Carbide Milling Tools
End Mills
End mills are versatile tools used for both roughing and finishing operations. They can be recognized by their fluted design, which can range from two to several flutes, depending on the specific design and purpose.
Twist Drills
Twist drills are probably among the first images that come to mind when someone mentions drilling. They are characterized by their helical flutes running up the body and a pointed tip.
Face Mills
Distinguished by their wide cutting diameter and multiple replaceable carbide or high-speed steel cutting inserts positioned on the face, they are designed to cut along the face of a workpiece, hence the name. The process with face mills is typically horizontal, skimming off layers from the surface to achieve a flat, fine finish. One of the standout features of face mills is their ability to offer a higher feed rate due to the multiple cutting edges engaged with the material. The choice of insert material and geometry is paramount in face milling operations. Depending on the workpiece’s material, certain inserts can maximize tool life, reduce chatter, and achieve that perfectly smooth finish so sought after in many industries.
Ball Nose Mills
Ball nose mills, often known as ball end mills, are distinctly characterized by their hemispherical tips. These tools are the go-to options when the machining task calls for creating contoured shapes and intricate 3D profiles. The rounded tip ensures smooth tool engagement with the workpiece, reducing the occurrence of sharp corners and edges which might otherwise result in tool breakage or uneven cuts. As the ball nose mill traverses the workpiece, it creates a scallop pattern. The size of the scallop can be controlled by the step-over distance, with smaller step-over distances yielding finer finishes at the expense of a longer machining time. Ball nose mills are particularly useful in mold-making, aerospace, automotive, and any industry where complex geometric profiles are a requirement. When selecting a ball nose mill, the material of the tool, flute count, and coating can significantly impact its performance and longevity.
Specialty CNC Milling Tools
The world of CNC milling doesn’t just stop at the standard tool types. As industries evolve and machining tasks become more intricate, the demand for specialty CNC milling tools rises. For instance, there are dovetail cutters specifically designed to create dovetail slots or tapered end mills that create angled surfaces and edges. Thread mills, which are crafted to produce internal and external threads, exemplify the precision and specialization of CNC tooling. There are also lollipop cutters, which have an undercutting capability, making them ideal for tasks that require machining from below a workpiece.
Thread Mills
Thread mills are uniquely designed tools intended to produce internal and external thread profiles on a workpiece. Unlike traditional taps and dies which are pushed or rotated into a pre-drilled hole, thread mills utilize a CNC machine’s ability to move in three dimensions, allowing for the precise creation of thread patterns. They are often cylindrical in shape, featuring cutting edges along their sides and sometimes at the tip, allowing them to cut threads for both blind and through holes. The key advantage of using thread mills is their flexibility. A single tool can produce different thread sizes by merely adjusting the CNC programming, reducing tool inventory and offering cost-efficiency. Moreover, because they cut threads using a milling process, thread mills reduce the risk of tool breakage, especially in harder materials, offering longer tool life and reduced downtime.