CIMT2025 Exhibition Review | Cutting Tools are Moving from Product Offering to Value Services

CIMT2025, as the largest professional event for machine tools in the world in the past decade, has an exhibition area of 310000 square meters and a total of 345864 visitors. Renowned machine tool companies from around the world brought their latest technologies and products to the venue.
Cutting tools, as the “teeth of industry”, performed very well at this exhibition. Not only have domestic cutting tool companies emerged like mushrooms after rain, but some overseas enterprises have also returned with their latest products, concepts, and models, jointly showcasing innovative technologies and application achievements in multiple segmented fields to the audience, and depicting the future development direction of cutting tools for everyone.
We will now introduce some innovative technological achievements and application examples in the field of cutting tools at this exhibition.
1、 Technological innovation achievements

1）Cutting tools are moving from product provision to value services
The cutting tool industry has transitioned from selling a single product to providing users with comprehensive solutions, that is, the era of providing value services to users. On the basis of in-depth exploration of user needs, domestic tool exhibitors exhibited comprehensive solutions in different fields at this exhibition. Domestic enterprises such as Zhuzuan, Jinlu, Tooling Institute, Sentai Inge, Ouke Yi, Huarui, and Aoketai exhibited metal cutting overall solutions for different industries. Ouke Yi also proposed a customized overall supporting solution of “tool general contracting+intelligent warehousing”; Zheng Zuan and REGO-FIX exhibited a comprehensive solution for tool loading and unloading.
In short, it is evident from this exhibition that various tool companies are gradually transforming from traditional tool product suppliers to service providers that provide value to users. They are deeply exploring and refining different customer needs, providing optimized solutions and value services. I hope to communicate and integrate with each other through the exhibition platform, learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and jointly provide efficient machining solutions for cutting and processing users, provide value services for users, and thus realize our own value.

2）Innovation in material technology
The new SNC805 and SPC810 products launched by Chloe for aerospace component processing both use ultrafine grained substrates to minimize thermal cracking at high temperatures and prevent blade breakage. APS05A in the Dragon series launched by Arno is a low cobalt matrix with ultrafine particles, which has excellent wear resistance and is the preferred material for difficult to machine materials. It can also be used for precision machining of stainless steel, quenched materials, and cast iron materials. The CM7115A and CA5105 from Changying Hard Science are both made of ultra-fine grain matrix with strong wear resistance, and are respectively used for turning and milling difficult to machine materials. Some foreign brands at this exhibition have launched applications of pure ceramic milling tools and high-speed milling of high-temperature alloys and cast iron.
The “Silver Sparrow” series of grades brought by Xiamen Jinlu as GEFOTECH ® The further upgrading of technology has achieved significant breakthroughs in tool substrate, coating, and surface edge treatment, forming a new GS * 71 series grade, which solves the problems of easy chip adhesion, abnormal blade breakage, and short service life in titanium alloy processing. The “Silver Sparrow” series titanium alloy processing end mill ST300, launched at this exhibition, optimizes and innovates cutting tools for processing problems. It can suppress adverse resonance and improve chip removal performance as a whole. By matching with a new titanium alloy processing special grade, it can improve wear resistance and tool life, effectively solving customer problems.

