. 

If you aren't sure, you can contact your Fullerton authorized distributor to help make this decision. We will work with you to get the end results you desire with a wide variety of both GP and HP end mills available.

We even have some tooling where we apply HP coatings to GP tools to help you get the most out of your cutting tool investments. We have a huge selection of inventory items and of course, if you need a special tailored tool to your specific needs, we have engineering and application knowledge to get the most out of your cutting tool budget.

We also have resources on our website to help you navigate which tool is the best for your needs. Discover what end mills are recommended for your material and application by using the Fullerton Tool End Mill Selection Guide 

You can also explore and search for tooling by material, application, or tool specs as well as 
 recommended speeds and feeds by series which you can access at the search button below.

Stop going back to your machine tool manufacture to order replacement wear parts like bellows, way covers, steel cover replacement wipers, way wipers, etc. You are paying WAY too much and waiting WAY too long.

​Introducing PIM - Products In Motion out of Rock Falls, Illinois. With over 40 years of manufacturing experience, the PIM team is dedicated to producing the highest quality product and providing the best service in the nation.

Contact the Browne & Company team for more information, or click the button below.

by Steven Oszust Jr. at ​Fullerton Tool

This month we will focus on one of our most successful legacy tools, the Fullerton Tool's 3400 Harmon-i-Cut end mill. Nearly two decades ago, we recognized the advancements in machining technology demanded increasingly aggressive machining operations to enhance productivity and reduce production costs.

Advancements in spindle technology enabled greater spindle speeds while maintaining the necessary power to perform more aggressive cutting operations. With the greater acceptance and application of high-speed machining (HSM) practices in programming, spindle speeds were increased to a range which was greater than those traditionally used for an increase in material removal rates (MRR) over traditional tools.

High-speed machining is achieved by increased axial depth of cut and higher spindle speeds, combined with constant chip loads requiring new high-performance tooling design.

One limitation in achievable MRR is self-excited vibrations of the cutting tools, known as chatter. Chatter is caused by variations in the inconsistent chip thickness caused when the vibration of the tooth currently engaged in the cut is out of phase with the vibration of the previous tooth.

Specifically engineered geometries greatly reduce chatter leading to smoother running, faster feed rates. These tools are ideal for all roughing and finishing operations, offering longer tool life and improved surface finishes.

Harmon-i-cut end mills have engineered flute shape designed for maximum rigidity, variable helix, variable rake, superb chip evacuation, and excellent shearing action. Reduced load pressures and super stiff design promotes less chatter, achieving rapid Harmonic-free stock removal at rates never seen before.

By utilizing chip thinning strategies, significant increases in productivity and tool life can be achieved. These methods are also helpful when using machines with less power and stability. Even with weaker machines and less stable working conditions, very high cutting parameters can be achieved.

These strategies are particularly effective for increasing process reliability in difficult to machine materials or challenging applications.

Consider Fullerton Tool's  3400 series Harmon-i-cut a cut above the rest. With our vast inventory of sizes and configurations, we can provide a solution for your needs. Contact Browne Sales to get started