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EASTEC, the premier Northeast manufacturing trade show, returns from May 13 to 15, 2025, at the Eastern States Exposition, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA.

​This event showcases the latest advancements in machining, tooling, and automation, providing a vital platform for industry professionals to discover cutting-edge solutions, enhance productivity, and connect with key suppliers.

​This year, F&L Technical Sales is proud to support several top-tier manufacturers showcasing breakthrough technologies in tooling, workholding, and machining solutions.

​Be sure to visit the following booths to explore innovative products that can optimize your machining processes:

Platinum Tooling – LIVE Tooling & More, Booth 5148
Visit Platinum Tooling at EASTEC to see high-performance LIVE tooling solutions from Heimatec. Engineered for precision and durability, Heimatec tooling produces high-precision static and live tools for all CNC lathes, CNC turn-mill machines and CNC machining centers. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how their advanced tooling options can decrease your  manufacturing cycle times.

Platinum Tooling, the importer and master distributor of live tools, angle heads, speed increasers, Swiss machine products, knurling and marking tools, and shrink fit tool holders manufactured by various international suppliers, will now carry REV broaching tools in North America.

REV S.R.L., located in Northern Italy, is the manufacturer of innovative broaching solutions for CNC lathes and machining centers. The tools are ideal for machining simple keyways or internal and external profiles, both teeth and splines. Common profiles including square and hexagon are easily achieved and custom profiles are available. REV broaching tools offer excellent performance with long insert life and high surface quality.

The REV motorized broaching tool is designed for use on live tool lathes. Single machine set-up eliminates the need for secondary operation or outsourcing. REV tools are ideal for high production runs, and offer easy installation and fast processing time. These tools are designed for maximum rigidity, offer long tool life and an excellent finish. 

REV static broaching tools are for use on CNC lathes with or without a Y-axis. They offer a patented eccentric bushing which eliminates alignment errors for machines without a Y-axis. The tools have a sturdy two-piece construction and are ideal for smaller runs. They are designed for use in boring bar holders on lathes and for use in collet chucks or Weldon holders on machining centers. REV tools allow for a wide variety of standard and custom profiles and sizes.

REV broaching tools are a perfect complement to the Heimatec live tools that are sold by the extensive network of Platinum Tooling manufacturers’ representatives and distributors throughout North America. ​

by Preben Hansen
This article originally appeared in Cutting Tool Engineering. 

Live tooling, as a component on a lathe, is specifically manipulated by the CNC to perform various milling, drilling and other operations while the workpiece is being held in position by the main or sub-spindle. 

​These components, whether BMT or VDI, are also called driven tools, as opposed to static tools, that are used during turning operations.

When the need arises for a new machine tool, careful consideration should be made to determine which live tools are appropriate for your application. While a standard machine tool package will help you get started, it is important to anticipate job and volume changes, as well unforeseen machining challenges from the beginning, in order to avoid machine downtime.

Tool life is the product of cutting intensity, materials processed, machine stability and parts produced. Two seemingly identical job shops can have vastly different tooling needs because one is automotive and one is medical, or one specializes in the one-off and low-volume work, while the other has a greater occurrence of longer running jobs. The totality of your operation determines the best tooling for the machines being purchased.

Bearing construction and the resulting spindle concentricity drive the life of any tool. You might find that just a 10-15% greater investment in a better design can yield both longer-lasting cutters and consistently superior finish on your products.  ​

Likewise, high pressure internal coolant might be desirable.  Look for 2000 psi capabilities in 90 degree tools and 1000 psi in straight tools.

You need to ask another question, namely, is the turret RPM sufficient to handle the work to be done?   
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It’s possible that a live tool with a built-in speed increaser, often called a speed multiplier, would be helpful. Would it be beneficial to move secondary operations to your lathe?  Gear hobbing can be accomplished in this manner, as can producing squares or flats, through the use of polygon machining. ​

Now, an application example showing clear evidence of the value of testing live tool performance...

One company was performing a cross-milling application using an ER 32 output tool on a Eurotech lathe, running 10 ipm at 4000 rpm.  They were making three passes with a cycle time of 262 seconds and were having difficulties with chatter on the finish, while producing 20,000 pieces per year. ​

Preben Hansen is president of Platinum Tooling Technologies Inc., Prospect Heights, Illinois, and a veteran of over 25 years in tooling and is considered a leading authority on the topic in the North American machine tool market.

NEW ENGLAND - F&L Technical Sales is excited to announce our new partnership with Platinum Tooling Inc. based in Prospect Heights, IL.  Platinum Tooling is the sole importer of live tools, angle heads, and multiple spindle tools manufactured by Heimatec as well as the Tecnicrafts Swiss Collet and Guide Bushing line, Henninger Spindle Speeders, and AMF Markers and Cleaners.

• Heimatec is an international manufacturing company headquartered in Renchen, Germany. Heimatec specializes in the development and production of high-precision static and live tools for all CNC lathes, CNC turn-mill machines and CNC machining centers.
• ​Henninger is a manufacturer of Spindle Speeders, mechanical, air, and electric motor driven, Custom Angle Heads and Live Centers are among other specialized equipment and precision machine tool accessories.
• Tecnicrafts Collets and Guide Bushings are available in Standard and Ultra-Precision grades. The bore profiles include Round, Square, Hexagon, Rectangle and Custom as per customer specifications.
  
• AMF Markers are tools for the permanent marking of workpiece while AMF Cleaners are a thorough cleaning system with no aerosol pollution harmful to the health of the machine operator while reducing cleaning time and preserving the machine guides with no risk of injury from chips.