About SAMHO Cutting Cases

Here, you will see real cutting cases covering a variety of materials and processing scenarios, including typical difficult-to-process materials such as mold steel, aluminum alloy, copper alloy, titanium alloy, etc. Each case records in detail the tool model, processing parameters (such as speed, feed, cutting depth, etc.), cooling method and final processing effect (such as surface roughness, tool wear), providing reference process data and application guidance for your actual processing.

Whether you focus on precision molds, aviation parts, medical devices, or micro-machining, you can find high-performance cutting tool solutions for different materials and working conditions here to help improve processing quality and efficiency.

End Mill Cutting Die Steel Case 1：

HRC65 2-Flute Ball End Mills for Beryllium Copper Machining

Mirror-Like Surface Finish — Achieves Ra0.4 Precision

The HRC65-grade 2-flute carbide ball end mill delivers exceptional surface quality when finishing beryllium copper (BeCu), achieving a mirror-grade surface roughness of Ra 0.4 µm or lower. This level of precision meets the stringent requirements of electronic connector molds, high-frequency components, and micro-pin inserts.

Optimized Chip Evacuation & Stable Cutting

The 2-flute geometry provides larger flute volume, ensuring efficient chip evacuation and reduced tool buildup, especially when machining high-ductility and thermally conductive materials like BeCu. This contributes to lower cutting temperatures, consistent dimensional accuracy, and reduced tool wear during long machining cycles.

Superior Wear Resistance for Non-Ferrous Alloy Finishing

Manufactured from ultra-fine grain carbide with an HRC65 hardness rating, the tool maintains excellent wear resistance and red hardness under high-speed, light-load cutting conditions. It is ideal for the long-term, high-precision machining of non-ferrous metals, minimizing tool changeovers and improving production efficiency.

Ideal for 3D Contours and Fine Surface Profiles

Ball nose end mills are the preferred choice for 3D contour milling, free-form surface finishing, and deep cavity machining in beryllium copper molds. They are widely used in applications such as RF components, electrical connectors, and micro-precision molds, where superior accuracy and surface quality are critical.

End Mill Cutting Die Steel Case 2：

High-Hardness End Mills for Mirror Finish Machining of S136 Heat-Treated Steel

  1. Exceptional Machining Accuracy with Tolerance Within 0.001 mm
    Using HRC65-grade high-hardness solid carbide end mills, extremely tight flatness control is achievable on S136 heat-treated steel with hardness between HRC50 and HRC52. Leveraging a high-rigidity tool design combined with precise micro-feed strategies, the overall surface flatness after machining is maintained within 0.001 mm, meeting the stringent precision requirements of critical mold components.

  2. Mirror-Quality Surface Finish Free of Tool Marks
    Advanced ultra-fine edge grinding and high-density coating technologies minimize friction and vibration during cutting. This effectively eliminates common defects such as tool marks and chatter patterns, delivering a mirror-like surface finish with an Ra value reaching 0.05 µm or better.

  3. Superior Wear Resistance for Consistent, Long-Lasting Performance
    S136 is a precipitation-hardened stainless steel known for its high hardness and tendency toward built-up edge (BUE) formation after heat treatment. High-hardness end mills made from fine-grain carbide substrates with advanced coatings (e.g., HG or HH) ensure stable, clean cutting under high-speed, light-cutting conditions. This extends tool life and maintains contour accuracy—ideal for pre-finishing operations before final mold polishing.

  4. Optimized for High-Speed Spindle and MQL
    Machining mirror surfaces on S136 requires efficient heat dissipation and contamination control. Utilizing high-speed spindles exceeding 60,000 RPM combined with oil mist or MQL cooling systems effectively removes heat while preventing coolant residue on the finished surface. This ensures both thermal stability and exceptional surface cleanliness throughout the machining process.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 3：

HRC65 End Mill for Side Milling of Heat-Treated S136 Mold Steel

1. Ideal Tool for Hardened Steel Side Milling
Engineered from ultra-fine grain carbide, the HRC65-grade solid carbide end mill delivers exceptional performance in side milling applications involving heat-treated S136 stainless mold steel (typically HRC50+). The tool offers excellent red hardness and wear resistance, making it ideal for high-load machining environments.

