In any machining operation, tool wear is an inevitability. Cutting tools heat up due to friction and this heat contributes to premature tool wear. As tooling wears, poor tolerances and dimensional inaccuracy are common. Additionally, as the cutting edge dulls increased cutting force is required which further increases the amount of heat generated.
Coolants can be used to reduce friction and help mitigate some of the wear, but then you’re left with the mess that coolant brings along with it both on the part and in the machine itself. What if I were to tell you that there’s a way to mimic the effects of coolant, but without all of the mess? All of this can be achieved with just a supply of compressed air and one of EXAIR’s Cold Gun Systems.
EXAIR’s Cold Gun was a Product of the Year finalist in 2007. By using only a source of compressed air, the Cold Gun and High Power Cold Gun produces a stream of clean, cold air 50° (28°C) below your compressed air supply temperature. The Cold Gun is very quiet at only 70dBA and has no moving parts to wear out. Just supply it with clean, dry compressed air and it’s maintenance free!
The Cold Gun is pre-set to an 80% Cold Fraction. In other words, 80% of the compressed air supplied to it will exhaust from the cold end of the tube, 20% from the hot end. This prevents the Cold Gun from freezing up during use and optimizes the gun’s cooling capacity. The Cold Gun is an ideal alternative to messy and expensive coolant mist systems. It eliminates the cost of purchase and disposal of cutting fluids as well as worker related health problems from breathing airborne coolant or slipping on wet floors. Replacing a coolant-based system also eliminates the need for secondary cleaning operations after milling or drilling.
The Cold Gun is an invaluable tool for machining a wide range of plastics and other materials that may become contaminated when using traditional coolants or oils. The clean, cold air from the outlet of the Cold Gun keeps the part cool, clean, and dry.
If you have an application that you believe would be better served by the use of an EXAIR Cold Gun, give us a call.
(Courtesy Tyler Daniel-EXAIR)