The other method used in the design of composite cutting tools is to present a very strong cutting edge to the material by greatly lowering the rake angle and slightly decreasing the clearance angle. This method reduces the chipping of the cutting edge but can lead to high heat build-up. The best application of these tools requires decreased spindle speeds to reduce the material heating, but this can lead to increased cutting forces and cause part movement.

High-Speed Aluminum Milling 1 (HSAM1)  HSAM1 series milling cutters are 3-flute, center-cutting, high-performance end mills for aluminum. They have unequal flute spacing (variable pitch) to break up harmonics and reduce chatter and vibration. The wiper facet design improves floor finishes. These end mills provide extraordinary metal removal rates (MRR), by combining roughing and finishing operations for any aluminum plunging, slotting, and profiling application. The proprietary flute geometry is designed for rigidity and improved chip evacuation, generating wall-to-floor perpendicularity, even in thin-wall applications.

Hard plastic suffers from the same chatter and melt problems as soft plastic, and it must be controlled through the same tight tolerances for rake and clearance angles. Hard plastics also exhibit “cratering” — a cutting effect rarely seen in softer materials. Because of the manner in which hard plastic is machined, if the rake angle becomes too high, the tendency for the material to break and release its bonds is greatly exaggerated, and the chips will pull additional material from within the cut edge, leaving a cratered or dimpled surface along the finished edge. By tightly controlling the wedge angle of the cutting tool, this can normally be prevented for a reasonable range of cutting speeds.

How to shavedown plastic

Additional factors in the design of soft plastic tooling involve removing the chips once they have been cut from the material. If the chips clog the passageway on their way out, they will heat up rapidly, causing a poor part finish and premature tool wear. The solution is to increase the flute area that the chips are allowed to flow to by reducing the number of flutes (thereby increasing the allowable flute opening), and by using “O” flute geometry. “O” flutes allow the chips to form naturally and follow the natural flow of the cutting geometry without hitting sharp corners that might slow their exit from the cut passage.

Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN) coating has a higher aluminum content than TiAlN, making it harder, with better lubricity. The drawback is that edges can chip in very hard materials.

Fiber-reinforced plastics are different from other types of plastics in that it is difficult to determine the type of chip being produced. Because of the structure of materials such as fiberglass, Aramid, and carbon-fiber compounds, chips are not formed during the cutting process. In these instances, it is best to run the bit as fast as possible. The cooler the bit is when finished, the longer will be the expected tool life.

• Corners have slight a radius • Helps distribute cutting forces evenly • Prevents damage to the end mill • Extends corner • Creates flat bottoms with slightly radiused corners

Many shops proficient at cutting metal are perplexed when it comes to machining plastics or plastic composites, and for good reason. There are a myriad of plastic compositions, and each responds differently to the cutting process. In addition to the physical properties of the various materials, other less obvious factors, such as a change in color, can drastically alter the way a plastic material reacts to a cutting tool.

High-Speed Aluminum Milling 2 (HSAM2)  HSAM2 series milling cutters have a uniquely different flute design and superior corner protection from HSAM1 series cutters. The 3-flute “to the center” design, where all three flutes come to the center, is the ideal symmetrical shape. It works great at high spindle speeds, and is highly effective in vertical ramping up to 20 degrees, and step-over plunging applications. The engineered flute design provides effective chip evacuation at high feedrates, with lower cutting forces than competitive products.

Geometries for hard plastics Hard plastics machine much differently from their soft plastic counterparts. The biggest difference is in their production of chips. Machining wood, aluminum, or soft plastic produces large chips that are easily ejected from the router bit path. On the other hand, hard-plastic chips appear very different and normally are very small shards that resemble crystalline fragments or dust. Unlike soft-plastic chips, hard-plastic waste is formed by frequently breaking small, individual chunks of material from the base material. This necessitates different cutter geometries from those used in cutting soft plastics.

Hard plasticCutter

Machining of reinforced plastics requires that great care be made when choosing one of these two tooling types and that the spindle speed and feed rates are matched to the cutting tool selected, as each requires different cutting properties and heat characteristics to function best. Cutting tools typically consist of spirals and straight rake-face tools, with either radial clearance for low speeds and strong cutting edges or straight clearance for a free cutting action for high speeds.

Besttoolfor cuttinghard plastic

Geometries for reinforced plastics Reinforced plastics usually consist of a polyester, epoxy, or phenolic base with either a fibrous or glass material woven or otherwise embedded in, to add rigidity to the composite. While this can add significant strength to the material, it causes it to be extremely difficult to machine.

Recommended for ferrous materials. Higher flute count increases the tool strength, but reduces the cut depths. Ideal for finishing or high-efficiency milling in steel, stainless, cast iron, and harder materials.