2. Mirror-Like Surface Finish with No Tool Marks
Thanks to precision grinding and advanced edge preparation, the tool delivers mirror-quality surface finishes with no visible cutter marks. This is critical for high-gloss mold cavities, insert components, and premium-grade die surfaces.

3. Superior Surface Consistency for Precision Mold Machining
The optimized flute geometry and stable cutting conditions ensure consistent surface quality across the entire milled side. The tool minimizes vibration and heat buildup, preventing surface distortion and ensuring flawless finishes in high-precision plastic injection molds and mirror-polished applications.

4. Designed for High-Speed CNC Machining
For best results, pair this tool with high-speed CNC machines (recommended spindle speed ≥ 20,000 RPM). When used with oil mist or MQL lubrication, the tool maintains thermal stability and delivers long tool life, even during extended machining of hardened stainless steels.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 4：

Single Crystal End Mill for Beryllium Copper Mirror Finishing

Achieve Ra 0.03–0.05 μm Surface Finish with No Polishing Required

Ultra-Mirror Finish: Ra 0.03–0.05 μm for High-End Applications

The single crystal diamond (SCD) end mill delivers exceptional sharpness and edge integrity, enabling ultra-fine surface finishes when machining beryllium copper (BeCu). It consistently achieves Ra values as low as 0.03–0.05 μm, producing mirror-quality surfaces that meet the stringent demands of precision mold inserts, micro-electronics components, and high-frequency connectors.

Polish-Free Processing to Reduce Post-Processing Costs

Unlike conventional carbide tools, SCD end mills can produce a final-finish surface in a single pass, eliminating the need for manual polishing or secondary operations. This not only reduces cycle time but also lowers labor costs and production overhead, making it ideal for high-volume or precision-critical production.

Exceptional Performance on Ductile, Sticky Materials like BeCu

Beryllium copper is known for its high ductility and tendency to stick to cutting edges. The SCD end mill’s ultra-hard cutting edge resists built-up edge formation and maintains smooth, continuous cutting. Its high thermal conductivity ensures excellent heat dissipation, which helps prevent workpiece deformation and ensures a consistent surface profile.

Micron-Level Accuracy for Ultra-Precision and 5-Axis CNC Applications

These tools are engineered for high-speed machining environments (≥40,000 RPM) and are fully compatible with multi-axis CNC systems. Whether you’re machining complex 3D geometries or ultra-flat optical surfaces, SCD end mills provide micron-level dimensional control and repeatability, especially crucial in aerospace, medical, and semiconductor mold applications.

Need to know details?

If you need help, please fill out the form, and we will respond within 6 hours at the latest.

send an email
Call Us Now

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 5：

Key Considerations for Using an HRC65 Super-Hard Drill in Ultra-Thin-Wall Titanium Alloy Drilling

Precision Drilling for High-Hardness Titanium Alloys

The HRC65-grade solid carbide drill (Ø2.4mm) is specifically designed for precision drilling in high-strength titanium alloys. In this case, the application involves a minimum wall thickness of just 0.1mm, pushing the limits of thin-wall micro-drilling. This demands exceptional tool geometry precision, edge sharpness, and wear resistance to avoid deformation or tool failure.

Optimal Cutting Parameters to Prevent Deviation and Breakage

Titanium alloys have low thermal conductivity and retain cutting heat at the tool-workpiece interface, increasing the risk of tool deviation or edge chipping. To ensure high-precision and stable cutting, this setup uses a spindle speed of 4000 RPM, feed rate of 50 mm/min, and a Q value (feed per revolution) of 0.05 mm/rev. These parameters help maintain stability and reduce stress on ultra-thin sections.

Deep-Hole Drilling Stability and Effective Cooling Strategy

With a drilling depth of 26mm, this application falls under small-diameter deep-hole drilling, where heat accumulation and chip evacuation are common challenges. To maintain accuracy and prolong tool life, it is strongly recommended to use high-pressure internal coolant systems or adopt peck drilling (intermittent drilling) to improve chip evacuation and manage thermal buildup.

