Before purchasing its first 5-axis machine tool, Northeast Tire Mold chose the powRgrip tool clamping system from REGO-FIX. Now, the shop has a powRgrip tool clamping system, a REGO-FIX tool balancing system and about 200 powRgrip tool jackets, including collets and cylindrical shanks, which allow tool lengths to reach 11.8in (Figure 1). Figure 1 Northeast Tire Mold's REGO-FIX powRgrip tool jacket system, tool balancing system and approximately 200 powRgrip tool jackets are critical for direct machining of the shop's tire molds. For the machining of tire molds, Mr. Christie said that the extremely low TIR overall indication error provided by the powRgrip jacket is very important because the shop uses very small tools that are 15 times the length of the tool (Figure 2). . For example, a double-chip flute end mill with a diameter of 0.027 in. is often used to machine aluminum tire molds with a depth of up to 0.190 in. The length of the end mill is equivalent to 15 times its diameter. For such an operation, the tool's runout error is low, which means that the machining is more precise, but most importantly, the tool life can be extended, according to Mr. Christie, in this case, the tool The service life is approximately 1400 minutes. If the previous hot-sleeve tool jacket is used, the service life of the tool can only last for several hundred minutes. Figure 2 The REGO-FIX powRgrip tool jacket provides Northeast Tire Mold with an extremely low TIR overall indication error, which is very important for the shop to use very small tools, the length of which is 15 times the tool diameter All the carbide tools used in the EGO-FIX tool holder are installed in the EGO-FIX tool jacket. The power of the two 5-axis machine tools is 30 hp per spindle. When the die is cut, the spindle speed is 24000 r/min. The feed rate is as high as 315 in/min (Fig. 3). Each time a module is machined, the card is only commissioned on two machines. The module is first machined, then the part is automatically flipped and the front of the module is machined. Figure 3 Northeast Tire Mold produces aluminum tire modules by direct machining. The spindle speed during machining is 24000r/min, the feed rate is up to 315in/min, and the tool diameter is as small as 0.027in. It is clamped to REGO-FIX. Among the precision tool jackets Simulation Dragonfly Lights,LED Butterfly Lights,Outdoor Ladybug Lights,LED Ladybug Lights Sichuan Kangruntengpu Photoelectric Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.krtoplighting.com
The tire mold shop in Akron, Ohio, processes the solid modules of its raw materials directly, rather than through castings. Each set of molds consists of several directly machined individual sector modules, usually consisting of eight sector modules, which are then combined to form a complete set of circular molds. Challenges
The processing challenge is that each sector module is arranged around the entire circumference of a set of molds and arranged at a certain pitch, up to 12 different pitches. If the pattern is not complicated enough, then the same pitch must be used to machine them. One module and the next must be matched to each other, and the thermal expansion factor between them must be taken into account, because during the molding process. The case of thermal expansion occurs. In addition, in a set of directly machined molds, there is basically no real plane. In order to solve this problem, Northeast Tire Mold must maintain strict machining tolerance dimensions to make the overall tire indicating error (TIR) ​​produced by the mold. Not more than 0.005in (1in = 25.4mm, the same below), which means that the shop must maintain a module tolerance of ±0.001in for individual processing, so that the tolerance of the entire mold is kept below 0.003in. Tool clamping solution
As early as the 1960s, direct processing was used to produce molds, but this process was time consuming and costly to produce. However, with the advanced 5-axis machining method and the development of related software, the processing speed and cost-effectiveness are greatly improved. Now, the direct machining of tire molds must use a machine tool with high-speed 5-axis linkage processing capability and corresponding supporting software. However, Northeast Tire Mold found that the 5-axis direct machining of the tire mold required a tool holder with good rigidity, reliability and high precision to enable the two 5-axis machines in the shop to feed at full speed and at all times. Ability to run and optimize mold production. 
