End mills are indispensable sharp blades in milling and play a vital role in the field of metal processing. They are rotary tools with one or more teeth used for milling. Each tooth cuts off the workpiece’s excess in sequence and intermittently during operation. Milling cutters are mainly used to process planes, steps, grooves, forming surfaces, and cut off workpieces on milling machines. On the stage of milling machines, they play the leading role and interpret the wonderful chapter of metal processing.
End mills are Classified by Material
White steel end mill, also known as high-speed steel milling cutter, is a milling cutter made of high-speed steel (HSS). High-speed steel is an alloy steel containing tungsten, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum and other elements. It has high hardness, hot hardness and toughness and can withstand high-speed cutting. White steel milling cutter has a softer hardness.
High-speed steel cutter is cheap and has good toughness, but its strength is not high, it is easy to break, and its wear resistance and hot hardness are relatively poor. The hot hardness of high-speed steel milling cutter is about 600 degrees. When white steel is used to mill harder materials, if the coolant is not in place, it is easy to burn the cutter. This is one of the reasons why the hot hardness is not high.
Carbide end mill，also known as tungsten steel milling cutter, is famous for its ultra-high hardness. The Vickers hardness is as high as HV10000 or more, second only to diamond. Even in high temperature environments, it can maintain excellent hardness and wear resistance. It remains basically unchanged at 500 degrees and still has extremely high hardness at 1000 degrees.
It has a series of excellent properties such as good thermal hardness, wear resistance, good strength and toughness, heat resistance, corrosion resistance and so on. It can easily cut various hardness steel, stainless steel, cast iron and other materials. Like a sharp sword, it cuts through the hardness of metal effortlessly.
Ceramic end mill, also known as oxide milling cutters, have extremely high hardness and heat resistance, which can reach 1200 degrees. Although its compressive strength is high, its strength is not high due to its greater brittleness, so the amount of cutting cannot be too large. Therefore, ceramic milling cutters are more suitable for final finishing or for other highly wear-resistant non-metallic processed products.
Superhard material end mill, also known as oxidation milling cutters, have extremely high hardness and heat resistance, which can reach 1200 degrees. Although its compressive strength is high, its strength is not high due to its large brittleness, so the cutting amount cannot be too large. Therefore, superhard material milling cutters are more suitable for final finishing or for other highly wear-resistant non-metallic processed products.
This kind of tool can cut mold steel, cast iron, stainless steel, etc. with a hardness of about 30 degrees when clamped in a fixture, and is described as “cutting iron like mud”. In addition, superhard material milling cutters have high toughness, are not easy to wear, and are more efficient than ordinary end mills. Although its strength is not as good as other materials, it performs well in processing high-hardness materials.
According to the Insert Manufacturing Method
Ground insert，this type of insert has better dimensional accuracy, so the insert has higher positioning accuracy in milling, and can obtain better processing accuracy and surface roughness. The ground insert with a large rake angle can be used to mill sticky materials. For example, stainless steel.
The design of the ground insert takes into account multiple factors of the cutting operation. First, the sharp blade reduces the friction between the insert and the workpiece material through shearing. This helps to reduce cutting forces, improve cutting efficiency, and extend the life of the insert. Secondly, the chips can quickly leave the front of the insert, avoiding blockage and jamming during the cutting process.
Pressed inserts, when it comes to roughing, pressed inserts become an affordable option. Although the dimensional accuracy and edge sharpness of the pressed insert are not as good as those of the ground insert, it excels in edge strength. This makes the pressed insert resistant to impact when subjected to large cutting depths and feed rates.
Pressed inserts are less expensive to manufacture, making them an ideal choice for roughing tasks, especially for less complex workpieces. Although it is not suitable for machining that requires high precision, pressed inserts are a reliable option when high cutting forces and durability are required.
Combination insert, a smart tool configuration for optimizing the milling process. Its design idea is to combine a pressed insert with a ground scraper insert to achieve more efficient and precise processing.
Pressed inserts are installed in the insert seat of most milling cutters. These inserts usually have a lower manufacturing cost and are suitable for roughing tasks. Although their dimensional accuracy and edge sharpness are relatively poor, they perform well when subjected to large cutting depths and feeds.
Ground scraper inserts are configured in combination inserts. These inserts are specifically used to remove roughing tool marks and improve the surface finish of the workpiece. The design of the scraper insert focuses on edge strength to maintain stability during the scraping process.
By End Mill Flutes
When choosing an end mill, the size of the blade pitch will determine the number of cutting edges involved in cutting at the same time, affecting the smoothness of cutting and the requirements for the cutting rate of the machine tool.
