Be sure to join Matt Saccomanno, President of Masa Tool, presentation on boosting profitability by taking advantage of improvements in sub spindle workholding on Swiss-style CNC Machines. 

IMTS Conference: Boosting Profits from Swiss-type Machines by Better Use of the Sub-Spindle
 ​Wednesday, September 14 • 10:00 AM - 10:55 AM Central

This is a presentation of new and advanced techniques for gaining productivity from Swiss-type CNC machines, with emphasis on maximizing utilization of the machine’s counter-spindle (“sub-spindle”). Essentially a fully capable machine within a machine, the sub-spindle is rarely used at more than 20% efficiency, which is a huge waste of productive capacity.

Most of the roadblocks to increased usage stem from the limitations of traditional workholding. The presentation is loaded with real-life examples and practical do-right-now techniques.

Swiss-type CNC turning centers are gaining in popularity as the parts they produce trend toward higher precision and micro-sized features. To be competitive, smart use of the machine’s full capabilities is a big advantage. Achieving “lights out” production and minimizing machine cycle times are key tactical objectives.

Join Matt Saccomanno, co-founder and CEO of Masa Tool, as he explains advanced work holding techniques that fundamentally change the scope of what is possible on a Swiss-type machine (also known as “sliding head” or guide bushing machine). Balancing the main and sub-spindle cycle times, achieving reliable untended , lights out production, and reducing scrap and down time will be the focus of this informative and interactive presentation.

Much of this material is also applicable to other types of machining centers, especially when making small parts. Bring your real-world “problem parts” to the session for a strategy discussion with Mr. Saccomanno. This session is beneficial for machinists, CNC programmers, manufacturing engineers, tool crib personnel, and hands-on managers.

With deep roots in the Swiss-type screw machine industry, Masa Tool Inc. was founded in Oceanside California with the mission of bringing the Microconic System to the world. This revolutionary workholding system consists of the Microconic “cartridge” and “collet”. It was invented to solve the problems created by traditional long nose collets commonly used in the sub-spindle of screw machines for over 100 years.

As screw machines evolved from mechanical cams in the late 1900’s to today’s CNC controls, the complexity of parts being made increased dramatically. Making these modern micro precision parts complete on the machine without additional secondary operations became critical to remain competitive. Using the machine’s sub-spindle to complete the part is a must.

As the demands for precision and complexity increase, the traditional long-nose collet has many limitations that can frustrate the machinist trying to get the most out of the machine.

We created the Microconic system to overcome these limitations of conventional collets. The result is superior rigidity, accuracy, over-grip capability, clamping force control, and long-run stability.

We at Masa built our company from the ground up to ensure that everything in our catalog is available to ship within 2 days. Every size, every type. We currently offer any size from 0.2mm – 10mm diameter (.008” - .394”).

by Matt Saccomanno

Hi everybody!

It’s been a fantastic trip and an amazing closing day to the SIAMS 2022 exhibition! A hectic schedule and more talking and trying to decipher French than I’m built for, but super worthwhile. 

SIAMS is in the village of Moutier, in the heart of the “Jura” region, which spans a distinct area in the lower mountains overlapping the border of Switzerland and France. It is the historic center of the Swiss watch industry, but also is a dense cluster of high precision manufacturing like probably no other in the world.

​For our customer base of “Swiss-type” machining (“décolletage” in French), you literally can find the best of everything, including the awesome products of a particular company in Oceanside California. ​

I can’t say this without tears in my eyes how so very proud and grateful I am for the integrity and effort everyone puts into making Masa the literal BEST in the world at what we do!

With joy and gratitude,

Matt

At SIAMS, the entire microcosm or "ecosystem” of microtechnology is represented:
Machinery equipment, assembly measurement, control, and quality assurance automation tools, accessories, mechanics raw materials semi-finished products metalworking – suppliers plastics processing installation service companies organizations.

Matt Saccomanno, the Co-Founder of Masa Tool and inventor of the Microconic Workholding sytem will talking about process innovations in the metalcutting manufacturing industry during the International Manufacturing Technology Show, IMTS, in September at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. 

Swiss-type CNC machines have gained in capability and demand as the machined components they produce are trending toward higher precision and micro-sized features. As the machines have become more sophisticated, the underlying basics of workholding remained unchanged until recently.

