Silent Tools™, a mass-tuned damping solution by SandvikCoromant, shares an interesting parallel with Taiwan’s tallest building, Taipei 101. Just as the 1,667-foot tower relies on a clever mass damper system to withstand vibrations from earthquakes and high winds, Silent Tools™ helps manufacturers mitigate vibrations in turning, milling, boring, and drilling applications.
The Concept
Taipei 101, located near a major fault line, uses the world’s largest tuned mass damper, an 18-foot wide device that reduces up to 40% of the tower’s movement, protecting it from potential disasters. Similarly, Silent Tools™ aims to deliver greater stability in machine tools by reducing vibrations that can cause errors.
Origins
Silent Tools™ began as a university project in 1964 when Hans Kristian Holmen wrote his thesis on tool vibrations and created a prototype anti-vibration boring bar. A visitor to the university workshop recognized its potential, leading to its production at a factory in Trondheim, Norway. In the 1970s, SandvikCoromant partnered with this manufacturer, and Silent Tools™ has been part of their offering ever since, continuing to evolve and expand.
Importance of Vibration Control
In machining, vibrations can lead to inaccuracies in dimensions and poor surface finishes, particularly problematic in precision machining required by industries like aerospace and medical. Excessive tool vibrations also cause stress and fatigue, shortening tool lifespan and necessitating slower cutting speeds, which reduce overall efficiency.
How Silent Tools™ Works
Silent Tools™ employs a technique known as tuned mass damping. A counterweight within the tool absorbs the kinetic energy of vibrations and neutralizes them. With sizes ranging from 10mm to 600mm, Silent Tools™ supports various operations in turning, boring, and milling.
For instance, damped boring bars with long overhangs allow higher metal removal rates, ensure high-quality finishes, and improve chip evacuation, which is critical in deep hole machining. This enables more aggressive cutting parameters, reducing machining cycle times and enhancing overall efficiency.
Continuous Innovation
While SandvikCoromant’s patent for Silent Tools™ has expired, the solution remains unique due to continuous innovation. The 2024 upgrades include automated assembly and calibration of the damper body, ensuring precise frequency matching for each adaptor. The introduction of the digital Tool Status Checker further enhances accuracy and tool health monitoring, providing features like center height setting and temperature monitoring.
Enhanced Visibility with Silent Tools™ Plus
Silent Tools™ Plus, a connected turning adaptor with sensors, streams data on load, vibration, deflection, surface finish, temperature, and in-cut detection directly to a dashboard. This allows operators to monitor the cutting zone, identify potential problems early, and avoid scrapping expensive components. With the machine-integrated version, CoroPlus® Connected, data can be automatically transformed into cutting actions, reducing the need for constant monitoring.
Conclusion
Silent Tools™ shares a remarkable similarity with Taipei 101 in overcoming vibration challenges through tuned mass damping. Though its journey began decades ago, continuous developments have made Silent Tools™ more than just a vibration eliminator. It offers greater visibility and control in machining processes, leading to better results and enhanced efficiency for manufacturers.