Rough-tooth milling cutter，aso called a ripping cutter, it is a cutting tool used for milling operations. It has multiple serrated cutting edges that break the chips into smaller, more manageable pieces. These milling cutters are suitable for roughing operations that quickly remove large amounts of material. Although they are efficient in removing material, the surface finish left behind is usually rough and requires subsequent finishing.
Rough-tooth milling cutters are mainly used to process materials such as aluminum alloys and steel, and are suitable for processes such as turning, milling, and drilling. In the woodworking industry, rough-tooth milling cutters are used to cut wood, plywood, and fiberboard. Suitable for plastic processing, such as removing excess material from plastic parts. When making molds and models, rough-tooth milling cutters are used to quickly remove mold material for subsequent fine processing.
Close-pitch milling cutter，a cutting tool characterized by a large number of closely spaced cutting teeth. Close-pitch milling cutter is suitable for rough milling operations that quickly remove a large amount of material. Due to the close distance between the cutting teeth, it can efficiently remove large pieces of material from the workpiece. It is very effective for processing thin-walled materials. The cutting load per tooth is small, which helps to avoid deformation or damage. However, due to the large number of teeth, the cutting amount per tooth of the close-pitch milling cutter is small, which is easy to wear and leads to a shorter tool life. It needs to overcome large cutting forces during cutting, and has high requirements for machine tools and tools.
By End Mill Flutes Type
Flat milling cutters, also known as end mills, smooth cutters, gong cutters and purple cutters, are usually used to process flat surfaces, side planes, grooves and perpendicular step surfaces. The more edges a milling cutter has, the better the finishing effect. This tool plays an important role in mechanical processing and can achieve high-precision cutting and surface processing. Its blade design makes it suitable for processing different materials, including metals, plastics and wood.
The flutes of flat milling cutters are usually arranged in a straight line, and the number of edges depends on the processing requirements. In finishing, milling cutters with more edges can cut the workpiece surface more finely and improve the processing quality. In semi-finishing and roughing, milling cutters with fewer edges remove material faster.
Roughing cutter, also known as wave blade cutter, is used for rough machining of workpiece surface. According to the tooth shape of wave blade, it is divided into coarse teeth, medium teeth and fine teeth. Different tooth shapes have different machining parameters. Generally, this type of milling cutter allows a larger amount of cutting, so roughing of workpiece is the first choice.
Roughing cutter is suitable for quickly removing a large amount of material from the surface of the workpiece. It can be used to process metal workpieces, such as aluminum, steel, copper and other soft materials. It is used to cut slots and grooves, such as creating notches or grooves on parts.
Ball nose end mill，because the blade shape is spherical, it is called a ball end milling cutter, also known as a computer ball cutter or an R milling cutter. It is often used for semi-finishing and finishing of various curved surfaces and arc grooves.
The flute design of the ball end milling cutter makes it suitable for complex curved surface processing, such as curved edges, uneven surfaces and various arc shapes on parts. It is widely used in mold manufacturing, aerospace, automobile manufacturing and other engineering fields. In the semi-finishing stage, the ball end milling cutter can quickly remove material but still maintain a high surface quality. In the finishing stage, it can carefully cut the workpiece surface to achieve higher precision and smoothness.
Round nose end mill, also known as bull nose end mill or corner radius end mill, it is mostly used to process right-angle step surfaces or grooves with R angles, and is mostly used for semi-finishing and finishing.
When it is necessary to process edges with R angles on right-angle step surfaces, round nose milling cutter is an ideal choice. It can remove unnecessary materials while maintaining high surface quality. In the semi-finishing stage, the round nose milling cutter can quickly remove material while still maintaining high surface quality. In the finishing stage, it can carefully cut the workpiece surface to achieve higher precision and smoothness.
Copper and aluminum milling cutter, a cutting tool specially designed for processing copper and aluminum materials. Its design takes into account the characteristics of these materials in order to obtain the best results during the processing.
The copper and aluminum milling cutter is characterized by a large rake angle, a large back angle, and the angle of the blade teeth is optimized, making it sharper when cutting and able to effectively cut copper and aluminum. At the same time, the large spiral blade tooth design helps with chip removal, ensuring that the tool will not be blocked during the processing. Copper and aluminum milling cutters perform well in copper and aluminum processing and are the first choice of engineers and manufacturers. Whether it is making parts or performing overall processing, copper and aluminum milling cutters can provide efficient and precise cutting results.
