Industry Context & Processing Challenges: Hydro-turbine runners, Kaplan blades, and main shaft couplings are heavy castings made from martensitic stainless steel (13Cr4Ni / 1.4313). Heavy face milling and deep pocket slotting on these massive components involve severe casting scale, variable hardness, and heavy interrupted cuts.
Technical Requirements: High volume stock removal rates during roughing, and strict geometric contour fidelity across large 3D blade surfaces.
ZWH Tooling Solutions & Value: ZWH heavy-duty indexable milling cutters equipped with double-sided octagonal or round inserts provide maximum edge strength and chip resistance. Combined with shock-absorbing PVD/CVD carbide grades, ZWH tooling handles heavy cutting depths (ap>8 mm) with minimal chatter, drastically shortening roughing cycles on large hydro-power castings.