​This presentation is an overview of new developments as well as traditional approaches with relevance to today’s highly capable sliding headstock “Swiss-type” CNC turning centers. The goal is to summarize best-practices for optimizing use of both main and sub-spindle to maximize productivity and overall equipment effectiveness. The material presented is useful for machinists, CNC programmers, tool crib personnel, manufacturing engineers, estimators, and hands-on managers.

If you would like to reserve your spot in this technical presentation and discussion please click the below button.

State-of-the-art LFV is a widely applicable cutting technology designed to avoid the problem of spiraling chips, entanglement of chips and built-up edges. Benefits include increased cutting tool life, reduced heat generation and reduced power consumption. 
​
The popular Citizen CINCOM L20 series sliding headstock lathes are now available with Low Frequency Vibration (LFV). 

This widely applicable cutting technology – able to handle a broad range of machining shapes and materials – is ideal for cutting difficult-to-cut materials.  The state-of-the-art LFV suppresses various risks associated with these materials, such as entanglement of chips and built-up edges.

Depending on the material being cut, a variety of problems can be caused by chips getting entangled with each other, including increased cutting resistance, scarring, changes in the texture of the machined surface, tool nose damage, and built-up edges due to cutting heat.  In LFV cutting, “air cutting” time prevents the machining temperature from rising, which both prolongs tool lives and gives relief from various problems caused by chips.

Productivity's 2017 Oktoberfest Tool Show website is live! Check out this year's Oktoberfest Tool Show, being held from September 26-28 at Productivity Inc, Plymouth, MN. 

Masa Tool is very excited to again participate in Productivity Inc's 19th Oktoberfest Tool Show. We're looking forward to showcasing our Microconic Workholding sytems for swiss style CNC lathes at their marvelous facility.  

Matt Saccomanno, CEO of Masa Tool, and the inventer of the Microconic system will be on hand with our regional managers for the area, High Tech Industrial, to answer all of your technical & applicaiton questions. Let's get productive! 

Productivity's Oktoberfest Tool Show gives you more tools to help grow your business with over 40 machine tools and technologies on display as well as over 80 tooling lines on display! See the newest machine and tooling technologies, witness live machine demos and attend one of 12 informative seminars.

Show hours are 8:30 am to 6:00 pm daily. Go to http://www.productivity.com/oktoberfest-tool-show/  for more details and to register.

Let us know you're going by clicking the JOIN button HERE!

Masa Tool is introducing its Microconic workholding system for use in subspindle Swiss-type machine operations, enabling the operator to switch operations from the main to the subspindle so that usage is balanced. This capability is said to reduce cycle time in ways that are not possible with conventional collets.

​The Microconic system consists of two primary components: a cartridge that fits in the machine’s standard TF20, TF25 or 5C collet closer, and the collet itself, which fits into the cartridge. Each cartridge model has a solid extended nose and can accept both regular and over-grip collets. The over-grip collets open up to 0.157" (4 mm) larger than the clamping diameter.

​The Microconic cartridge’s extended nose design directs all of the chucking pressure directly over the workpiece for concentricity and rigidity. Total indicated runout (TIR) for the Microconic system is guaranteed at 0.0002" (5 µm) at the workpiece, absent any runout introduced by the machine structure or other elements of the setup. The system capacity ranges from 0.008" to 0.394" (0.2 to 10 mm) in diameter, with all sizes available from stock.

Marubeni Citizen introduced their  famed L20 series with low-frequency vibration (LFV) cutting at IMTS 2016. The new LFV machine featured the Microconic workholding system in the subspindle.  They utilized a F20M10 Microconic cartridge in their TF20 subspindle with one of our overgrip collets to demonstrate the performance of the new LFV.

You can check out our segment starting at 8 minutes into the video!  We want to extend a very big thank you to Marubeni Citizen for putting our system as a feature of their very latest in technology! 

We where honored and privileged to be interviewed by IMTStv during the show in 2016! It enabled us to get the word out about our Microconic workholding solution that solves clamping problems that have never been solved before!

​We discussed that many many people had just given up on trying to find a solution for balancing out production between the main spindle and the sub-spindle years and years ago. We where even more excited than most of the people that stopped by our booth to learn that we had indeed invented something that fixes the problem!