T-slot milling cutter, can be divided into taper shank T-slot milling cutter and straight shank T-slot milling cutter. There are two types: integral and welded. In terms of cost performance, welded alloy (inlaid alloy) is more cost-effective. However, if the processing requirements and precision requirements are high, it is recommended to use integral carbide.
It is mainly used to process T-slots on various mechanical tables or other structures. It is a special tool for processing T-slots and can process materials with high hardness and difficult to cut. After the straight slot is milled, the T-slot with the required precision can be milled out at one time. The end edge of the milling cutter has a suitable cutting angle, and the teeth are designed with helical teeth and staggered teeth for smooth cutting and small cutting force.
Chamfering milling cutter, also called chamfering device. Chamfering milling cutter has a wide range of applications. It is not only suitable for chamfering of ordinary machined parts, but also suitable for chamfering and deburring of precision and difficult chamfered parts. According to the number of flute, it can be divided into single-blade chamfering milling cutter, three-flute chamfering milling cutter and round hole chamfering milling cutter.
The function of round hole chamfering milling cutter can make the edge of the hole without any burrs, flat holes, irregular holes. After testing, the processing of aluminum alloy workpieces has achieved a high-standard hole processing function of more than 100,000 holes. High precision and accurate angle. The surface of the hole is smooth and bright without frustration and frustration. Processing thin plates such as stainless steel, iron sheet, copper sheet, aluminum alloy workpieces, plastic accessories, especially processing aluminum alloy workpieces has better results. According to the degree, it can be divided into 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 120 degrees chamfering milling cutter.
Internal R milling cutter, also known as concave arc end mill or reverse R ball cutter, is a special milling cutter used for milling convex R-shaped surfaces. Internal R milling cutter is generally suitable for chamfering internal angles of aluminum alloy, copper, iron, etc. The internal R cutter processing has the characteristics of high finish and no burrs. It is a commonly used CNC milling cutter for mold and prototype model making.
Internal R milling cutter can complete precise internal R chamfering molding in one time, with high processing efficiency, no sticky chips, and easy to use. Unique design, no broken cutter, good chip removal, no burrs, and good finish.
Countersunk milling cutter, also known as a countersunk milling cutter, is a milling cutter with a concave cylindrical cutting edge that is used to machine grooves, flat surfaces, and curved surfaces in metals, plastics, and other materials. The cutting edge of a countersunk milling cutter is located at the bottom of the cutter body, so it can cut perpendicular to the surface of the material. This makes the countersunk milling cutter ideal for machining flat-bottomed grooves, holes, and other shapes that require vertical cutting.
A countersunk milling cutter has a concave cylindrical cutting edge that can cut perpendicular to the surface of the material, which makes it ideal for machining flat-bottomed grooves, holes, and other shapes that require vertical cutting. It can produce a high-precision surface, which makes it ideal for machining parts that require high-precision fit, such as hex socket screws, mold ejectors, and mold nozzles.
Bevel milling cutter, also known as a countersunk milling cutter or a taper cutter, is a milling cutter with a concave cylindrical cutting edge, which is used to machine grooves, planes and curved surfaces on metals, plastics and other materials. The cutting edge of the bevel cutter is located at the bottom of the cutter body, so it can cut perpendicular to the surface of the material. This makes bevel cutters very suitable for machining flat-bottomed grooves, holes and other shapes that require vertical cutting.
Bevel cutters are mostly used for cone machining after ordinary edge machining and mold draft allowance machining and dimple part machining. When machining mold draft allowance, bevel cutters can be used to machine the mold draft allowance. The draft allowance is the gap reserved between the mold and the workpiece to prevent the mold and workpiece from colliding and being damaged during demolding. The bevel cutter can machine precise draft allowances to ensure that the mold can smoothly pull out the workpiece. It can be used to machine the dimple part on the surface of the part. The dimple part is an important part of the part, which is used to install other parts or meet the special functional requirements of the part.
Dovetail milling cutters are used to machine grooves, flat surfaces and curved surfaces in metals, plastics and other materials. The cutting edge of a dovetail milling cutter is located at the bottom of the cutter body so that it can cut perpendicular to the surface of the material. This makes dovetail milling cutters ideal for machining flat-bottomed grooves, holes and other shapes that require vertical cutting.
When choosing a milling cutter, you should consider the processing material, processing shape, processing accuracy and processing efficiency. Understanding the functions of different milling cutters is of great help in processing different materials. Milling cutters are commonly used tools in milling processing. They are of various types and have different functions. Choosing a suitable milling cutter can improve processing efficiency, processing accuracy and surface finish, and can also extend the service life of the tool.
