Composites

Prized for their durability, weight-to-strength ratio and corrosion resistance, aerospace composites also challenge machinists with tool wear, delamination, uncut fibers, fiber pullout and scrapped parts.

The innovative W-point geometry on RobbJack’s 135°/20° PCD “Single Shot” Drill/Reamer supports the material as it pierces through and its sharp outer edge shears the material without delamination, uncut fibers or fiber pullout. The solid polycrystalline diamond tip outperforms diamond coated carbide drills for tool life up to 25 times longer. See the case study that proves it.

RobbJack delivers custom aerospace tools made to tight tolerances with application-specific carbide grades and geometries as an engineered solution. Our engineers have designed special and modified tools that reduce or eliminate the need for secondary operations, with long tool life that often outperforms and outlasts competitors on a scale of four to one. Let our team help find the right solution for your custom tool requirements.

Titanium

Titanium is ideal for improving fuel economy. It is increasingly preferred over aluminum for resisting heat and corrosion when in contact with carbon fiber reinforced polymers. Its high strength and low density make it ideal for jet engines, discs, blades, shafts and casings. Its hardness and heat resistance, however, make it notoriously difficult to machine. The extreme forces involved in machining titanium create a tendency for pullout to occur.

Made of RobbJack’s Tuffy Grade Carbide, our XF-series end mills are engineered with a unique geometry to make tough titanium jobs easy and efficient. One aerospace customer had been going through five competitor tools to machine just one airplane wing flap track. When they switched to RobbJack XF, they were able to machine three flap tracks with one tool, a 1500% difference. The speeds and feeds and cubic inch removal rate of the XF series is typically five to ten times faster than traditional machining of titanium. Contact RobbJack for your next titanium cutting tool.

Aluminum

This lightweight non-ferrous metal is useful for energy efficiency. However, it is prone to chatter, especially in thin walls, which can cause slow operation, poor finishes, tool slippage and breakage. Burring is also a common problem, which creates the need for bothersome and time consuming secondary operations.

The innovative geometry of the RobbJack A1-303 and FM series eliminates chatter, removes chips better and improves grip in the tool holder with anti-pullout shanks. The A1-303 and FM series perform especially well when dealing with deep pockets, monolithic structures and thin walls and floors.

When one manufacturer switched to aluminum, over 20 toolmakers tried to cut the part at 80 inches per minute—and failed—on multiple counts. RobbJack’s A1-303 ran at maximum RPM and cut 400 inches per minute with zero chatter—a 500% advantage. Plus, the tool lasted 10x longer than the nearest competitor. The RobbJack A1-303 was the only tool series that could meet the design and performance benchmarks required. See the case study that proves it.