{"id":5853,"date":"2020-02-21T16:17:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T13:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/?p=5853"},"modified":"2024-01-26T15:52:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T13:52:58","slug":"milling-cutters-and-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/milling-cutters-and-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Milling Cutters and Tools &#8211; an Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/cnc-machining-services\/\">CNC machining<\/a> is a highly utilised subtractive manufacturing technology. Computer numerical control systems offer less need for manpower and higher levels of automation.<\/p>\n<p>One of these automated fabrication methods is <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/cnc-milling\/\">CNC milling<\/a>. It is a process where rotary cutters remove material, which makes it the opposite of <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/cnc-lathing-and-turning\/\">CNC turning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The milling centres do not just perform the cutting automatically, but also the changing of tools. During the average process of creating a finished product from a block of metal, for example, various tools are used.<\/p>\n<p>So let&#8217;s see what milling tools are used on the machines and what are the purposes of each.<\/p>\n<h2>What Are the Types of Milling Cutters?<\/h2>\n<p>The most common types of milling cutters are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>End mill<\/li>\n<li>Face mill<\/li>\n<li>Ball cutter<\/li>\n<li>Slab mill<\/li>\n<li>Side-and-face cutter<\/li>\n<li>Involute gear cutter<\/li>\n<li>Fly cutter<\/li>\n<li>Hollow mill<\/li>\n<li>Shell mill<\/li>\n<li>Roughing end mill<\/li>\n<li>Dovetail cutter<\/li>\n<li>Wood ruff cutter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>First, we should start with one of the primary questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>What is the difference between end milling and face milling?<\/h3>\n<p>These are two of the most prevalent milling operations, each using different types of cutters &#8211; the and mill and the face mill. <strong>The difference between end milling and face milling is that an end mill uses both the end and the sides of the cutter, whereas face milling is used for horizontal cutting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>End mill<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5866\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/end-mill.jpg\" alt=\"End mill with 4 flutes\" width=\"640\" height=\"483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/end-mill.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/end-mill-300x226.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These tools usually have a flat bottom but not always. Round and radiused cutters are also available. End mills are similar to drills in the sense that they can cut axially. But the advantage for milling lies with the possibility of lateral cutting.<\/p>\n<h3>Face mill<\/h3>\n<div class=\"arve arve-hover-effect-darken\" data-mode=\"lazyload\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-9osnui_o6c4\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" data-reset-after-played data-fullscreen=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 500 \/ 281\">\n<span class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/span><noscript class=\"arve-noscript\"><iframe credentialless referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer &#039;none&#039;;ambient-light-sensor &#039;none&#039;;autoplay;battery &#039;none&#039;;bluetooth &#039;none&#039;;browsing-topics &#039;none&#039;;camera &#039;none&#039;;ch-ua &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-read &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-write;display-capture &#039;none&#039;;document-domain &#039;none&#039;;domain-agent &#039;none&#039;;encrypted-media &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-not-rendered &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-out-of-viewport &#039;none&#039;;gamepad &#039;none&#039;;geolocation &#039;none&#039;;gyroscope &#039;none&#039;;hid &#039;none&#039;;identity-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;idle-detection &#039;none&#039;;keyboard-map &#039;none&#039;;local-fonts &#039;none&#039;;magnetometer &#039;none&#039;;microphone &#039;none&#039;;midi &#039;none&#039;;navigation-override &#039;none&#039;;otp-credentials &#039;none&#039;;payment &#039;none&#039;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &#039;none&#039;;publickey-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;screen-wake-lock &#039;none&#039;;serial &#039;none&#039;;speaker-selection;sync-xhr &#039;none&#039;;usb &#039;none&#039;;web-share;window-management &#039;none&#039;;xr-spatial-tracking &#039;none&#039;;\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" data-arve=\"arve-youtube-9osnui_o6c4\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9OsNUi_o6C4?