Unlike other clamping systems, which typically use thermal expansion or hydraulic methods to expand the material, the powRgrip clamping system uses the mechanical properties of the jacket material to create a large clamping force that causes the tool to have a runout error of less than 0.0001 in. The system's design is easy to operate and use, allowing Northeast Tire Mold to complete tool loading and unloading on the jacket in less than 10 seconds. Since it does not involve the heating of the tool, the tool can be used immediately after replacement.
The tool jacket provides Northeast Tire Mold with powerful, precise and balanced tool clamping forces with low tool runout errors while increasing tool life and product surface finish. In addition, from its 5-axis machining operations, according to Mr. Mike Christie, vice president of Northeast Tire Mold, the powRgrip tool jacket has more advantages than the hot-sleeve tool jackets that have been used in the workshop.
“The powRgrip collet and tool holder can last longer. For 6 years, we have been using our REGO-FIX collet, which still looks like brand new. In the same period, if we are still With the hot-sleeve jacket, we have to change the tool holder already," says Mr. Christie. "The tool change with the powRgrip tool jacket system is faster than the hot-sleeve tool holder. In addition, Compared to hot-sleeve tool holders, the system accommodates smaller tool sizes, which reduces our tool inventory because a tool holder can be used for a range of different sizes of tools. Instead, it is a hot-sleeve type. For jackets, a tool holder is required for each size of the tool." 
Tool jacket in actual use
Northeast Tire Mold manufactures approximately 250 molds per year for tires of various sizes up to 6 ft (1 ft = 0.305 m), including ATV vehicles and motorcycles to tires for cars and light trucks. Most of the molds are made of 1020 tool steel or 6061 aluminum alloy. The processing time of each mold block varies from 3 to 16 hours, depending on the complexity of the pattern.
The two Alzmetall 5-axis machines in the workshop run day and night according to the 24/7 working schedule. One programmer is responsible for programming and using Openmind software. Each machine is equipped with a tool magazine that can store up to 60 tools. Each workpiece is machined with an average of 40 tools. Some of these tools are spare tools because the shop knows how long certain tools can be used to meet the tool change requirements and keep the machine running continuously. 
Northeast Tire Mold's steel modules use dry processing, while aluminum modules use REGO-FIX for wet processing of coolant chucks. Mr. Christie pointed out that many small tools in the shop are not processed by coolant, and the REGO-FIX chuck has three grooves, and the coolant passes directly from the tool to lubricate the tool and remove chips that may cause the tool to break.
The mold processing strategy of the workshop is to cut off the workpiece allowance as soon as possible during the roughing pass and then perform the finishing operation. Northeast Tire Mold uses high-end machine tools and REGO-FIX tools to achieve a very high surface finish, which greatly reduces the need for secondary bench work and, in some cases, even secondary machining. Operation, except for the final blast polishing process. In the case of a single module, the shop often takes 40 hours to perform a fitter grinding operation, while Northeast Tire Mold has reduced this time to 8 hours when processing the same type of module.
“When you consider the number of people on our shop and the number of machine tools, we are surpassing our competitors in a 2:1 ratio,†explains Chris Sipe, president of Northeast Tire Mold. “They need up to 4 independent machines. And we only need two machines. The key to achieving this level of production is that we have skilled programmers and mechanics, advanced machine tools, software and precision tools, but the most important thing is that we have our own molds. Manufacturing process and production process."
“We can complete the delivery of the complete tire mold in 8 weeks or less. For some experimental molds, we can deliver within 10 days.†Mr. Chris Sipe said, “In addition, our molds are all Very precise, customers only need to choose one of the replacement modules, know that they can fully use with other existing modules. We are the first company capable of providing such molds to customers."
Precision tool jackets optimize tire mold production
Tire molds can be as complex as many high-end components in the aerospace industry. Engineers are continually developing and innovating complex, variable and different types of tread patterns, especially those around the sidewalls of tires, which have created powerful machining challenges for mold shops like Northeast Tire Mold.