Importance of Tool Wear Monitoring and Maintenance

Drilling ultra-thin walls is highly sensitive to tool wear. Even slight dulling of the cutting edge can cause eccentric cutting, hole misalignment, or even wall tearing. Integrating tool life monitoring systems and adhering to regular drill replacement intervals ensures consistent hole quality, dimensional stability, and protects the structural integrity of the final component.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 6：

Tool Life Test for HRC48–52 S136 Heat-Treated Mold Steel

Test Material: S136 Heat-Treated Mold Steel (HRC48–52)
S136 is a premium-grade stainless mold steel known for its excellent corrosion resistance, high polishability, and dimensional stability. It is widely used in precision injection mold components. For this test, heat-treated S136 with a hardness range of HRC48–52 was selected to evaluate tool wear resistance under demanding conditions.

High-Speed Machining with Oil Cooling: Optimized Process Parameters

The test was performed on a ROUK-ROUK high-speed machining center operating at 32,000 RPM, paired with a dedicated oil cooling system. This configuration effectively controlled thermal buildup in the cutting zone, minimized thermal deformation, and prolonged tool life during extended cutting operations.

Continuous Isotropic Path Machining: 4-Hour Durability Test

A 3D isotropic toolpath strategy was employed to simulate real-world mold machining conditions involving complex curved surfaces. The tool operated continuously for 4 hours without interruption, pushing its performance under high-load, high-speed conditions to assess both durability and surface consistency.

Tool Performance Results: Zero Visible Wear, Maximum Stability

After 4 hours of continuous cutting, the HRC65 solid carbide tool exhibited no visible signs of wear or edge chipping. The cutting edges remained sharp and intact, demonstrating excellent wear resistance, red hardness, and thermal stability—critical for machining hardened stainless mold steels like S136.

Surface Finish Quality: Ra 0.3–0.4 µm Consistently Achieved

The machined surface exhibited a consistent mirror-like finish with a surface roughness of Ra 0.3–0.4 µm, meeting or exceeding industry standards for high-precision mold cavities. This level of finish significantly reduces or eliminates the need for manual polishing, improving downstream efficiency and lowering production costs.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 7：

Rough Machining Test of Heat-Treated Steel Using Corner Radius End Mill

Optimized for High-Speed Roughing of Heat-Treated Mold Steel (HRC48–52)

This test was conducted using heat-treated mold steel with a hardness range of HRC48 to HRC52, specifically to evaluate the tool life and cutting stability of a corner radius end mill under high-speed roughing conditions. These types of high-hardness materials demand exceptional edge strength and wear resistance, making them ideal for benchmarking wear-resistant carbide end mills.

High-Speed Spindle Setup Demonstrates Excellent Tool Stability

The machining was performed on a ROUK-ROUK high-speed CNC center, with a spindle speed of 32,000 RPM and air cooling. Even under continuous, high-load operation, the tool maintained excellent performance without chatter or dimensional drift, indicating outstanding stability for high-speed roughing applications.

Minimal Tool Wear After 5 Hours of Continuous Roughing

Over a 5-hour high-speed rough machining cycle, the end mill was subjected to aggressive material removal with heavy cutting loads. Post-inspection revealed only minor edge wear, and the cutting edge remained sharp and intact—highlighting the tool’s durability and extended service life in demanding mold steel applications.

Maintains Dimensional Accuracy and Edge Integrity Under Stress

Despite the prolonged high-stress operation, the tool preserved its edge sharpness and dimensional accuracy, offering reliable support for subsequent semi-finishing and finishing operations. This makes it a preferred choice for roughing high-hardness steels in industries like mold manufacturing, aerospace, and precision tooling.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 8：

Rounded Corner End Mill for High-Precision Machining of HRC59.9 High-Hardness Steel

Material: ASSAB 88 Mold Steel (HRC59.9)
The workpiece material is heat-treated ASSAB 88 mold steel with a hardness rating of HRC59.9, making it a typical high-hardness steel used in plastic injection and stamping molds. These applications demand excellent tool wear resistance and dimensional accuracy over extended machining cycles.

