Zund is adding a Diamond-Like Carbon, or DLC, coating to its router bits, which should help to reduce friction and to increase wear resistance, particular for working with aluminium, aluminium composites, wood, and PVC.
It’s sometimes easy to forget that the performance of a router is due in large part to the quality of the bits used with it. Inevitably these bits wear over time, and this affects the quality of the cutting and, let’s face it, nobody wants to reprint a wide format job because it was damaged on the router. The obvious solution is to add a thin-film coating to the bits.
According to Zund, the DLC coating allows for deeper cutting depths and can reduce the number of passes needed, which in turn improves the routing productivity. Zund says that up to 4 mm thick aluminium composites can be processed in a single pass, at speeds of up to 11 metres per minute.
In addition, the DLC coating gives the bit a smoother finish, which reduces friction and more than doubles the life of the bit. This also helps prevent material build-up on the bit when processing acrylic or aluminium and that in turn reduces the drag force allowing the router to handle more detailed contours. It also reduces the amount of heat generated, so that there’s less need for lubrication. Both aluminium and aluminium-composite panels can be dry routed when using these bits, which makes for easier handling and leaves both cut pieces and working area clean and dry.
The new bits are optimized for use with Zünd routing spindles and are available in diameters from 2 to 6 mm and for routing depths up to 22 mm. They are also available with stop ring, which makes them suitable for use with the automatic tool changer ARC. You can find more details at zund.com.
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