With 28 entries, 1.2 million social impressions, and almost 4,500 votes, ANCA’s Tool of the Year celebrated the contribution modern cutting tools make to manufacturing, surgery, woodworking, and other diverse industries. ANCA is a manufacturer of CNC grinding machines.
Overall winner ARCH Cutting Tool’s entry demonstrated excellent use of multiple iGrind operations with several complex profiles. The tool came out in front of others when compared to the DXF and measured on the Zoller for Profile OD and Runout. The surface finish measurement on the Alicona produced a superb result. The tool also stood out in terms of complexity of grinding and was a large diameter (1”) multi-functional cutting tool with many features. Overall, the tool was complete, an exceptional effort from the team at ARCH, which ticked every box to be the Tool of the Year winner.
ARCH Cutting Tools is the third American company in as many years to take out the accolade, highlighting that the skill and craftmanship of the U.S. cutting tool industry is alive and well.
“We entered to present and showcase our capabilities as a cutting tool manufacturer and to demonstrate the complex capabilities of the ANCA Tool and Cutter Grinder,” said Jim Gray, president and general manager, ARCH Cutting Tools – Latrobe. “Additionally, we entered to share with customers our own custom capabilities with solid carbide tools. Our entry was based on what we provide for our customers. It’s multi-functional, providing the customer a single high-performance tool that’s multiple tools in one. A solution-driven tool that reduces the need for tool changes and increases productivity.”
ZMK received the runner-up award in this category for another outstanding effort with its contribution.
Pat Boland, ANCA co-founder said, “The cutting tool sector has faced a significant challenge with the onset of COVID-19. In these conditions, it is even more important to promote and recognize our contributions as an industry. This year we saw the most complex and sophisticated entries to date. Having been part of the industry for over 40 years, the technical advancements demonstrated by cutting tool manufactures continue to amaze.”
Winners of Virtual Tool Category – JG Group and Turcar
The entries for the Virtual Tool category were so impressive that the judges found it impossible to split JG Group and Turcar’s submissions. They agreed that both virtual tools were complex and demonstrated great use of different cycles and operations.
The Tool of the Year must be a ground tool that is functional, high quality and complex. A panel of expert judges consider the surface finish, tolerance and functionality. This year the industry-first competition had two categories.
Winner of ANCA Tool of the Year:
- ARCH Cutting Tools.
- Runner-Up: ZMK.
Winners of Virtual Tool Category:
- JG Group and Turcar.
- #MadeonANCA Finalists.
- JG Group, Poland .
- ARCH Cutting Tools, USA.
- Aayudh Tools, India.
- Ocmandy, France.
- Mastermet, Poland.
- ZMK, Poland.
- Guidolin Affilatura Utensili (Pat’s Pick), Italy.
- Virtual Tool Finalists:
- JG Group, Poland.
- Aayudh Tools, India.
- Turcar, Turkey.
- Miltas (Pat’s Pick), Turkey.
ANCA’s annual competition gives cutting tool manufacturers a chance to not only build brand recognition within the industry, but to also push the boundaries and showcase the beauty of performance expected from ANCA machines in the cutting tools industry. The main winner receives $10,000 AUD worth of ANCA parts, accessories or software and the winner of the most innovative virtual tool receives the full CIM software package.
Members of the judging panel were Pat Boland, co-founder and managing director at ANCA; Jason Allen, managing director, ISCAR Australia; Peter Sutton, managing director, Sutton Tools; Alicona, measurement of surface finish; and Zoller, measurement of profile and diameter.
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