by Bernard Martin

Discover how the Nine9 Spot Drill revolutionized precision machining with its design and performance. This article explores the evolution of the original Spot Drill into a diverse family of specialized tools including the Ace Spot Drill, Chamfer Mills, NC Deburring Mills, and innovative V and X Type Tools. Learn how these advanced tools cater to industries like automotive and aerospace, enhancing machining efficiency, precision, and functionality across various operations.

The Nine9 Spot Drill initially emerged as a solution designed to offer precision and efficiency in spot drilling, catering to the burgeoning needs of the modern machining industry. Renowned for its robust performance and reliability, the tool's innovative design has paved the way for a comprehensive family of specialized tools, each tailored to enhance specific aspects of machining operations.

The Evolution of the Nine9 Spot Drill

1. Spotting Tools and the Ace Spot Drill
The Ace Spot Drill, an advanced iteration of the original Spot Drill, introduces enhanced features that significantly boost drilling accuracy. These tools are engineered to provide a stable starting point for complex drilling operations, reducing errors and increasing overall machining efficiency. This evolution marks the beginning of the Nine9 product family’s expansion, addressing more specialized and precision-oriented tasks.

2. Chamfer Mill and NC Deburring and Deburring Mill
As machining operations evolved, so did the demand for tools that could perform multiple functions seamlessly. The development of the Chamfer Mill and NC Deburring Mill by Nine9 responded to this need, offering tools capable of creating perfect chamfers and deburred finishes with high precision. These mills exemplify how Nine9 continues to innovate, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in finish machining.

3. RC Type and R Type Tools
The RC and R Type tools are specifically designed to create precise radii, an essential requirement in various machining tasks. These tools have become indispensable in industries where the aesthetic finish and functional precision of curved edges are critical, such as in automotive and aerospace parts manufacturing.

4. MCC Mills
The MCC Mills represent another significant advancement, enhancing the capabilities of the original Spot Drill with features that support a wider range of milling operations. These mills are particularly valued for their versatility and ability to handle complex milling tasks with ease, further broadening the scope of Nine9’s product offerings.

5. Engraving, Centering, and Facing Tools
Expanding further into precision tooling, Nine9 has developed tools specifically for engraving, centering, and facing. These tools cater to the most detailed aspects of machining, where precision is not just important but critical. They allow machinists to perform intricate detailing work that defines the quality and precision of the final product.

Adding to this lineup, the V Type and X Type Tools introduce specialized capabilities that enhance the flexibility and functionality of machining operations. The V Type Tools are particularly useful for creating V-shaped cuts and grooves, which are often required in projects demanding precision joints and aesthetic detailing. Meanwhile, the X Type Tools provide exceptional performance in cross-drilling and milling operations, allowing for complex geometries and multi-axis machining to be accomplished with ease and accuracy.

Impact and Applications
The Nine9 product family, originating from the simple yet versatile Spot Drill, now serves a wide array of industries. From creating custom automotive components to precision aerospace parts, these tools have revolutionized how tasks are approached and executed in modern manufacturing settings. The ability to adapt and innovate in response to industry demands has made Nine9 a staple in workshops around the world.

The journey of the Nine9 Spot Drill from a single product to a vast family of specialized tools illustrates the dynamic nature of the machining industry. As technology advances and market needs evolve, Nine9 remains at the forefront, continually expanding its product lines to meet and exceed the expectations of precision manufacturing.

Appears in Print at Production Machining as: 'A Swift Tool Change for Swiss-Type Machines'
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​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
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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.
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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

In January of this year we welcomed a new member to our Browne & Co. sales team and with manufacturing companies opening up again, it's about time we introduce you to Jeff Terrace!

Just before joining Browne & Co in January 2019, Jeff worked at Hoffmann Group, a German cutting tool, hand tool, workstation and storage solutions manufacturer.

Jeff has been working as an InovaTool representative since February of 2019 and recently joined Browne & Company at the beginning of 2020 as our Cutting Tool Specialist. Please send Jeff and email or give him a call to introduce yourself or pick his brain about an application question.

The Dummel Ultramini Xtraline Typ X050 is the Ferrari of mini grooving and boring tools. The modified geometry is specifically designed for high Nickel/Chrome based Superalloys.

They come with an internal coolant bore, chipbreaker, special carbide grade and an optimised cutting edge and shank geometry.

We have seen 200% increase in tool life vs our competition in machining the most difficult to machine materials.

Please call Browne & Company or email us for your nearest, authorized Dummel distributors:
440-463-3970
​[email protected]

The Dümmel Minimill-System with three or six cutting edges is the next big thing for ultra groove milling and threading machining from 0mm to a 32mm bore diameter.

The indexable carbide heads are screwed on with three ribs coupling. This guarantees the best possible rotation and repeatable accuracy. A large selection of standard inserts as well as toolholders from steel and carbide are available from stock.

With six cutting tools available, there's sure to be one that you can use to generate higher feed rates, longer tool life with higher stock removal rates.

The six cutting edged Minimill-system is also available with an anti-vibration carbide toolholder or a steel tool holder.

Arno Werkzeuge USA has reintroduced the H.B. Rouse brand of carbide cutting tools and inserts.

Formerly sold and marketed under the Arno-Rouse name, the company has reintroduced Rouse as a standalone product offering a broad range of carbide boring bars, tools and inserts for manual turning operations.

The carbide insert turning tools have triple-sided inserts for quick change turning operations.

Triple-tip boring bars offer an improved triangular insert located within a precision-machined pocket to eliminate shifting under heavy cuts; the insert requires the simple removal of one screw for indexing.

Boring bars feature carbide inserts that provide three cutting edges instead of only one (as is common with brazed-tip tooling).