The WEDCO VAR-X barrel cutter is a powerful and modern tool for machining. With its innovative design, the barrel cutter (alternatively also known as a parabolic cutter or circular segment cutter) offers users a perfect solution in terms of performance and precision in a wide range of applications. The underlying idea is the combination of large cutting radii of up to 1,000 mm on the flanks and the spherical tip. Thanks to the large flank radius, VAR-X milling cutters enable much greater tool engagement and therefore significantly larger line jumps with the same roughness depth than conventional ball nose end mills.
The advantages of modern barrel milling cutters and parabolic milling cutters are obvious: As an innovative technology that has its origins in the field of ball nose end mills, the tools in the VAR-X series are nothing less than a game changer in terms of productivity, especially when it comes to finishing operations. The barrel milling cutters / parabolic milling cutters really come into their own when it comes to demanding workpiece geometries in areas such as mechanical engineering, toolmaking and mould making, especially when it comes to achieving the highest surface quality and minimising reworking.
VAR-X: Maximum productivity due to reduced processing time and excellent surface quality with minimised polishing effort.
The design principle of the cutting geometry with very large radii on the flanks of the solid carbide barrel cutters (therefore also known as circular segment cutters) enables a thinner chip when roughing and therefore a very high feed rate. The large radii on the cutting edges of the milling cutters result in much larger path distances than with conventional ball nose end mills, which leads to a dramatic reduction in machining time and a simultaneous increase in tool life.
Convincing performance
- Significantly larger stroke intervals with the same theoretical surface roughness
- Up to 90% less machining time with signifi- cantly longer tool life
- Reduced polishing effort with significantly better surface finish
- Ideal for spots that are difficult to access
- Reduced number of tools needed due to the very wide range of applications
- Very high wear resistance
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VAR-X
The large cutting radius of the barrel cutter ensures a significantly larger line jump and thus tool engagement.
Result: Very short processing times and very high surface quality thanks to significantly larger line spacing
Ball nose end mill SGK-Z4
The small cutting area of the classic ball end mill requires many machining paths (line jumps) in order to achieve the required surface roughness.
Result: Significantly longer processing times due to small line jumps
4 different basic shapes
The solid carbide circular segment milling cutter concept is available in 4 different geometries for versatile use. From the classic barrel shape to the tangential shape to the flat-conical and conical shape. Each shape is optimised for specific applications such as side or bottom surfaces.
- VAR-X barrel shape
The barrel-shaped radius makes it similar in shape to a wide T-slot milling cutter and is therefore perfect for freely accessible surfaces without interfering contours. - VAR-X tangential
The radius merges tangentially from the diameter into the ball end, ideal for deep cavities that are difficult to access. - VAR-X flat-conical
The radius at the front of the mould allows the base or bottom surfaces of deep cavities to be machined. - VAR-X conical
The radius is located on a conical angle, which makes it possible to swivel away from the component and thus reach deeper cavities.
Based on these four basic moulds, we produce the right special tool for your requirements and deliver it within 10 working days.
Innovative CAM-Strategies
One of the reasons why these parabolic milling cutters could only be used to a limited extent in the past was the complex CNC programming. However, current 5-axis machines and the correspondingly advanced CAM software have greatly improved the situation and significantly simplified the use of this technology.
In order to fully utilise the enormous potential of WEDCO VAR-X milling cutters, the optimal interaction of tool, milling machine and corresponding high-end CAM software is a prerequisite. With the help of such innovative finishing strategies, path distances can be realised that are many times greater than with conventional methods. The result is time savings of up to 90% with equivalent or significantly better surface qualities.
The latest CAM software offers special machining strategies to maximise the potential of the tools. Powerful 5-axis strategies allow highly efficient machining of planes and free-form surfaces. Intelligent automatisms ensure optimum forging of the tool. Set-up times are reduced to a minimum compared to conventional machining strategies.
