Precision machining of complex PCD tools at the YG-1 Technology Center

The YG-1 Technology Center in Oberkochen operates as an international competence center for customized tool solutions and demanding project applications. With around 75 employees, the location develops innovative special tools and works closely with global development and production facilities. The parent company, the South Korean YG-1 Group, with approximately 5,500 employees and branches in 38 countries, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of precision tools for industries such as automotive, medical technology, aerospace, and general mechanical engineering.

Increasing requirements in machining technology
In modern manufacturing, growing demands for productivity, delivery reliability, and sustainability are changing expectations of tool manufacturers. Especially in aluminum machining, PCD milling tools and PCD reaming tools with optimized chip-breaker geometries are gaining importance. These customized solutions place high demands on manufacturing accuracy, as controlled chip formation is necessary to break chips and prevent tangling in automated processes. To efficiently master these geometric challenges while reducing cycle times and unit costs, the company invested in new manufacturing technologies.

Deployment of the VLaser 370 laser machine
As a technological solution, the YG-1 Technology Center implemented the VLaser 370 laser machine from Vollmer Werke. The machine enables the machining of ultra-hard cutting materials such as PCD, CVD diamond, or PcBN without warm-up time. Equipped with stable extraction technology, internal compensation measurement, and precise kinematics where the focal point lies in the center of the C-axis, the system requires only minor compensation movements. This achieves high process reliability and stability when machining complex tool geometries. Specially incorporated chip breakers directly along the cutting edges contribute to optimal chip breaking.

Efficiency increase and economic results
The daily production use of the VLaser 370 at the YG-1 Technology Center confirms the investment decision. Through precise and economical manufacturing, cycle times were halved for several series products while simultaneously increasing the quality and tool life of the cutting edges. This leads to a reduction in total costs and offers customers direct technological added value when machining demanding tool geometries.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.vollmer-group.com