Tool: D6R0.5 Rounded Corner End Mill (HRC65 Grade)
The selected tool is a HRC65-grade D6R0.5 rounded corner end mill. This tool features superior heat resistance and cutting-edge strength, making it ideal for high-precision finishing in hardened steel applications. The corner radius design (R0.5) helps reduce stress concentration at the tool tip, which significantly improves tool life and enhances machining stability.

Machining Parameters: 7000 RPM Spindle Speed, 900 mm/min Feed Rate
Cutting parameters are carefully optimized to strike a balance between surface finish and efficiency. A spindle speed of 7000 RPM combined with a feed rate of 900 mm/min supports a smooth, continuous contouring process, especially critical in mold finishing applications.

Performance Results: Minimal Tool Wear, High Dimensional Accuracy, Excellent Surface Finish
After 3 hours of continuous contour machining, the tool exhibited only minor wear and remained in serviceable condition—demonstrating outstanding wear resistance. The finished part maintained a dimensional tolerance within ±0.003 mm, and the surface quality met high-precision mold processing standards with an excellent finish.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 9：

Ball Nose end mill for roughing SKD11 material

High-Efficiency Roughing of SKD11 Mold Steel with Ball Nose End Mills

When machining high-hardness mold steel like SKD11 (up to HRC60), ball nose end mills deliver outstanding performance in high-efficiency roughing operations. The D6R3 ball nose cutter, in particular, demonstrates excellent cutting ability and stability during heavy-duty milling, significantly improving material removal rates and machining efficiency.

Exceptional Wear Resistance and Extended Tool Life

Engineered for durability, these HRC65-grade ball nose end mills maintain minimal wear even under prolonged cutting of hardened steel. Their superior heat and wear resistance make them ideal for continuous production environments, helping reduce tool change frequency and downtime.

Stable Performance at High Speeds and Feeds

Designed for high-speed roughing, this tool performs exceptionally well under demanding parameters—such as 7,500 RPM spindle speed and 2,800 mm/min feed rate—without generating chatter or instability. This makes it especially suitable for mold steel pre-forming, heavy roughing, and other high-load cutting tasks.

Optimized for CNC High-Speed Machining Centers

These ball nose end mills are compatible with both 3-axis and 5-axis CNC high-speed machining centers. They support efficient and stable toolpath strategies, making them ideal for complex surface machining, cavity roughing, and mold base processing. The tool’s predictable performance contributes to smoother workflows and fewer toolpath interruptions.

End Mill Cutting Mold Steel Case 10：

HRC65 Ball Nose End Mill for High-Precision Finishing of M333 Mold Steel (HRC48–52)

Ideal for Precision Finishing of High-Hardness M333 Tool Steel

This test applies an HRC65-grade D6R3 ball nose end mill to perform high-speed parallel finishing on M333 mold steel with a hardness of HRC48–52. Under a spindle speed of 16,000 RPM and a feed rate of 1600 mm/min, the tool demonstrates excellent cutting stability, geometric accuracy, and consistent dimensional performance—making it highly effective for hardened tool steels.

Mirror-Like Surface Finish — No Post-Polishing Required

The finished workpiece achieves a uniform surface finish with no shadowing (no yin-yang effect). The surface roughness reaches Ra ≤ 0.05 µm, meeting the requirements of high-precision mold and cavity applications where visual clarity and polish-free finishing are critical.

Exceptional Dimensional Control: ≤0.001 mm Deviation

Dimensional comparison between two key planes before and after finishing shows a minimal deviation of only 0.001 mm. This highlights the dimensional stability of the tool and the uniform step-over performance throughout the 5.5-hour cycle.

Outstanding Tool Life with Minimal Wear Over 5.5 Hours

Even after 330 minutes of continuous finishing, the cutting edge remains sharp with only slight wear and no visible chipping. This proves the thermal resistance and wear durability of the HRC65 ball nose end mill, making it well-suited for extended-use applications in hardened materials.

Oil-Cooling Enhances Thermal Stability and Surface Integrity

The entire process is supported by oil-based cooling, which significantly lowers the heat in the cutting zone. This helps prevent thermal deformation, minimizes micro-cracks, and maintains surface uniformity while protecting the tool’s edge over long cycles.