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CNC Mill Tooling
CNC Mill Tooling
Cutter Material
High Speed Steel & Cobalt
Pros
Very tough
Resists chipping
Less expensive
Versatile
Cons
Dulls quickly
Slower feeds and speeds
Carbide
Pros
Higher feeds and speeds than HSS
Maintains sharpness better that HSS
Cons
More expensive than HSS
Chips easier than HSS
Ceramic
Pros
Feeds and speeds higher than carbide
Excellent wear resistance at high cutting speeds
Cons
Very brittle
More susceptible to thermal shock than carbide
More expensive than carbide***
***In most cases the reduction in machining time offsets the additional tool cost.
Cutter Coatings
Black Oxide
No Coating
Bright (Polished) Finish
Cutter Type
Solid
Pros
Come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes
Can be sharpened
Easily make custom shapes and sizes
Less expensive
Cons
Have to replace whole cutter if one cutting edge is damaged
Tool height doesn’t repeat
Inserted (Indexable)
Pros
Come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes
Do not need to replace entire cutter if only one insert is damaged.
Tool height repeats very well
Cons
High capital expense
Need a different holder for each size, shape, application
Must special order custom shapes and sizes
CNC Mill Toolholders
CNC Mill Toolholders
Tool Holder Considerations
Selecting the right tool holder for a machining situation is just as important as selecting the proper cutter.
Think of the holder and the cutter as an assembly and select the best combination of the two for the situation.
Best practice is to not use collet chucks for heavy milling operations.
Use the shortest, most rigid holder possible.
Use a holder that allows for quick tool changes for tools that have a short tool life.
End Mill Considerations
Select the shortest possible end mill to maximize rigidity
Use the largest diameter end mill possible to increase strength and rigidity
Select coatings to increase feeds, speeds, and tool life
HSS – Economical and versatile
Cobalt – tougher, harder materials, some increase in speeds and feeds
Carbide/Ceramic – for harder material and high production applications
The holder on the left is doubly more rigid that the holder next to it. This holder is shorter and has a wider body than the holder on the right. Both of these characteristics increase the rigidity of the holder.
CNC Mill Toolholder Setup
CNC Mill Toolholder Setup
Cleanliness is key
Choose the right holder for the job/cutter
Do not overtighten
Check pull stud/retention knob
Inspect holder for damage
Carbide ONLY in heat shrink holders
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