
ACT image
ACT Micro Quik Carbide InsertAdvanced Carbide Tooling (ACT) has signed an exclusive agreement to become the UK distributor of the Micro Quik range of indexable carbide cutting tools from US cutting tool manufacturer Micro 100. The new range of solid carbide cutting tools for small turning applications is complemented by an innovative toolholding collet that works with a 3-point location system to guarantee accuracy, repeatability and tool change speeds beyond the capabilities of competitor products.
The new agreement now gives UK machine shops the opportunity to purchase over 800 small solid carbide turning tools for applications such as turning, profiling, grooving, face grooving, ring grooving, boring, internal threading, drilling, countersinking and centring. Additionally, for manufacturers demanding particularly small and specialised cutting tools, ACT can offer miniature boring tools that start with a minimum bore diameter of 0.38 mm and increase to 12 mm minimum bore for larger more robust processes.
Each of the 800 plus cutting tools can be inserted into the innovative 3-point locking toolholders that provide accuracy and concentricity to a tolerance of 12 microns centreline repeatability from tool to tool. The toolholder design has a locating pin and a locking screw for positioning whilst each carbide tool has a flat surface for coolant to pass through the toolholder and directly to the cutting edge of the tool. The Micro Quik system is the only toolholding system available with three locating systems that integrate to guarantee maximum precision, repeatability and rigidity. To support the diverse demands of industry and the numerous machine tool configurations, ACT can offer the new product catalogue with round, square or dog leg shanked toolholders.
Ideal for sliding head turning centres and machine tools with difficult to access work envelopes, the Micro Quik system enables the operator to quickly and efficiently change carbide cutting tools in less than 30 seconds, regardless of how difficult to access the tool platen may be.
As Micro 100 manufactures its own solid carbide blanks with its exclusive Micro 100 Proprietary Process, the range offers excellent heat and vibration resistance and transverse rupture strength to provide outstanding tool life, rigidity and chipping resistance. The extensive range delivers these performance parameters on a diverse range of materials that include aluminium, steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, high temperature alloys, thermoplastics, exotic materials and composites.
Furthermore, the innovative geometries of the Micro Quik carbide range optimise machining performance whilst the cutting faces are lapped to a fine surface finish to improve swarf flow and eliminate swarf adhesion. This attention to detail is particularly prominent for sticky materials.
The ability of the new Micro Quik system to reduce machine set-ups and minimise machine downtime with its quick change system, improves productivity whilst enhancing repeatability and accuracy of machined parts.