Filtration A Key To Unattended Grinding
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When Tom Pankratz launched Advanced Tooling, Inc. (ATI) his vision was to build a business manufacturing the difficult carbide tooling that others couldn’t or wouldn’t take on. His experience as a toolmaker taught him that his company’s competitive advantage would be gained from employing skilled labor and providing them with all the technology available to their industry.

About five years ago, Pankratz’s quest to push technology limits led him to an introduction to Transor Filter. While many shops focus on only machine capabilities and wheel performance, Pankratz quickly recognized that the filtration of the oil could be a critical factor to enhancing overall productivity and efficiency. After installing a centralized Transor system to service two Walter grinders and one Anca, the results were immediate. Unlike the cartridge filters previously used, the Transor System delivers ATI consistent one-micron filtration. The attached chiller keeps the fluid a constant temperature, also improving his overall grinding performance.

Pankratz addressed the many benefits of the Transor system to ATI. These include the overall cleanliness of the system. His operators no longer need to engage in the messy disposal of cartridges. The clean one-micron filtered oil drastically reduces machine maintenance and downtime. In addition, Pankratz estimates several additional years of productive operation from his capital investment. On the consumable side, grinding wheels have been delivering a minimum of 25% longer life.

In addition to tackling customers’ difficult tooling needs, ATI has found success in the manufacturing of small tools. “The small tools market started as a natural extension to ATI’s basic mission”, commented Pankratz. “We found a need in the market for tools ranging from 3/8’ diameter all the way down to 0.005” with the vast majority of production being 1/8” or less.”

To address this need ATI purchased two Rollomatic GrindSmart 620XS grinders. The Rollomatic 6-axis operation and quick changeovers provided the flexibility to profitably handle the varying geometries and small batch requests from customers. In addition, being able to consistently maintain concentricity of .0001” met Pankratz’s high quality standards. An additional Transor System was also purchased to service these machines.

“Many of the tools we manufacture,” noted Pankratz, “could be running at speeds of 30,000 RPM, and any inconsistencies in the tool become quite apparent.” Here’s where the Rollomatic/Transor combination becomes critical. Pankratz discovered that unlike larger tools with significant stock removal where the need for one micron filtration might seem obvious, in small tool production, eliminating the particulate also eliminates it from the grinding wheel where any deflection impacts product finish and quality.

By utilizing the integrated load/unload feature of the Rollomatic 620XS, ATI has been able to implement an unattended third shift when production demands it. ATI has run batches of 200, 300, 400, 500 blanks. By running smaller customer batches during the day, the 20 or 25 piece orders, an operator will set up for a larger batch that will run through the night unattended.

Pankratz noted that even with a climate controlled shop, the temperature during the day when all his machines are running will be different on weeknights or weekends. The accuracy of the Rollomatics coupled with the chilled Transor oil correcting any “thermal” variances enabled ATI to run unattended with confidence. “What it’s enabled us to do,” said Pankratz, “is run lights out on any size tool and hold two to three ten-thousandths on diameter – and that’s pretty amazing.”

Recently, ATI was able to solve a problem for a medical equipment manufacturer requiring bone drills. Pankratz was approached with the challenge of manufacturing the titanium drills that needed to be 6” long but only 1/16” in diameter. The job, requiring producing 2000 pieces a month, might normally create a production bottleneck. Pankratz decided that this project would be ideal for the two Rollomatic 620’s. Now, because Pankratz can accurately predict the wear and the concentricity, this particular job is scheduled to run one weekend a month.

Tom Pankratz’s manufacturing vision also extends into his business practices. Admittedly, ATI’s continually updated technology represents an ongoing capital investment but Pankratz referred to his “total cost of ownership”. In discussing his purchasing decision for the Rollomatics with the Transor, Pankratz cited reworks, cycle times, consumables and disposal costs as certainly quantifiable, and he noted that there is enough justification in his estimation to warrant the continued expenditures.