DUO-LOCK™ Increases Metal Removal Rates

Partners in THINC members Haimer and Kennametal have agreed to a revolutionary joint technology partnership and development cooperation for modular cutting tool systems. The companies combine their toolholding and carbide knowledge to provide solutions for high performance CNC milling applications with a revolutionary modular system. At IMTS 2014 both companies introduced the new modular interface DUO-LOCK™ for carbide cutting tool heads.

DUO-LOCK™: Maximum Stability, Load Capacity and High Runout Precision

For the past few years the cost of carbide has been consistently increasing. In repsonse to this trend Haimer and Kennametal developed DUO-LOCK, which is the most rigid and most precise interface in the marketplace and virtually unbreakable. The DUO-LOCK technology provides maximum stability, load capacity and high runout precision based on an innovative thread design with a proprietary double cone connection and an additional third supporting area in the back of the interface.

Oliver Sax, Director Product Management at Haimer explains: “The current existing modular tool systems have their weakness in the interface. Due to this fact the full potential of the cutting heads can’t be used because of tool breakage.” Colleen Cordova, Vice President Industrial Marketing at Kennametal, adds: “Haimer and Kennametal have been able to create a modular interface based on maximum stability that allows the user to make full use of the carbide tool potential.”

Higher Metal Removal Rates = Higher Productivity

The DUO-LOCK system has proven milling performance of 1.5 times diameter depth of cut and widens the application of modular milling systems compared with current competitive systems. As a result, a significant productivity advantage in terms of metal removal rate can be achieved. The DUO-LOCK system can more than double the metal removal rate (MRR) in common CNC milling applications.

In contrast to other systems on the market, both companies do not want to limit the DUO-LOCK system to Haimer and Kennametal only. The partners are currently in discussions with additional leading cutting tool companies to offer customers multiple sources of manufacturers with one compatible interface.

For more information and images of DUO-LOCK, see the press release and attachment here.