TUBINGEN, Germany, Jul 30, 2024 – Walter is expanding its expertise and product portfolio in the lightweight sector, which has been growing for more than 20 years – through measures such as the acquisition of the manufacturer FMT (Frezite Metal Tooling). Walter FMT now offers an incredibly extensive selection of tools for machining aluminum. The same is true of the PCD range for machining light metals such as aluminum and aluminum alloys.
Lightweight materials are becoming increasingly important in industrial production. Particularly in the automotive and aerospace sectors, lower weight means reduced energy consumption. This is a crucial factor, especially since it not only has a positive impact on cost-efficiency but also on CO2 emissions and the range of electric cars, to give just a few examples.
Customized process solutions
“Around 98% of our PCD tools are special tools which we tailor individually to the specific requirements and applications of each customer,” explains Roland Hanischdörfer, Field Business Developer PCD at Walter. “We therefore develop tailored machining solutions together with our customers. In doing so, we and our clients benefit from Walter FMT’s vast experience in the lightweight segment.”
For example, each wing rib which reinforces an airplane’s rib is produced differently from the next. In the automotive industry, by contrast, the challenges of short cycle times and extremely high quantities in mass production have to be tackled. To suit these very different machining situations, Walter FMT’s process solutions are customized and derive their potential from the large standard range and special solutions offered by Walter.
High demands for machining operations and tools
These kinds of high-tech components place extremely high demands on the machining operations and the tools used. “Aluminum materials, like those with a high silicon content, are abrasive, while an aluminum from the 7000 alloy group can be high tensile,” explains Stefan Benkóczy, Component Manager at Walter. “Other aluminum groups, for their part, tend to result in continuous chips and galling.”
This, alongside a variety of different shapes and/or materials, calls for flexible machining strategies and tools. Walter offers the perfect responses to these challenges with its wide selection of standard tools and PCD special tools, as well as its experience.
New solutions for the automotive industry
The new additions to Walter’s PCD range for the automotive industry include tools for machining chassis parts – this is a field where the company has considerable experience and knowledge. And it goes without saying that Walter also supports the advancement of electric mobility, for example with tools for machining stator housings, the outer shell of electric motors.
Walter’s current product range for light metal machining comprises a total of around 12,000 different standard tools. And that’s not all – there are also special PCD and carbide tools, as well as hybrid versions which showcase the problem-solving skills of Walter’s PCD and lightweight experts. All of these tools boast exceptional cost-efficiency thanks to short machining times and longer than average tool life.
Global presence strengthened
In addition to expanding its PCD product range, Walter has also increased its number of production and service sites and regrinding centers – in Eastern Europe and Central America, to name just a few locations. By doing so, the company is making its services and products available around the world even more effectively and quickly.
About Walter
For over 100 years, Walter has stood for competence and quality in the field of machining technology. The company was founded in 1919 by Richard Walter and has its headquarters in Tübingen, Germany. The portfolio includes precision tools for milling, turning, grooving, drilling and threading as well as individual special tools and technology solutions along the process chain. With production facilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia, numerous subsidiaries and sales partners, and 4,400 employees worldwide, Walter has a global presence and customers in more than 80 countries around the world. In addition to engineering expertise, a sustainable corporate strategy and a diversity approach are part of the corporate culture. Since 2022, the Frezite Group has been part of Walter, including the Frezite portfolio brand FMT, which deals with cutting tools for lightweight materials. For more information, visit https://www.walter-tools.com.
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