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The primary mission of the Evatec-Tools group is to design and develop cutting tools, wear tools and tooling that meet the performance and productivity needs of mechanics. High-quality tools that create competitive advantages where others struggle to unlock productivity gains. For sectors as strategic as the automotive, aeronautics, steel, metal packaging, energy, railways and arms-defense industries, the family-owned group has innovative know-how on its French production sites, whether for single parts or small or large series.

Located in Le Creusot (Saône-et-Loire), Evamet is the group's plant where not only tungsten carbide tools are designed and manufactured, but also high-performance grades, which are developed to generate optimal gains in machining. "Our strength lies in our complete mastery of the manufacturing chain for carbide parts and in our know-how in powder metallurgy," says Benjamin Julliere, the group's director. He continues: "We are the prime contractor for our own carbide grades and have a powder workshop for mixing, grinding and granulating. In order to perfect our process control, the group has recently invested in a latest-generation robotized electric press." (Read Machines Production n°1112 of October 29, 2021).

In addition, the plant in Le Creusot has a shaping workshop in which parts can be machined raw, in order to make blanks of the finished dimensions. The wear parts and cutting inserts are then sintered in a HIP sintering furnace, which allows the material to be densified and guarantees optimum quality. Finally, for applications requiring precise tolerances, the parts are finished in the finishing shop and can be ground on high-precision 4- and 5-axis NC grinding machines. "This entire manufacturing process is of course supported by services such as a methods office, metallurgy laboratory, maintenance and control," adds the leader.

Near Lyon, Create Outillage is the plant that shares a perfect synergy with its colleague in Le Creusot. Indeed, this site of the group is specialized in the machining and the manufacture of tools in tungsten carbide, a material having a very great hardness. "This particularity requires know-how, human skills and specific production means in which we have been able to invest: hard turning, grinding, wire and sinker EDM, and polishing."

Special tools: solutions adapted to the needs

Dedicated to the design and production of special machining tools, GMO, located in Montbrison (Loire), is the group's unit specialized in the study of customer needs: for multifunctional turning, 5-axis milling, boring, counterboring, core drilling, deep drilling and standard or special tool holders. "The synergy between the Evatec-Tools group's sites continues to operate, since the most suitable carbide cutting inserts are offered on GMO tools, guaranteeing the necessary replenishments," Benjamin Julliere emphasizes.

Reducing costs through sharpening

In order to be useful for its customers, the Evatec-Tools group reconditions tools, among others on the Evatec site in Thionville (Moselle), following several possible sharpening solutions.Whether for carbide or HSS milling cutters, carbide or HSS rotary tools, carbide, ceramic, CBN and PCD inserts, the group offers a second life to tools. In identical configuration or according to well-defined shapes and sizes, reconditioning makes it possible to recover the initial performance of the tools, in terms of coating and cutting edge. "This service, which is very much appreciated by the group's customers, contributes to reducing purchasing costs, revalorizes used tools and opens the door to sustainable development, while providing economic gains," says Thionville.

Meet the requirements of the machining industry

With the combination of digital production means and complete manufacturing processes, the Evatec-Tools group meets the requirements of the machining trades, such as turning and milling, but also for more specific applications such as deep drilling, counterboring or drilling. The wear parts manufactured are intended for cold or semi-hot forging, metal forming, cutting, deformation or any process requiring wear-resistant parts.

Evatec-tools claims to actively support its customers when it comes to improving the optimization of their manufacturing process. As Thierry Portalier, GMO site manager, says: "For one of our aerospace customers, we made a bar peeling plate with a diameter of 1.14 meters in 35 NCD16 steel, something never done before ! In order to achieve this final result, several steps had to be carried out. After studying the request, 3D design and acceptance by the customer of the proposed solution, it had to be manufactured: forging operations on the blank, preparation for turning to + 10 mm of the finished dimensions, milling of blanks on the large openings, heat treatment to 42-45HRC, finishing of turning, finishing milling, and finally grinding of the inner groove for greater precision." Another success story for the group.