Face milling with small face milling cutters
2018-05-07 15:01:07
Changes in machine performance can have lasting and significant effects on tooling and cutting strategies. Old-fashioned machining centers use graded drives to provide sufficient machining power at low speeds. Therefore, endmills are still widely used in many shoulder milling operations. End mills are used on smaller power tools and machining centers, and they can only achieve maximum torque at high speeds.
As early as a few years ago, Ingersoll Corp. developed a face mill that uses an indexable insert and a combined cutter head structure that meets the criteria of a solid carbide grinding cutter in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for cutting tools for lower power machines. Knife products. This technological pioneering work has been closely coordinated with its major customers. During the development process, Ingersoll conducted a comparative test of the cutting efficiency of the end mill and face mill in the standard milling cutter product line.
Due to the torque characteristics of older machine tools and the relatively cheap price, the practical application of end mills is still quite extensive, especially in the case of large tool diameters and structural limitations. The use of large-diameter tools requires the machine to have high rigidity and high power, so that the cutting ability of the tool can be fully exerted under high torque conditions. In addition, due to the large arc of contact between the tool and the workpiece, the contact length of each cutting is relatively long, and the resulting intense heating will have an adverse effect on the durability of the tool.
Many users often encounter situations where the drive power required for endmill machining cannot meet the requirements, because most metal-cutting processing companies use machines with a maximum power of 25 kilowatts. This power range is suitable for machining with plain face cutters. Because small-diameter tools allow the use of high spindle speeds, economical cutting can be achieved within the optimum torque range of a smaller power machine.
Ingersoll's small face milling cutters use unique geometric shapes that eliminate many of the concerns of face milling cutter users: Even with high metal removal rates, there is no need to worry about inherent vibration and ensure the cutting process. Stability. Because of the large positive rake angle of the milling cutter, the same soft surface cutting as high-speed steel or solid carbide tools can be achieved. By selecting the optimum cutting thickness, the feed rate can be significantly increased, which greatly reduces the processing time. In addition, when using a face milling cutter for circumferential milling, the entire length of the cutting edge participates in cutting, ensuring the efficient use of indexable inserts. In addition, the shorter contact arc reduces blade heat generation, which increases the tool's durability.
Although the purchase price of face milling cutters is about 70% higher than that of the purchase of the same diameter end mill cutters, it is not difficult to accept the comprehensive consideration of the tool cost. According to statistics, the total tool cost accounted for only 4% of the total production cost, but compared with the use of cutting fluid and waste cleaning costs (about 35% of total production costs), equipment costs (about 40% of total production costs), Tool costs are almost negligible. Therefore, although the purchase cost of face milling cutters is higher, it is still a good economical option in milling (especially when using low-power machine tools).
The contact arc length of the face milling cutter is approximately one-fifth that of the end mill. Therefore, when machining with a face milling cutter, the average time for each revolution of the indexable insert to enter the cutting is only one-fifth that of the end mill. The thermal load on the cemented carbide inserts is greatly reduced and the tool wear is significantly improved.
From the cutting data, it can be seen that the use of a low-power machine tool that can achieve a soft surface cutting face cutter can economically cut the shoulder. From this we can see the importance of organically combining machine characteristics with reasonable cutting strategies and the latest cutting tool technology.
As early as a few years ago, Ingersoll Corp. developed a face mill that uses an indexable insert and a combined cutter head structure that meets the criteria of a solid carbide grinding cutter in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for cutting tools for lower power machines. Knife products. This technological pioneering work has been closely coordinated with its major customers. During the development process, Ingersoll conducted a comparative test of the cutting efficiency of the end mill and face mill in the standard milling cutter product line.
Due to the torque characteristics of older machine tools and the relatively cheap price, the practical application of end mills is still quite extensive, especially in the case of large tool diameters and structural limitations. The use of large-diameter tools requires the machine to have high rigidity and high power, so that the cutting ability of the tool can be fully exerted under high torque conditions. In addition, due to the large arc of contact between the tool and the workpiece, the contact length of each cutting is relatively long, and the resulting intense heating will have an adverse effect on the durability of the tool.
Many users often encounter situations where the drive power required for endmill machining cannot meet the requirements, because most metal-cutting processing companies use machines with a maximum power of 25 kilowatts. This power range is suitable for machining with plain face cutters. Because small-diameter tools allow the use of high spindle speeds, economical cutting can be achieved within the optimum torque range of a smaller power machine.
Ingersoll's small face milling cutters use unique geometric shapes that eliminate many of the concerns of face milling cutter users: Even with high metal removal rates, there is no need to worry about inherent vibration and ensure the cutting process. Stability. Because of the large positive rake angle of the milling cutter, the same soft surface cutting as high-speed steel or solid carbide tools can be achieved. By selecting the optimum cutting thickness, the feed rate can be significantly increased, which greatly reduces the processing time. In addition, when using a face milling cutter for circumferential milling, the entire length of the cutting edge participates in cutting, ensuring the efficient use of indexable inserts. In addition, the shorter contact arc reduces blade heat generation, which increases the tool's durability.
Although the purchase price of face milling cutters is about 70% higher than that of the purchase of the same diameter end mill cutters, it is not difficult to accept the comprehensive consideration of the tool cost. According to statistics, the total tool cost accounted for only 4% of the total production cost, but compared with the use of cutting fluid and waste cleaning costs (about 35% of total production costs), equipment costs (about 40% of total production costs), Tool costs are almost negligible. Therefore, although the purchase cost of face milling cutters is higher, it is still a good economical option in milling (especially when using low-power machine tools).
The contact arc length of the face milling cutter is approximately one-fifth that of the end mill. Therefore, when machining with a face milling cutter, the average time for each revolution of the indexable insert to enter the cutting is only one-fifth that of the end mill. The thermal load on the cemented carbide inserts is greatly reduced and the tool wear is significantly improved.
From the cutting data, it can be seen that the use of a low-power machine tool that can achieve a soft surface cutting face cutter can economically cut the shoulder. From this we can see the importance of organically combining machine characteristics with reasonable cutting strategies and the latest cutting tool technology.