DLyte surface finishing for the toolmaking industry

The quality of milled, formed and punched parts depends on the tool used in the manufacturing process. Drills, milling cutters or thread rods, stamping and forming tools, forming dies and tool holders require surface finishing processes to improve their performance and useful life.

Smoothing the surface, decoating, removing burrs, controlled rounding and radiusing and corrosion protection increase the life of the metalworking tools providing a reliable and repeatable quality of the final parts.

Between 12 to 15 % of the manufacturing costs and 30 to 50 % of the manufacturing time for the toolmaking industry are allocated to surface finishing.

Since current automated polishing techniques are almost not applicable on pieces with freeform surfaces and function relevant edges the smoothing, rounding, radiusing and deburring is predominantly done manually or with complex multi-step processes which are error prone and high resources demanding.

Toolmaking-dlyte

Benefits and applications of DLyte electropolishing processes

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The dry electropolishing technology is a novel electrochemical process that improves the result of current finishing technologies. It overcomes the barriers of liquid electropolishing and abrasive polishing using solid particles to remove material by ion exchange.

  • As it is a non-abrasive treatment it does round off the edges in a controlled way.
  • Performs automated effective surface finishing of forming, punching and cutting tools.
  • Improves dramatically the performance and lifespan of the tools.
  • Is also able to improves the surfaces without changing the geometries.
  • It reduces chipping on cutting tools, wear.

 

Some of the most important applications of our technology for the toolmaking industry are:

  • Drill bits, saw blades and screwdriver bits
  • Hand tools such as hammers, wrenches and pliers
  • Lathe tools and milling cutters
  • Thread rods
  • Stamping tools such as punches
  • Forming tools and dies
  • Tool holders

DLyte Technology and Rösler Experience, a perfect match for your success!

When it comes to polishing, smoothing and edge rounding of carbide cutting tools, Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH, a global market leader in the field of surface technology with 80 years of experience, is our exclusive partner and your point of contact.

Contact the Rösler experts now for customized process development, worldwide sales and service.

Cemented carbides

DLyte technology offers a plethora of advantages when it comes to the surface treatment of cemented carbides. By maintaining the superficial chemistry unaltered, it ensures that the original properties of the material are preserved. Additionally, DryLyte technology prevents any leaching effects on the metallic binder, which contributes to the overall stability and durability of the treated surface. The process achieves an impressive roughness between constitutive phases of below 9 nm, resulting in a smooth and consistent surface finish.

The minimum and controlled rounding effects further enhance the final surface quality, ensuring uniformity and reduced wear. Moreover, the mechanical integrity of the treated material remains constant, demonstrating the non-invasive nature of the process. Finally, DryLyte technology boasts short polishing times, increasing productivity and efficiency in industrial applications.

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Rounding technical report_02_2023

Some applications

Carbide insert die polishing

Carbide insert die polishing

Material: Tungsten carbide

Manufacturing: Sintering

Pre-processing: EDM

Application: Precision finish

Achieved Ra: 0.01 μm

Processing time: 94 minutes (1 part)

DLyte equipment: DLyte 100PRO Carbide

Common materials

Carbon Steel
01. Carbon Steel

An alloy made of iron and carbon. Its properties are mainly defined by the amount of carbon it has, determining the hardness, ductility, and tensile strength of the steel. The strength and durability of carbon steel make it suitable for many industries, as it withstands higher levels of wear and tear.

Cemented carbide (WC-Co)
02. Cemented carbide (WC-Co)

Hard, wear-resistant material consisting of small hard carbide particles suspended in a metallic matrix. It is commonly used in the tooling industry due to its high strength and wear and heat resistance, which make it well-suited for use in a variety of cutting, drilling, and milling applications.

High speed tool steel (HSS)
03. High speed tool steel (HSS)

It is a steel alloy that contains tungsten and vanadium, which increases the strength and durability of metal pieces. It was designed to be used at high-cutting speeds, and is known for its ability to maintain a sharp edge and resist wear and deformation at high temperatures. An extremely common material in the tooling industry.

Technical aspects

Preservation of geometry without rounding edges
Preservation of geometry without rounding edges
Improved passivation and corrosion resistance
Improved passivation and corrosion resistance
Assured reliability and repeatability
Assured reliability and repeatability
Improved quality of forming, stamping and cutting tools
Improved quality of forming, stamping and cutting tools
Smoothing drill flutes increases work speed and lifespan
Smoothing drill flutes increases work speed and lifespan
Improved chip removal increases tool productivity
Improved chip removal increases tool productivity
Reduction of wear and increased contact area
Reduction of wear and increased contact area
Reduced friction and defined edge rounding for longer tool life
Reduced friction and defined edge rounding for longer tool life
Avoids leaching of cobalt in tungsten carbides
Avoids leaching of cobalt in tungsten carbides
Reduced force and lubricant required for deformation
Reduced force and lubricant required for deformation

Economic and environmental aspects

Short processing time in a compact design
Short processing time in a compact design
No devices to manage sewage and sludge
No devices to manage sewage and sludge
High profitability and short payback time
High profitability and short payback time
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly
Protects workers' health
Protects workers' health

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