3）Innovation in Coating Technology
Composite CVD coated blades have become the mainstream trend, and many tool companies have launched their own dual color CVD coated blades. The new products of conventional CVD coatings often highlight the optimization of the growth direction of Al2O3 crystal structure, such as Sumitomo’s AC8115P for high-speed steel turning, which uses crystal orientation control technology to improve wear resistance, and Mitsubishi’s MC5100 series for cast iron turning, which uses “super” nanostructure technology to improve wear resistance. There are two technological directions for PVD coatings: one is to search for new coating systems, or to combine two existing coatings and add them as functional layers to products; Another approach is to dope or nano multilayer modulate the coating on the existing basis. Whether it is CVD or PVD coating, the goal is to improve the surface quality of the coating, using new HiPIMS technology, smooth surface treatment or coating post-treatment technology to improve surface smoothness and prevent the formation of chip tumors and chipping.
The Pangu series PG8000 products based on low-pressure CVD coating technology launched by Zhuzuan Cutting Tools focus on efficient processing of difficult to machine materials and high hardness materials. This series combines advanced coating technology with precision groove design, and its main technical features and market applications include: (1) coating process optimization. The PG8000 product adopts a high hardness substrate combined with nano superlattice structure coating and ultra smooth surface treatment technology, significantly improving wear resistance and high temperature resistance, and is suitable for processing materials such as high-temperature alloys and heat-resistant cast steel. The design of lattice heterogeneous coating further enhances high-temperature oxidation resistance and coating hardness, and improves surface smoothness and reduces cutting adhesion through coating pre-treatment and post-treatment processes. (2) Groove type and tool compatibility. Provide turning groove types such as NF, NGF, SNR, covering scenarios from precision machining to efficient rough machining; Milling tools such as FMA12 and EMP09 are suitable for complex processes such as face milling, shoulder milling, and profile milling. New precision turning groove QF and milling series EMP08 and XMR12 have been added to optimize cutting smoothness and machining efficiency, meeting the high-precision machining needs of aerospace and other industries.
 

4）Product structure innovation
This year’s product structure innovation is constantly emerging, and various manufacturing enterprises have developed products with different structures and characteristics based on the constantly segmented user needs. The FP slot series launched by Kenner adopts a unique single screw wedge clamping system, where the blades are compressed by wedges instead of traditional screw holes, achieving a hole free design. Wedge block compression and large-area contact increase rigidity by 20%, solving the problem of easy loosening in traditional screw fixation, suitable for heavy-duty processing of cast iron materials. Teguk has launched a turning tool with a 70 degree tip angle, which can balance edge strength and avoid interference, providing new ideas for solving some machining problems.
The ZBMT series imitation machining blades with a 25 ° sharp edge angle from Kyocera Corporation in Japan adopt a special structure of 2-point locking blades to prevent blade displacement. The 3D chip breaking groove extends to the vicinity of the cutting edge, reducing chip breaking problems during micro depth machining and effectively controlling chips in narrow machining spaces. In response to more requirements for machining and contouring, the ZBMT series blades have their front end machined to 15 ° on the basis of a 25 ° blade tip angle, which can effectively avoid interference and meet various machining purposes. The tool tip radius is only 0.4mm and adopts a dual cutting edge design that can be used for both forward and reverse machining.

5）Innovation in chip control technology
Chip control technology has always been a key challenge in automated production, and Mitsubishi has launched a specialized product based on low-frequency vibration cutting (LFV). Low frequency vibration technology is achieved by vibrating the servo shaft in the cutting direction, synchronizing the vibration with the spindle rotation while cutting. This results in the intermittent discharge of small and fragmented chips, thereby solving problems caused by chip entanglement during machining. This is particularly important in the processing of difficult to machine materials and automatic production lines.
Isca brings a brand new design of triangular blade LOGIQ-6-TUN, providing a semi precision machining and precision machining turning solution that can achieve high surface quality and cost-effectiveness. This double-sided blade has a cutting edge tip angle of 55 ° and a positive rake angle profile, with 6 rotatable cutting edges. It is an alternative to DCMT type standard ISO blades (with only 2 cutting edges). Another important advantage of LOGIQ-6-TUN blades is that they can be easily installed on turning tools equipped with triangular TNMG blades. At the same time, the special chip breaking groove design of LOGIQ-6-TUN blade enhances the chip control ability of the blade when processing different materials, and the chip control technology of the blade is precisely one of the foundations of intelligent manufacturing.
 

