What is a Milling Cutter? Types of Milling Cutters Available on the Market

A milling cutter is a crucial cutting tool in the milling process and is indispensable in the mechanical processing industry. To better understand what a milling cutter is and the various types of milling cutters available on the market, let’s explore the following article with RX Tradex.

1. What is Milling?

Milling is a mechanical machining process that uses a milling cutter to remove material from a workpiece to create desired shapes and surfaces. This process is typically performed on a milling machine, which can be horizontal, vertical, or CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machines. Milling is one of the most common cutting methods in the mechanical industry, helping to produce precise, diverse, and complex parts.

Milling is not only used in industrial manufacturing but also in fields such as toolmaking, mold making, and the production of machine parts. The outstanding feature of milling is its ability to create flat surfaces, grooves, or other shapes with high precision.

2. What is a Milling Cutter?

A milling cutter is a primary cutting tool in the milling process, made from hard and wear-resistant materials such as alloy steel, tungsten carbide, or industrial diamond. Milling cutters come in various shapes and sizes to fit different milling machines and specific machining purposes.

Milling cutters have cutting teeth arranged evenly around the circumference and usually feature chip evacuation grooves to efficiently remove chips from the cutting area. The design of a milling cutter includes factors such as cutting angle, number of cutting edges, or cutting edge shape, all of which affect performance and quality during machining.

3. What are the Functions of a Milling Cutter?

The main function of a milling cutter is to remove material from a workpiece to shape and finish its surface according to requirements. Some specific functions of milling cutters include:

• Flat Cutting: Creating flat surfaces with high precision.
• Groove Cutting: Creating grooves on the workpiece surface, which can be T-slots, square slots, or round slots.
• Complex Shape Cutting: Machining complex shapes and details such as gears, threads, and curved surfaces.
• Hole Machining: Drilling and enlarging holes with various sizes and shapes.
• Step Machining: Creating steps with different depths and widths on the workpiece.

4. Types of Milling Cutters

There are many types of milling cutters available on the market today, each designed for specific purposes and machining materials.

4.1. Face Milling Cutter

Face milling cutters are used to machine large flat surfaces on a workpiece. They can have multiple cutting edges and are usually mounted on horizontal or vertical milling machines. This type of cutter is suitable for high-speed cutting and high-efficiency machining.

4.2. End Mill

End mills are named because they resemble a finger, with cutting edges on the end and around the body. End mills are commonly used for cutting slots, drilling holes, and machining complex surfaces. They come in various sizes and lengths, suitable for many different machining applications.

4.3. Slab Milling Cutter

Slab milling cutters have a disk shape with cutting edges arranged around the circumference. This type of cutter is suitable for machining flat surfaces and long grooves and is often used on horizontal milling machines.

4.4. Angle Milling Cutter

Angle milling cutters are designed with cutting edges inclined at an angle to the cutter’s axis. This type of cutter is used for cutting angled grooves, inclined surfaces, or parts with complex angled shapes.

4.5. Form Milling Cutter

Form milling cutters have cutting edges shaped to specific forms for machining surfaces with special shapes such as gear grooves, threads, or parts with complex profiles. This type of cutter is often custom-made for specific machining tasks.

4.6. Insert Milling Cutter

Insert milling cutters use replaceable cutting inserts. These inserts are usually made from tungsten carbide or other super-hard materials, helping to save costs and allowing easy replacement when worn out.

5. How to Use a Milling Cutter Correctly

Using a milling cutter correctly not only ensures machining quality but also extends the tool’s lifespan.

• Choosing the Right Milling Cutter: Select the appropriate type of milling cutter for the material and specific machining task. Check the technical specifications of the milling cutter, such as size, cutting angle, and number of cutting edges.
• Adjusting Cutting Speed: The cutting speed must be suitable for the material and the milling cutter being used. Too high or too low a cutting speed can reduce the tool’s lifespan and machining quality.
• Using Coolant: Coolant helps reduce the temperature during machining, increasing the tool’s lifespan and improving the machined surface.
• Regular Inspection and Maintenance: Frequently inspect and maintain the milling cutter to detect early signs of wear or damage. Replace cutting inserts when necessary.
• Proper Machine Usage: Ensure the milling machine is correctly set up and operates stably. Check the machine’s accuracy before starting machining.

Using a milling cutter correctly not only ensures work efficiency and quality but also saves costs and increases equipment lifespan. We hope that with the above information, RX Tradex Vietnam has helped you better understand what a milling cutter is and how to use them in mechanical machining. Additionally, if you are interested in valuable information in the manufacturing industry, you can register to attend prestigious international exhibitions in the field of precision machining and industrial manufacturing such as METALEX Vietnam Exhibition to explore the latest advanced welding and cutting technologies today.