Every day that goes by, the manufacturing industry gets more and more competitive. Manufacturers find themselves fighting a battle to increase productivity while keeping costs down so they can stay one step ahead of the competition. This is why BlackHawk carries trusted, cost-effective brands to pass the competitive edge on to customers.

As one of our most respected and well-known brands, WIDIA has been around for almost 100 years. WIDIA – which is German for “like a diamond” – was the first company to introduce cemented carbide for metalcutting applications in 1927. It completely revolutionized the manufacturing world, as cemented carbide was nearly as hard as diamond but without the brittleness and high cost. The company is known for its rich experience, but what matters most to our customers is that WIDIA produces metal-cutting tools that work faster and cost less than comparable tools on the market.

Since its inception more than 90 years ago, WIDIA has been an industry leader in exciting innovations. In 2002, WIDIA presented the Hanita VariMill line with a patented variable pitch geometry end mill which again revolutionized the world of machining. The Hanita VariMill line introduced advanced coatings and substrates that made it possible to push tools even harder and faster through the use of new cutting tool technology. It has been the benchmark end mill in the industry since its introduction.

Hanita VariMill DUO-LOCK

If your shop has been searching for the flexibility, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness of modular end mills but needs the cutting performance of solid carbide, look no further than the replaceable tip end mill solution from WIDIA Products Group, featuring the DUO-LOCK™ connection from WIDIA and Haimer. 

DUO-LOCK is the only tool on the market that consistently takes full-width slotting cuts in tough metals such as stainless steel and aerospace metal alloys at 1xD deep, and 50% cut widths at 1.5xD. “In apples to apples cutting tests against our competitors’ tools, the DUO-LOCK connection was the only one that didn’t break,” says marketing portfolio director Avishay Zohar.

The unmatched metal removal rate is due to a double-taper, face-contact mount and intelligent thread design. This provides runout accuracy better than 5 µm (.0002 in.), axial repeatability of 10 µm (.0004 in.) or better, and up to 25% higher torque and chip load capabilities than others in this market. 

The WIDIA system is a cost-effective alternative to solid carbide end mills for machine shops of all sizes. Tier I and Tier II levels of aerospace, energy and automotive manufacturers are big users of these tools but the line is also good for suppliers, smaller shops and those vertical machining centers that switch back and forth between cutting different types of metals. “These shops stand to benefit the most from our system’s flexibility and competitive price point, because it reduces the need for expensive solid carbide end mills, and special order tools that may take weeks to arrive,” Zohar says.

Originally, the DUO-LOCK technology was designed for roughing and semi-finishing applications in difficult materials, but the line has evolved into a more widely used tool to be used with Hanita carbide, coatings and geometries.

Examples include the WIDIA-Hanita brand VariMill III, a 7-flute center-cutting end mill with a 38° helix for high-feed machining of titanium and nickel-based superalloys, and the VariMill I, with a conical core and asymmetrical 4-flute design that eliminates chatter in extreme roughing and deep slotting applications. Both are available in WIDIA’s Victory WS15PE and WP15PE AlTiN-coated grades, known throughout the industry for superior wear and heat-resistance. 

For any questions about WIDIA end mills or any other products sold by BlackHawk, give us a call. We’re happy to help. Our mission is to provide innovative, value-added services and products that reduce our customer’s total cost. Feel free to contact us for more information.

BlackHawk Industrial

1501 SW Expressway Drive

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012

[email protected]

Toll Free: 855-610-1001