6）Product technology extension
Tool manufacturing enterprises utilize mature technologies accumulated over many years to extend to other application fields, developing new products, processes, and technologies. Developing precision hydraulic expansion fixtures for gear machining using hydraulic tool holder clamping technology, and extending them to robot precision reducer machining and assembly fixtures; A high-precision VSD gear honing and grinding wheel dresser developed using PCD tool precision manufacturing technology, with a shape accuracy of up to 0.001mm; a zero point positioning fixture developed using PSC triangular pyramid positioning interface technology, etc.
The high-performance angle head showcased by Sentai Inge relies on years of precision and high rigidity positioning interface design and manufacturing advantages, innovatively adopts pre service design theory, forward research and development, and is equipped with imported gears and bearings to ensure high precision, high torque, low noise, small temperature rise, and long life of the angle head. The successful breakthrough of this technological bottleneck not only fills the gap in high-performance angle heads in China, but also extends the technology to machine tool accessory heads and CNC swing head products, developing products comparable to international first-line brands and helping to improve the performance of domestic industrial mother machines.
 

7）Innovation in Intelligent Cutting Tool Technology
In terms of intelligence, the Internet of Things and AI technology are deeply integrated into the full lifecycle management of cutting tools. For example, the intelligent tool holder developed by Zhuzhou Diamond can monitor wear in real-time (with an accuracy of ± 5 μ m), and the Mitsubishi MAISART system optimizes cutting parameters through machine learning, reducing energy consumption by 18%.
The KomTronic U-axis system launched by Gaomaite is an innovative solution that integrates mechatronics and intelligent control technology, focusing on improving the accuracy and efficiency of complex part machining. Its product has the following two advantages: (1) radial precision motion control. The U-axis is driven by a servo motor to achieve precise displacement adjustment of the tool along the radial direction, with a minimum accuracy of 0.001mm. It also integrates an electronic compensation system (such as the MO40/MO42 series), which supports real-time tool adjustment on a digital display screen and automatically corrects thermal deformation errors during the machining process. (2) Dynamic processing adaptability. Adopting inductive non-contact energy transmission technology, the stator components on the spindle are wirelessly connected to the U-head components to ensure stable signal transmission during high-speed rotation. Built in sensors collect real-time cutting force, temperature, and other parameters through KomTronic ® The intelligent system dynamically adjusts the tool path to reduce vibration interference. It can be used in application scenarios such as complex contour machining and high-precision synchronous machining.
 
2、 Characteristics of Industry Development
Looking back at the entire CIMT2025, well-known domestic and foreign tool companies and tool products were all present, competing on the same stage with advanced technology, advanced processes, advanced products, and advanced concepts, presenting the following characteristics:

1）The technological gap between domestic and foreign products is gradually narrowing
In recent years, the cutting tool industry has entered a period of stable development. There have been no cross era inventions in product technology, only continuous optimization and innovation in details, which has left enough opportunities for the rapidly developing domestic cutting tool industry to catch up. In terms of tool materials, except for some difficult to machine materials with slight differences, domestic tools can basically meet the requirements of general material processing, reaching the level of “running parallel” with foreign tools. In terms of tool manufacturing technology, with the introduction of advanced process equipment and the upgrading of domestic process equipment, the tool manufacturing process is basically synchronized with foreign tools. The 3D printing technology of cutting tools exhibited at this exhibition has also been widely used in China. In terms of product technology, with the continuous strengthening of R&D investment by domestic enterprises, some key bottleneck technologies of cutting tools have been overcome one after another, and product technology can reach the international advanced level, such as damping and vibration reducing cutting tools. Multiple domestic enterprises have exhibited such products. However, compared to foreign countries, electromechanical products are still slightly lagging behind.  

2）The cutting tool industry has entered the era of great integration
The cutting tool market has transitioned from extensive product sales to an era of meticulous cultivation for users. In the current market environment, customers have become extremely valuable and rare resources. Once trust is established with customers, pursuing the maximization of customer resource utilization becomes a common goal for enterprises. However, it is almost impossible for a company to fully rely on its own products to meet customer needs. It requires strong supply chain resources, integrating industry process equipment, advantageous products, and promotion platforms through its own technological advantages to create comprehensive services for users. At this exhibition, both Senla Tianshi Company and Germany’s Sunk Company showcased the iTENDO ² intelligent knife handle; Meanwhile, Kenner&Co in the United States utilized its booth to hold a technology seminar called “Gathering Momentum and Moving New” with numerous partners, jointly providing products and services to customers.