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" name sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9OsNUi_o6C4?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=1&#038;enablejsapi=1\" width=\"900\" title=\"Face Milling\" loading=\"eager\"><\/iframe>\n<\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Face Milling\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/hqdefault.webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/mqdefault.webp 320w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/hqdefault.webp 480w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/sddefault.webp 640w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/hq720.webp 1280w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/9OsNUi_o6C4\/maxresdefault.webp 1920w\" class=\"arve-thumbnail\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<h5 class=\"arve-title\">\nFace Milling\n<\/h5>\n<button role=\"button\" type=\"button\" class=\"arve-play-btn arve-play-btn--youtube\" data-target=\"#arve-youtube-9osnui_o6c4\" aria-label=\"Play video: Face Milling\">\n<svg class=\"arve-play-svg arve-play-svg--youtube\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"68\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t<path fill=\"#1f1f1e\" fill-opacity=\"0.81\" d=\"m .66,37.62 c 0,0 .66,4.70 2.70,6.77 2.58,2.71 5.98,2.63 7.49,2.91 5.43,.52 23.10,.68 23.12,.68 .00,-1.3e-5 14.29,-0.02 23.81,-0.71 1.32,-0.15 4.22,-0.17 6.81,-2.89 2.03,-2.07 2.70,-6.77 2.70,-6.77 0,0 .67,-5.52 .67,-11.04 l 0,-5.17 c 0,-5.52 -0.67,-11.04 -0.67,-11.04 0,0 -0.66,-4.70 -2.70,-6.77 C 62.03,.86 59.13,.84 57.80,.69 48.28,0 34.00,0 34.00,0 33.97,0 19.69,0 10.18,.69 8.85,.84 5.95,.86 3.36,3.58 1.32,5.65 .66,10.35 .66,10.35 c 0,0 -0.55,4.50 -0.66,9.45 l 0,8.36 c .10,4.94 .66,9.45 .66,9.45 z\"><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m 26.96,13.67 18.37,9.62 -18.37,9.55 -0.00,-19.17 z\" ><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#ccc\" d=\"M 45.02,23.46 45.32,23.28 26.96,13.67 43.32,24.34 45.02,23.46 z\" ><\/path>\n<\/svg>\n\n<\/button>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fractory.com\\\/milling-cutters-and-tools\\\/#arve-youtube-9osnui_o6c4\",\"type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/embed\\\/9OsNUi_o6C4?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=1&enablejsapi=1\",\"name\":\"Face Milling\",\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i.ytimg.com\\\/vi_webp\\\/9OsNUi_o6C4\\\/hqdefault.webp\",\"uploadDate\":\"20200221T000000Z\",\"author\":\"GlacernMachineTools\",\"duration\":\"3M23S\",\"description\":\"Face milling with carbide inserts\"}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Face mills cannot cut axially. Instead, the cutting edges are always located on the sides of the cutting head. The cutting teeth are replaceable carbide inserts.<\/p>\n<p>This makes the lifetime of a tool longer while maintaining a good cutting quality.<\/p>\n<h3>Ball cutter<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5868\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ball-cutter.jpg\" alt=\"Ball cutters for milling\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ball-cutter.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ball-cutter-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ball cutters, also known as ball mills, have hemispherical cutting tips. The objective is to maintain a corner radius for perpendicular faces.<\/p>\n<h3>Slab mill<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5870\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Slab-mill.jpg\" alt=\"Slab cutter for milling\" width=\"615\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Slab-mill.jpg 615w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Slab-mill-300x292.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Slab mills are not that common with modern <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/what-is-cnc-machining\/\">CNC machining<\/a> centres. Rather, they are still used with manual milling machines to quickly machine large surfaces. That is also why slab milling is often called surface milling.<\/p>\n<p>The slab itself spins in a horizontal position between the spindle and the support.