{"id":58008,"date":"2025-08-30T12:39:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T10:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expo21xx.com\/news\/?p=58008"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:50:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:50:28","slug":"weingartner-maschinenbau-perfects-the-turn-peel-process-using-kcu25b-carbide-grade-with-kengold-pvd-coating-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expo21xx.com\/news\/weingartner-maschinenbau-perfects-the-turn-peel-process-using-kcu25b-carbide-grade-with-kengold-pvd-coating-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Weing\u00e4rtner Maschinenbau Perfects the Turn-Peel Process Using KCU25B Carbide Grade with KENGold PVD Coating Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Weing\u00e4rtner Maschinenbau GmbH, headquartered in Kirchham (Upper Austria), has been one of the leading providers of complete machining solutions for the metal cutting industry for decades. Founded in 1966, the company began as a traditional contract manufacturer and quickly became a pioneer in whirling technology \u2013 especially for screw components in the plastics industry.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nPhoto by Weing\u00e4rtner<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
Today, the Weing\u00e4rtner name stands worldwide for precision, innovation, and customer-specific solutions in the machining of large components. The product range includes mpmc complete machining centers for the high-precision processing of large rotating parts, the compact vario+ series for demanding turning and peeling processes, the pickup 400 specialized in extrusion and injection screws, and the finish series \u2013 an all-in-one solution for grinding, polishing, and measuring. \u201cOur machines are particularly in demand in challenging industries such as energy, aerospace, plastics processing, and heavy-duty machining \u2013 wherever top precision, flexibility, and productivity are required,\u201d summarizes Daniel Weber, responsible for software and process development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What distinguishes Weing\u00e4rtner is its holistic approach: \u201cInstead of standard machines, our customers receive tailored complete solutions \u2013 consisting of individual consultation, modular machine design, specially developed CAD\/CAM software, application-specific technologies, practical training, and comprehensive global service,\u201d Weber adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reliable Rotor Production Process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
\nPhoto by Weing\u00e4rtner<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
For a customer in the pump industry, Weing\u00e4rtner is currently producing approximately 60 rotors for progressing cavity pumps on a contract basis. A vario+ 700 machining center from its own portfolio was equipped with a turn-peeling head to fully machine the pre-turned shafts in a single pass. The special feature: although the customer has already purchased the machine, the designated facility is not yet ready. Therefore, Weing\u00e4rtner is temporarily taking over both the process design and the rotor production in Kirchham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The material being machined is austenitic, corrosion-resistant stainless steel grade 1.4435, with a diameter of 160 mm and a length of 3,900 mm. During the turn-peeling process, approximately 60 mm in diameter is removed \u2013 down to a final diameter of 100.5 mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Turn-Peeling Challenge<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Turn-peeling is one of the most demanding metal-cutting processes in heavy-duty machining. It is technically a kinematically reversed longitudinal turning process \u2013 using a rotating tool and a continuously fed workpiece. At Weing\u00e4rtner, the process is similar, although the workpiece is positioned off-center. \u201cThe indexable inserts operate in both interrupted and continuous cuts, which places significant stress on the cutting edges,\u201d Weber explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A key challenge is that the entire machining must be completed in a single setup \u2013 without tool changes. Any tool failure or drop in tool life can damage not only the workpiece but also the peeling head. \u201cWe wanted to machine the entire component with a single tool set \u2013 no stops, no tool changes, no breakage,\u201d says Weber. The reason is clear: every change would affect the surface finish and cause around 30 minutes of downtime per part \u2013 performed manually under difficult access conditions to the tool holder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Path to the Solution<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Numerous tests with different tool manufacturers initially yielded unsatisfactory results. Most inserts had to be replaced halfway through, and some failed unpredictably \u2013 leaving marks on the workpiece and posing a risk of severe damage. The breakthrough came with Kennametal\u2019s KCU25B grade. \u201cWe immediately noticed something different \u2013 something we hadn\u2019t seen before,\u201d Weber recalls. \u201cThe tool life was impressive right from the start, the surface quality was consistent, and chip control was reliable.\u201d Ultimately, 150 minutes of uninterrupted machining per component was achieved \u2013 without any insert changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The peeling head used features ten ISO holders, equipped with nine roughing and one finishing indexable inserts from Kennametal. The specific carbide grade is KCU25B \u2013 using RP geometry for roughing and MS geometry for finishing. The roughing inserts operate at a depth of cut of ap = 5.5 mm, and the finishing insert at ap = 2.0 mm. \u201cBy optimizing the process, we reduced the machining time from 150 to 126 minutes \u2013 with consistently excellent results,\u201d says Markus Pleyer, the Kennametal sales engineer overseeing the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Coating Makes the Difference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\nPhoto by Weing\u00e4rtner<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
The key to the new insert grade lies in the innovative KENGold coating, a PVD technology applied to a tough carbide substrate. \u201cThis combination delivers outstanding wear resistance and process reliability, particularly for challenging materials and varying cutting conditions,\u201d Pleyer explains. According to Pleyer, the KCU25B was specifically developed for smooth-cutting processes in stainless materials: \u201cCombined with the new coating, it ensures extremely stable operation \u2013 even at low feed rates and under interrupted cuts, as seen at Weing\u00e4rtner.\u201d Controlled chip breaking was especially important. \u201cWe needed short, broken chips \u2013 anything else would cause immediate issues during machining and tool setup. The proper process design is also reflected in the surface finish,\u201d Weber adds. The resulting surface quality reached Ra 2.2 \u00b5m and Rz 9.5 \u00b5m \u2013 values that significantly reduce the effort required for subsequent grinding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another success factor was Kennametal\u2019s close technical support. \u201cWe analyzed the cutting data together, adjusted the geometries, and ultimately found the ideal configuration with KCU25B,\u201d emphasizes Markus Pleyer. This combination of tooling expertise and application know-how was crucial for Weing\u00e4rtner. \u201cWhen your contact not only sells but understands what\u2019s happening on the machine \u2013 that\u2019s when results like these become possible,\u201d Weber states. The combination of Weing\u00e4rtner\u2019s specialized know-how in machine building and Kennametal\u2019s tooling expertise proved to be a winning formula, resulting in high process reliability, excellent surface finish, and no tool changes \u2013 offering the end customer an efficient, economical, and technically sound solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel Weber concludes: \u201cWe tried many things \u2013 but to achieve such a stable result across the entire part length without a single insert change? Honestly, I didn\u2019t expect that. Kennametal\u2019s solution has not only convinced us technically \u2013 it has also proven to be outstanding in daily practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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