When it comes to having the right equipment and tools for the job, a top selection of end mills to suit any task is always an important consideration. For high-speed milling, it will be important to choose carbide end mills that can get the job done.
One of the easiest options for finding the quality and type of carbide end mills required is to shop online. With specs and information readily available to allow easy comparison of different brands and types of end mills, this definitely makes it a more convenient option.
Why Use Carbide?
For most types of newer milling machines, carbide will be the material of choice of end mills. They are designed to have a higher level of stiffness that allows operation of the machine at high speeds than end mills that are made with cobalt or the much older option of high speed steel (HSS).
These end mills are not always a good option with older milling machines or on machines with significant spindle wear. Keep in mind these end mills can be run at up to or more than two times faster than other end mills, which helps to offset their slightly higher initial cost in boosted productivity.
Options to Consider
The various types of carbide end mills can be selected for specific types of applications. New technology and design features can improve chip ejection and removal, create specialized shapes and even to change the direction of chip flow away from the area being processed.
Generally, as a good rule of practice, the more flutes or spiral cutting edges on the end mill the more evenly the chip load is dispersed, which allows for a smoother surface. Two and four flutes are common with most types of end mills, but there are those with five, six or eight flutes as well.
Ball end and corner radius types of end mills can both be used to produce round bottoms for holes or slots. For use in creating larger cavities, the corner radius will help to protect the end mill and also remove more material than the ball end.
Rougher’s, which may also be called hoggers, are the perfect option when there is a need to remove a lot of material in a short period of time. There are several different types of roughers which allow the operator to choose the right tool for the finish desired while still operating at high speeds for optimal material removal.