<\/p>\n<h3>Side-and-face cutter<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5872\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Side-and-face-mill.jpg\" alt=\"Side and face milling cutter\" width=\"640\" height=\"635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Side-and-face-mill.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Side-and-face-mill-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Side-and-face-mill-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A predecessor for the end mill. Side-and-face cutters have teeth around the circumference as well as on one side. This makes the functionality very similar to end mills but their popularity has waned over the years with the advancement of other technologies.<\/p>\n<h3>Involute gear cutter<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5874\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Involute-gear-mill.jpg\" alt=\"Involute gear cutter\" width=\"640\" height=\"638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Involute-gear-mill.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Involute-gear-mill-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Involute-gear-mill-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There is a special cutting tool for milling <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/types-of-gears\/\">involute gears<\/a>. There are different cutters available to produce gears within a certain number of teeth.<\/p>\n<h3>Fly cutter<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5876\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fly-cutter.jpg\" alt=\"Fly milling cutter\" width=\"546\" height=\"478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fly-cutter.jpg 546w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fly-cutter-300x263.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 546px) 100vw, 546px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These tools have the same function as face mills. They consist of a central body that holds either one or two tool bits (double-end fly cutters).<\/p>\n<p>Face mills are better for high quality cutting. Fly cutters are just cheaper and the cutting bits are often made at the shop by a machinist rather than bought from stores.<\/p>\n<h3>Hollow mill<\/h3>\n<div class=\"arve arve-hover-effect-darken\" data-mode=\"lazyload\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-yionulmdn0w\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" data-reset-after-played data-fullscreen=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 4 \/ 3\">\n<span class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:75.000000%\"><\/span><noscript class=\"arve-noscript\"><iframe credentialless referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer &#039;none&#039;;ambient-light-sensor &#039;none&#039;;autoplay;battery &#039;none&#039;;bluetooth &#039;none&#039;;browsing-topics &#039;none&#039;;camera &#039;none&#039;;ch-ua &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-read &#039;none&#039;;clipboard-write;display-capture &#039;none&#039;;document-domain &#039;none&#039;;domain-agent &#039;none&#039;;encrypted-media &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-not-rendered &#039;none&#039;;execution-while-out-of-viewport &#039;none&#039;;gamepad &#039;none&#039;;geolocation &#039;none&#039;;gyroscope &#039;none&#039;;hid &#039;none&#039;;identity-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;idle-detection &#039;none&#039;;keyboard-map &#039;none&#039;;local-fonts &#039;none&#039;;magnetometer &#039;none&#039;;microphone &#039;none&#039;;midi &#039;none&#039;;navigation-override &#039;none&#039;;otp-credentials &#039;none&#039;;payment &#039;none&#039;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &#039;none&#039;;publickey-credentials-get &#039;none&#039;;screen-wake-lock &#039;none&#039;;serial &#039;none&#039;;speaker-selection;sync-xhr &#039;none&#039;;usb &#039;none&#039;;web-share;window-management &#039;none&#039;;xr-spatial-tracking &#039;none&#039;;\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" data-arve=\"arve-youtube-yionulmdn0w\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yiONUlMdN0w?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"675\" name sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yiONUlMdN0w?