What Tool to Use for CNC Contour Milling?

• Tool material: Solid carbide or indexable carbide

• Coating: TiAlN or AlCrN for heat resistance

• Flute count: 4 or 5 flutes for rigidity

• Helix angle: 35°-45° for optimal chip evacuation

• Tool material: Solid carbide or HSS-E

• Coating: Uncoated or DLC for reduced built-up edge

• Flute count: 2 or 3 flutes for better chip flow

• Helix angle: 30°-35° for smoother cutting

• Tool material: Fine-grain carbide with special substrates

• Coating: Multi-layer coatings (AlTiN/TiN)

• Flute count: 4 flutes for stability

• Helix angle: 40°-50° for improved chip breaking

• Sharp internal corners: Require square end mills with matching corner radius

• Smooth curves: Ball nose end mills for 3D profiling

• Deep cavities: Long-reach end mills with reduced neck diameter

• Small features: Micro end mills with diameters down to 0.1mm

• Ra 0.4-1.6 μm: Ball nose end mills with fine stepover

• Ra 1.6-6.3 μm: Square end mills with proper feed rates

• Mirror finishes: Specialized ball nose tools with high-speed machining

• ISO 8688: Tool life testing in milling operations

• ISO 16090: Safety requirements for machining centers

• ISO 5680: Indexable insert designation system

• ISO 7406: Milling cutter dimensions and tolerances

“The key to successful contour milling is matching the tool geometry to the specific contour requirements. Ball nose end mills excel at complex 3D surfaces, while square end mills are superior for sharp corner applications. Always consider the tool’s effective cutting diameter and stepover percentage.”

“For profile milling, round inserts and concepts with radius are recommended for roughing and semi-roughing, while ball nose end mills are ideal for finishing and super-finishing operations.”

• Tool selection: 10mm diameter ball nose end mill with AlTiN coating

• Cutting parameters: Vc = 60 m/min, fz = 0.05 mm/z, ap = 5mm

• Strategy: High-speed machining with trochoidal toolpaths

• Result: Ra 0.8 μm surface finish, 30% reduction in cycle time

• Tool selection: 6mm diameter corner radius end mill (R0.5mm)

• Cutting parameters: Vc = 120 m/min, fz = 0.08 mm/z, ap = 3mm

• Strategy: Semi-finishing with corner radius tool, finishing with ball nose

• Result: Precise contour accuracy, biocompatible surface finish

• Zig-zag: Simple, efficient for open contours

• Contour parallel: Maintains consistent stepover

• Trochoidal: Reduces cutting forces for difficult materials

• Spiral: Smooth, continuous cutting for circular features

• Spindle power: Ensure sufficient power for the selected tool diameter

• Spindle speed: Match to tool material and coating recommendations

• Axis acceleration: Critical for complex contour following

• Rigidity: Machine stability affects surface finish and tool life

1. Tool security: Ensure proper tool clamping and runout checking (<0.02mm)

2. Chip management: Use appropriate coolant and chip evacuation methods

3. Speed limits: Never exceed the manufacturer’s recommended spindle speeds

4. Tool monitoring: Implement tool wear detection systems for critical applications

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

NAME *

Product Requirements NAME

Email *

Product Requirements *

Please be sure to describe the specific customization requirements in detail. Otherwise, we will ignore the submitted content.

Submit