“IQ Plus” the intelligent coating for taps
“IQ Plus” the intelligent coating for taps
It is reported that users of LMT Fette IQ Plus taps for blind and through holes should be able to plan for extended production life of between 30 and 50 per cent over conventional TiCN coated taps due to a new “intelligent”coating development by the German toolmaker that in effect, adapts to the cutting conditions to provide a more consistent and predictable process.
IQ Plus taps are now available through LMT (UK) based in Coventry in M6 to M14, and both UNF and UNC between 1/4 and 5/8 for threading in steel, heat resistant, stainless and tool steels as well as nitriding and structural steels.
The multi-layer nano-structured coatings have a highly wear resistant base layer adhered to the substrate of the insert with a softer, but tougher IQ Plus sputter coating fused into its surface. Under cutting conditions and following a few passes in contact with the material being processed, the IQ Plus coating is subjected to micron- compression. This has the effect of “running in”or smoothing the outer coated surface that reduces the co- efficient of friction which in turn reduces the torque requirement for the process. Both the soft and hard layer then interact to provide a more consistent performance demonstrating lower wear factors on the tool and so increase the production life.
LMT informs us that in recent trials on 42 CrMo4 steel, a M10£1.5 IQ Plus tap was run at 25m/min to a depth of 24mm using a soluble coolant. When compared against the usable life of a standard TiCN coated tap of 1,800 holes,this was improved by 44 per cent to 2,600 holes with IQ Plus.
Typical speeds with IQ Plus, with or without coolant on plain carbon and free cutting steels, are stated to be between 30 and 40m/min and heat treatable and case hardening steels between 20 and 30m/min. Stainless steels can be machined using coolant at between 15 and 20m/min and nitriding and tool steels between 12 and 16m/ min.
Details available from: LMT (UK) Limited, Tel: +44 (0) 24 7636 9770, Fax: +44(0)24 7636 9771, web site: www.LMT-tools.com