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=1&#038;enablejsapi=1\" width=\"900\" title=\"Hollow milling\" loading=\"eager\"><\/iframe>\n<\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hollow milling\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/yiONUlMdN0w\/hqdefault.webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/yiONUlMdN0w\/mqdefault.webp 320w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/yiONUlMdN0w\/hqdefault.webp 480w\" class=\"arve-thumbnail\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<h5 class=\"arve-title\">\nHollow milling\n<\/h5>\n<button role=\"button\" type=\"button\" class=\"arve-play-btn arve-play-btn--youtube\" data-target=\"#arve-youtube-yionulmdn0w\" aria-label=\"Play video: Hollow milling\">\n<svg class=\"arve-play-svg arve-play-svg--youtube\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"68\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t<path fill=\"#1f1f1e\" fill-opacity=\"0.81\" d=\"m .66,37.62 c 0,0 .66,4.70 2.70,6.77 2.58,2.71 5.98,2.63 7.49,2.91 5.43,.52 23.10,.68 23.12,.68 .00,-1.3e-5 14.29,-0.02 23.81,-0.71 1.32,-0.15 4.22,-0.17 6.81,-2.89 2.03,-2.07 2.70,-6.77 2.70,-6.77 0,0 .67,-5.52 .67,-11.04 l 0,-5.17 c 0,-5.52 -0.67,-11.04 -0.67,-11.04 0,0 -0.66,-4.70 -2.70,-6.77 C 62.03,.86 59.13,.84 57.80,.69 48.28,0 34.00,0 34.00,0 33.97,0 19.69,0 10.18,.69 8.85,.84 5.95,.86 3.36,3.58 1.32,5.65 .66,10.35 .66,10.35 c 0,0 -0.55,4.50 -0.66,9.45 l 0,8.36 c .10,4.94 .66,9.45 .66,9.45 z\"><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m 26.96,13.67 18.37,9.62 -18.37,9.55 -0.00,-19.17 z\" ><\/path>\n\t<path fill=\"#ccc\" d=\"M 45.02,23.46 45.32,23.28 26.96,13.67 43.32,24.34 45.02,23.46 z\" ><\/path>\n<\/svg>\n\n<\/button>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fractory.com\\\/milling-cutters-and-tools\\\/#arve-youtube-yionulmdn0w\",\"type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/embed\\\/yiONUlMdN0w?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=1&enablejsapi=1\",\"name\":\"Hollow milling\",\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i.ytimg.com\\\/vi_webp\\\/yiONUlMdN0w\\\/hqdefault.webp\",\"uploadDate\":\"20200221T000000Z\",\"author\":\"Genesee Manufacturing Company\",\"duration\":\"21S\",\"description\":\"A hollow mill in operation\"}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Hollow mills are basically the opposite of face mills. Here, the workpiece is fed into the inner part of the mill to produce a cylindrical outcome.<\/p>\n<h3>Roughing end mill<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5878\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Roughing-end-mill.jpg\" alt=\"Roughing end mill cutter\" width=\"640\" height=\"421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Roughing-end-mill.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Roughing-end-mill-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As the name says, these are pretty much end mills with a slight difference. The roughing end mill has jagged teeth. These make the cutting process faster than with a regular end mill.<\/p>\n<p>The cut bits of metal are smaller than usual and therefore easier to clear. Multiple teeth come into contact with the workpiece at the same time. This reduces chatter and vibration, which could otherwise be larger because of the jagged teeth.<\/p>\n<h3>Woodruff cutter<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5880\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Woodruff-cutter.jpg\" alt=\"Woodruff mill cutters &amp; woodruff keys\" width=\"640\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Woodruff-cutter.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Woodruff-cutter-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Woodruff, or keyseat\/keyway cutters are used to cut keyslots into parts, for example shafts. The cutting tools have teeth perpendicular to the outside diameter to produce suitable slots for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.keysandpins.com\/products\/woodruff-keys\">woodruff keys<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Thread mill<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5882\" src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Thread-mills.jpg\" alt=\"Mill cutters for tapping\" width=\"500\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Thread-mills.jpg 500w, https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Thread-mills-300x211.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The name of this tool says everything you need to know about its purpose. Thread mills are used for producing tapped holes.<\/p>\n<p>Threading operations are usually carried out on drilling equipment. Using a thread mill, though, is more stable and has fewer limitations regarding the environment.<\/p>\n<h2>What Materials Are Used for Cutting Tools?<\/h2>\n<p>As you could see, there are a lot of different machine tools available for a wide range of purposes. The same applies to the materials used to make these tools.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s dig deeper to look at the most common materials for milling bits.