{"id":9438,"date":"2018-06-07T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T19:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/?p=9438"},"modified":"2024-07-15T08:08:28","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T15:08:28","slug":"top-8-milling-tools-new-cnc-machinists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/top-8-milling-tools-new-cnc-machinists\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 8 Milling Tools for CNC Cutting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CNC cutting tools are nothing new. Humans have been creating and refining tools from the first stone axes to the most cutting-edge end mills since the beginning of time. In this article, we\u2019ll be covering the top 8 milling tools that form the backbone of every professional machining job. Before you even start thinking about feeds and speeds, you need to get a handle on these fundamentals. Of course, we can’t cover everything in one short blog, so take this as some foundational knowledge to build upon when you encounter different or specialty tools.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CNC Milling Tool Materials<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before jumping into each tool, let\u2019s focus on what they have in common – tool material and fundamental operation. The most common materials you\u2019ll encounter in CNC milling tools include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon Steel<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the most inexpensive material of the bunch and includes a total of 0.6-1.5% of carbon with small amounts of manganese and silicon. You\u2019ll typically find this material used for low-speed operations in twist drills, forming tools, milling cutters, and turning.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

High-Speed Steel (HSS)<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This material combines chromium, tungsten, and molybdenum to give HSS improved hardness, toughness, and wear resistance over carbon steel. HSS tools are generally more expensive than others, but they\u2019re built to last and provide a high material removal rate for both ferrous and nonferrous materials.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solid Carbide<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This material is more resistant to wear than HSS and prone to chipping instead of wearing out evenly over time. Because of this you\u2019ll find solid carbide used mainly in finishing applications in newer milling machines or those with less spindle wear. Typically carbide tools are made by sintering carbide with another metal, like tungsten, titanium, or tantalum, giving these tools high heat resistance and making them ideal for high-quality surface finishes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceramics<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ceramics are corrosion-resistant and made from aluminum oxide and silicon nitride. Their heat and wear resistance means they can function in high heat cutting environments where other tools would not. These tools are typically ideal for cast iron, hard steels, and superalloys.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNC Milling and Cutting Tool Fundamentals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you have an HSS or carbon steel end mill, all of your tools will work the same. The principles of rotation direction, chip formation, chip load, and milling orientation will travel with you throughout your machinist career. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rotation Direction<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every tool – except those designated as left-hand, like a left-handed tap – will rotate in a clockwise direction when viewed looking down at the part from the machine\u2019s spindle. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chip Formation<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cutting tools will remove metal from a block of material via a process call shearing. This will eject metal up through a tool\u2019s flutes as it moves through a material. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tool<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chip Load<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The thickness of the material ejected from a tool is called the chip load. Many CAM applications show the calculated chip load based on the selected tool parameters, spindle speed, and linear feed rate. They can also program feeds and speeds based on the desired chip load as an input. Observing the size, shape, and color of chips can help an experienced machinist adjust cutting speeds on the fly. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Diagram<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Climb & Conventional Milling<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Conventional milling is traditionally used on manual machines, where keeping backlash to a minimum is important. In this cutting direction, the tool cuts from a small amount of material up to a larger thickness, rubbing against the material through the cut.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNC machines, which have higher rigidity and are significantly less prone to the backlash, will use a Climb Milling process where the tool advances through material from maximum to minimum thickness. This cutting process allows the heat to leave the cut with the chip, reducing heat generation and tool wear while producing a better surface finish than conventional milling.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Top 8 CNC Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#1 – End Mills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Need to start shearing away loads of material? End mills are your answer. While endmills can take many forms, they typically have sharp cutting flutes on the ends and sides and can be used in various cutting applications:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Side Milling<\/b>\n

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Used for machining an edge surface on a part. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>

<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Diagram
Image courtesy of Trulife Engineered Solutions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Face Milling<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use for machining the top face on a part. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Diagram
Image courtesy of Mechanical Engineering Blog.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Slot Milling<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Used for machining between two edge surfaces.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Diagram
Image courtesy of Custom Part Net.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Plunge Milling<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Used for machining along the Z-axis, requires a center cutting end mill.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Journal of Materials Processing Technology.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ramping<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use for simultaneously machining in the radial and axial direction, resulting in an angular toolpath. Ramping toolpaths can be circular or linear.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Harvey Performance Company.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every end mill shares the same basic anatomy. The overall length of the tool can be cut into two sections, the shank and cut length. The shank is gripped in the tool holder, and the cut length includes features like flutes and cutting-edge teeth. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flat
Image courtesy of Makezine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coatings on end mills increase hardness, enhance tool longevity, and allow for faster cutting speeds. The most popular coatings include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n