Sandvik Coromant at the forefront of automotive metal cutting research

Global leader in metal cutting Sandvik Coromant has announced its participation in Rota 2030, a federal government program designed to support and boost Brazil’s automotive sector. The company will contribute to R&D projects on an ongoing basis to educate the next generation of talent, establish fiercer competition among automakers and ensure the continued development of cutting-edge technologies and processes.

Rota 2030 is an initiative backed by the Fundação de Apoio da UFMG (Fundep) to establish a long-term policy for the automotive and automotive parts sectors by stimulating investment and strengthening companies in the sector. The program is based on three main areas — reestablish competition within the national automotive tools industry, develop safe biofuels and other alternative combustion methods, and enable connected vehicle technology.

Sandvik Coromant will participate in the program’s toolmaking area since this is its main area of activity in Brazil. The initiative aims to solve the key challenges faced by automotive machine shops — low productivity and gaps in technological knowledge — to enable Brazilian manufacturers to become more competitive in a global market. Sandvik Coromant’s contribution to the project will be hosted at its regional Sandvik Coromant Center in Jundiaí, where it has a dedicated team that supports the development of machining processes using its metal cutting tools and testing capabilities.

Sandvik Coromant has had strong relationships with academic institutions in Brazil and has provided support and education in machining processes to customers, researchers, and students in the field for many years. Thanks to these well-established relationships and a strong presence in the metal cutting tools sector for automotive applications, Sandvik Coromant is well suited to offer technical expertise and access to the latest innovation in cutting tools to enable the R&D projects.

So far, the organization has participated in three research projects – one that explores a new concept of mold production through polymer injection, another in the development of advanced deposition technologies in die casting tooling, and a third in the design and manufacturing of tooling for composite parts.

As part of each of these projects, Sandvik Coromant invites students, academics, and industry professionals to conduct R&D testing at its Jundiaí Center using its selection of metal cutting tools. R&D projects that take place under Rota 2030 typically last between one and two years, and the results of the research are then shared with automotive partners to improve processes and streamline production industrywide.

“Participating in Rota 2030 is a win-win for Sandvik Coromant. The automotive industry is our main area of activity in Brazil, so our knowledge and services are well suited to support the development of the sector,” explains Aldeci Santos, responsible for the Sandvik Coromant Center in Jundiaí. “It also gives us the opportunity to stay up to date with the latest developments in the machining sector, as well as the technologies used by our customers and partners. Being involved in the development of the latest innovations guides our own product development strategy to ensure our products closely meet the needs of our customers.”