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta\">\n        <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta__content\">\n            <span class=\"v2-section-title v2-section-title--md\">Scale Your Manufacturing from Prototyping to Series<\/span>\n\n            <ul class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta-list\">\n                                                            <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 33 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M16.4933 23.3059C21.7413 23.3059 25.9956 19.0515 25.9956 13.8036C25.9956 8.55559 21.7413 4.30127 16.4933 4.30127C11.2453 4.30127 6.991 8.55559 6.991 13.8036C6.991 19.0515 11.2453 23.3059 16.4933 23.3059Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.16917 30.3724C1.35654 28.4452 2.49414 26.7455 4.20723 25.8488L11.5682 21.9542\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M21.4318 21.9542L28.7928 25.8488C30.5058 26.7588 31.6434 28.4586 31.8308 30.3724\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M12.8798 18.7956H6.10769C4.24738 18.7956 2.74843 17.2967 2.74843 15.4364V12.2243\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M8.28921 9.02567H3.97971C3.29715 9.02567 2.74843 9.57439 2.74843 10.2569V14.2185C2.74843 14.901 3.29715 15.4498 3.97971 15.4498H7.13822\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.7108 9.02567H28.7928C29.4753 9.02567 30.024 9.57439 30.024 10.2569V14.2185C30.024 14.901 29.4753 15.4498 28.7928 15.4498H25.8484\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M14.3787 20.2946C15.2066 20.2946 15.8777 19.6235 15.8777 18.7956C15.8777 17.9678 15.2066 17.2967 14.3787 17.2967C13.5509 17.2967 12.8798 17.9678 12.8798 18.7956C12.8798 19.6235 13.5509 20.2946 14.3787 20.2946Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M16.4933 23.3059C21.7413 23.3059 25.9956 19.0515 25.9956 13.8036C25.9956 8.55559 21.7413 4.30127 16.4933 4.30127C11.2453 4.30127 6.991 8.55559 6.991 13.8036C6.991 19.0515 11.2453 23.3059 16.4933 23.3059Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M4.70242 9.02568C6.5895 4.35483 11.1667 1.07587 16.4933 1.07587C21.8199 1.07587 26.29 4.27453 28.2173 8.85169\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Personal account manager<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 33 34\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M17.5835 26.6203C16.8491 26.0906 15.4887 26.1628 14.959 25.4284C14.4293 24.694 14.9229 23.4299 14.6339 22.5631C14.345 21.6963 13.2133 20.986 13.2133 20.059C13.2133 19.1319 14.3691 18.3976 14.6339 17.5548C14.8988 16.7121 14.4293 15.4119 14.959 14.6895C15.4887 13.9672 16.8491 14.0274 17.5835 13.4976C18.3179 12.9679 18.655 11.6436 19.5218 11.3667C20.3886 11.0898 21.412 11.9566 22.351 11.9566C23.2901 11.9566 24.3375 11.1019 25.1802 11.3667C26.0229 11.6316 26.3962 12.9679 27.1185 13.4976C27.8409 14.0274 29.2133 13.9551 29.743 14.6895C30.2728 15.4239 29.7792 16.688 30.0681 17.5548C30.357 18.4216 31.4887 19.1319 31.4887 20.059C31.4887 20.986 30.333 21.7204 30.0681 22.5631C29.8032 23.4058 30.2728 24.7061 29.743 25.4284C29.2133 26.1508 27.8529 26.0906 27.1185 26.6203C26.3841 27.15 26.047 28.4743 25.1802 28.7512C24.3134 29.0281 23.2901 28.1613 22.351 28.1613C21.412 28.1613 20.3646 29.0161 19.5218 28.7512C18.6791 28.4864 18.3059 27.15 17.5835 26.6203Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M22.351 25.5729C25.3963 25.5729 27.8649 23.1042 27.8649 20.059C27.8649 17.0137 25.3963 14.545 22.351 14.545C19.3058 14.545 16.8371 17.0137 16.8371 20.059C16.8371 23.1042 19.3058 25.5729 22.351 25.5729Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M17.6919 26.7046L15.3322 30.0755C15.1396 30.3524 15.3322 30.7377 15.6693 30.7617L17.7521 30.8821C17.8484 30.8821 17.9447 30.9303 18.0169 30.9905L19.1847 32.0138C19.4375 32.2305 19.8348 32.0981 19.895 31.773L20.5451 28.679\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M26.9981 26.7046L29.3698 30.0876C29.5625 30.3645 29.3698 30.7497 29.0448 30.7738L26.8055 30.9303C26.7092 30.9303 26.6129 30.9785 26.5406 31.0507L25.5294 31.9897C25.2765 32.2185 24.8792 32.0861 24.807 31.761L24.1569 28.691\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M14.7062 24.7181H3.91912C2.59481 24.7181 1.51129 23.6466 1.51129 22.3103V3.73391C1.51129 2.4096 2.58277 1.32608 3.91912 1.32608H22.5075C23.8318 1.32608 24.9154 2.39756 24.9154 3.73391V11.3186\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M15.4646 1.32608H10.9379V9.81366H15.4646V1.32608Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Quality assurance<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M17.576 22.1218H4.47786C3.039 22.1218 1.87455 20.7126 1.87455 18.9994V4.93701C1.87455 3.20888 3.039 1.81451 4.47786 1.81451H26.1796C27.6184 1.81451 28.7829 3.20888 28.7829 4.93701V9.53916\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.87084 5.5081H28.7866\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M1.87084 11.2636H18.0618\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M6.22453 17.019H10.4299\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.5182 25.63C29.2739 25.63 33.1292 21.7747 33.1292 17.019C33.1292 12.2633 29.2739 8.40808 24.5182 8.40808C19.7625 8.40808 15.9072 12.2633 15.9072 17.019C15.9072 21.7747 19.7625 25.63 24.5182 25.63Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path d=\"M24.5182 11.0967V17.019L27.7519 20.2528\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>Payment terms for companies<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                <li>\n                                                            <div class=\"shortcode-icon\">\n                                    <svg width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 31 33\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<g id=\"Layer_1\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_874_1102)\">\n<path id=\"Vector\" d=\"M4.02589 18.9188H26.9832V26.7685C26.9832 27.6336 26.282 28.3257 25.426 28.3257H5.58309C4.71798 28.3257 4.02589 27.6245 4.02589 26.7685V18.9188Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_2\" d=\"M26.9832 18.9188H4.02589L6.52106 8.96545C6.67587 8.3371 7.24046 7.89999 7.88702 7.89999H23.1312C23.7777 7.89999 24.3423 8.3371 24.4972 8.96545L26.9923 18.9188H26.9832Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_3\" d=\"M10.9468 28.3257H6.20233C5.77484 28.3257 5.42828 28.6723 5.42828 29.0998V31.0394C5.42828 31.4669 5.77484 31.8135 6.20233 31.8135H10.9468C11.3743 31.8135 11.7208 31.4669 11.7208 31.0394V29.0998C11.7208 28.6723 11.3743 28.3257 10.9468 28.3257Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_4\" d=\"M24.6702 28.3257H19.9257C19.4982 28.3257 19.1517 28.6723 19.1517 29.0998V31.0394C19.1517 31.4669 19.4982 31.8135 19.9257 31.8135H24.6702C25.0977 31.8135 25.4442 31.4669 25.4442 31.0394V29.0998C25.4442 28.6723 25.0977 28.3257 24.6702 28.3257Z\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_5\" d=\"M4.02589 23.8727H2.96955C2.20461 23.8727 1.59447 23.2534 1.59447 22.4976V5.01325C1.59447 3.14643 3.10614 1.63477 4.97296 1.63477H26.0544C27.9212 1.63477 29.4328 3.14643 29.4328 5.01325V22.4885C29.4328 23.2534 28.8136 23.8636 28.0578 23.8636H27.0014\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_6\" d=\"M4.02589 25.2295H10.1181L9.6992 23.8089C9.38048 22.7344 8.39698 22.0059 7.27689 22.0059H4.02589\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_7\" d=\"M26.9832 25.2295H20.891L21.3099 23.8089C21.6286 22.7344 22.6121 22.0059 23.7322 22.0059H26.9832\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_8\" d=\"M15.5 7.89999V10.6501\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<path id=\"Vector_9\" d=\"M12.4858 10.6501H18.5142\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                                                            <span>On-time delivery by Fractory<\/span>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                                                                                    <\/ul>\n\n            <a class=\"c-button c-button--sm\" href=\"https:\/\/app.fractory.com\/quotes\/new\">Get a quote<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"shortcode-enhanced-cta__media\">\n                            <video class=\"shortcode-video\" autoplay loop muted playsinline>\n                    <source src=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/homepage-vid-v2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n                <\/video>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<h3>Carbon steel<\/h3>\n<p>The cheapest of the bunch. And this is exactly why it still finds use. As <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/types-of-metal\/\">carbon steel<\/a> is not very durable, it is only suitable for low-speed operations.<\/p>\n<p>Carbon steel loses its <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/material-hardness\/\">hardness<\/a> at 200\u00b0 C. This is the reason for lower speeds &#8211; to keep the heating effect low.<\/p>\n<h3>High-speed steel<\/h3>\n<p>High-speed steel, a <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/tool-steel-grades-applications\/\">grade of tool steels,<\/a> has a few alloying elements added to it to provide better response to heat and wear than regular carbon steel. While the life cycle of such a tool goes up, so does the cost.<\/p>\n<p>Loses its hardness at 600\u00b0 C. Therefore, higher milling speeds are suitable for these tool steels.<\/p>\n<h3>Cemented carbides<\/h3>\n<p>This material is harder than high-speed steel but the toughness qualities are not that impressive. The higher hardness provides better protection against wear but lower toughness levels make it a little more susceptible to cracking and chipping.<\/p>\n<p>The upper temperature of use is at 900\u00b0 C.<\/p>\n<h3>Cutting ceramic<\/h3>\n<p>Cutting ceramics are even harder than cemented carbides but lose in the toughness aspect. Both aluminium oxide and silicon nitride are used to produce these tools with varying properties.<\/p>\n<p>Cutting ceramic tools are prone to cracking when used on hard materials and with high temperatures. Therefore, they are not really suitable for machining steels, for example. Otherwise, a short tool life is to be expected.<\/p>\n<h2>Selecting the Right Machine Tool<\/h2>\n<p>As is the norm in manufacturing, the choice of method or tool comes down to a <a href=\"https:\/\/fractory.com\/project-management-triangle-cost\/\">balance between speed, cost and quality<\/a>. The cost depends on both the price of the tool, the wear machining results in and the time it takes (speed) to produce the parts.<\/p>\n<h3>Choosing the material of the tool<\/h3>\n<p>Regular carbon steels are usually out of the option pool because of their limited capabilities. HSS (high-speed steel) is therefore the most inexpensive one to get the job done. At the same time, its rate of wear means that in the long run, there are better options.<\/p>\n<p>Cobalt-bearing HSS, for example, are suitable for even quicker milling. This makes them sufficiently adequate for most jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Cemented carbide is another step towards high performance milling because of the aforementioned properties of such milling machine tools. In the long run, they are a more cost-efficient choice while the up-front costs are higher.<\/p>\n<h3>Diameter<\/h3>\n<p>This is quite simple. A tool with a large diameter is able to mill the part quicker. Limitations apply based on the geometry of the final part.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if certain inside radii are necessary, the tool cannot deviate from them. At the same time, you can use a large tool for milling away the bulk of it and apply a smaller one to finish the inside corners.<\/p>\n<h3>Tool coating<\/h3>\n<p>There are some different coatings available to protect the tools from wear. For example, a titanium nitride coating increases the tool&#8217;s lifespan but also the cost of it.<\/p>\n<p>Such a coating reduces the stickiness of the cutting material which can be a problem with aluminium. Therefore, less lubricant is necessary during the cutting process.<\/p>\n<h3>Number of flutes<\/h3>\n<p>Flutes are the channels on a milling bit. More flutes allow a higher feed rate because less material is removed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, this increases the overall diameter of the milling cutter. This leaves less room for swarf.<\/p>\n<h3>Angle of helix<\/h3>\n<p>The helix angle, along with the rotation speed of the spindle, determines the cutting speed or feed rate. A steeper angle is suitable for softer materials and metals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Choosing the right milling cutters for your job needs an understanding of the materials, parameters and definitely some experience. The final outcome depends on these choices and a machinist must understand what material cutters are suitable for cutting different mediums.<\/p>\n<p>A good choice leads to high feed rates and therefore shorter cutting times as well as lower costs.<\/p>\n<p>When choosing a CNC machining service, make sure that they have all the necessary tools to make your parts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CNC machining is a highly utilised subtractive manufacturing technology. Computer numerical control systems offer less need for manpower and higher levels of automation. One of these automated fabrication methods is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6490],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[5441,5464,5462,5460,5457,5447,5446,5445,5443,5442,36,5439,5308,5024,5017,4635,3856,2048,1920,1081],"class_list":["post-5853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fabrication-methods"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5853"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22766,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5853\/revisions\/22766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5853"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=5853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}