Soft plastics are cut with an O-flute router that produces long, curly chips. Many shops proficient at cutting metal are perplexed when it comes to machining plastics or plastic composites, and for good reason. There are a myriad of plastic compositions, and each responds differently to the cutting process. In addition to the physical properties of the various materials, other less obvious factors, such as a change in color, can drastically alter the way a plastic material reacts to a cutting tool. Routing and trimming have become some of the most common operations performed during the manufacture of plastic components and finished goods. The key to machining plastic successfully is to match the cutter geometry with the machining characteristics of the material. Although the focus here is on cutter/material characteristics, factors like programming and fixturing techniques are equally critical.Routing was historically a means of quickly shaping and cutting wood and aluminum, and only occasionally plastics and plastic composites. Plastics machining has completely changed the router industry outlook on cutter design. CNC routing has taken those operations to a new level, and allowed plastic fabricators to put a finished edge on products that previously may have needed further processing.A good way to understand what to expect from a cutting tool geometry is to categorize plastics according to how they respond to machining.Geometries for soft plastics Soft plastics are routed by removing long, curly chips from the face of the material being machined. Normally the release of these chips is quite easy and there is little or no instance of burring or fuzzing at the edge. Abrasive and impact wear is not an issue when cutting soft plastics, and the tool’s rake angle can be large, resulting in an easy release of the chip from the material. This allows fast feedrates and less movement of the part due to cutting pressure.

Aluminum Chromium Nitride (Hybrid AlCrN) coating reduces wear and increases heat resistance. These end mills are excellent for roughing and finishing, and fully capable of taking heavy cuts in steel, stainless steel, titanium/Inconel up to 40 HRc, as well as cast iron.

Recommended for ferrous materials. High flute count yields a thicker core for greater tool strength and less deflection, while increasing material removal rates. Ideal for high-efficiency/high-speed milling in steel, stainless, cast iron, and high-temp alloys

Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN) coating increases the resistance of wear, ductility, and heat transfer through the chips, making these cutters a good all-around choice for roughing and finishing steel, stainless steels, cast iron, and high temperature alloys.

Hard plastics are cut with a V-flute router that produces small, shard-like or crystalline chips. The tradeoff of a high rake angle in a cutting tool is that it becomes very aggressive. If anyone has ever used dedicated CNC plastic tooling in hand routers, they can attest to the fact that it wants to “run” and can sometimes rip the router from an operator’s grasp. The solution for this aggressiveness is to change both the angle and type of clearance put on soft plastic tooling. A low-angle radial (or eccentric) relief grind on the clearance angle will “calm” the tool and allow the high rake angle to cut freely, while still maintaining control of the cutting tool. This radial clearance is designed to rub ever so slightly along the cut surface and provide some stability to the cutting tool. However, one or two degrees of too much relief, and the cutting tool will begin to chatter. The resulting knife marks along the cutting edge produce a poor finish. One or two degrees of too little relief and the router bit will rub too much, producing heat that will melt the material.Additional factors in the design of soft plastic tooling involve removing the chips once they have been cut from the material. If the chips clog the passageway on their way out, they will heat up rapidly, causing a poor part finish and premature tool wear. The solution is to increase the flute area that the chips are allowed to flow to by reducing the number of flutes (thereby increasing the allowable flute opening), and by using “O” flute geometry. “O” flutes allow the chips to form naturally and follow the natural flow of the cutting geometry without hitting sharp corners that might slow their exit from the cut passage.Geometries for hard plastics Hard plastics machine much differently from their soft plastic counterparts. The biggest difference is in their production of chips. Machining wood, aluminum, or soft plastic produces large chips that are easily ejected from the router bit path. On the other hand, hard-plastic chips appear very different and normally are very small shards that resemble crystalline fragments or dust. Unlike soft-plastic chips, hard-plastic waste is formed by frequently breaking small, individual chunks of material from the base material. This necessitates different cutter geometries from those used in cutting soft plastics.

The tradeoff of a high rake angle in a cutting tool is that it becomes very aggressive. If anyone has ever used dedicated CNC plastic tooling in hand routers, they can attest to the fact that it wants to “run” and can sometimes rip the router from an operator’s grasp. The solution for this aggressiveness is to change both the angle and type of clearance put on soft plastic tooling. A low-angle radial (or eccentric) relief grind on the clearance angle will “calm” the tool and allow the high rake angle to cut freely, while still maintaining control of the cutting tool.

Powertoolto cutplastic

When you're machining pockets with an end mill it's not uncommon to get a stack of chips in the pocket that's hard to get out. Mark takes a look at several styles of end mills that cut your chips into smaller pieces, making them a lot easier to get out of the pocket before your end mill gets damaged re-cutting those same chips.

It is useful to have some rules-of-thumb for determining feed rates. For the following examples, a spindle speed of 18,000 rpm is assumed. For soft plastics, solid-carbide spiral tools that have specific geometries for cutting that type of plastic can be run at approximately 300 ipm. Solid carbide “O” flutes also should be run that fast to clear the chips. If finish begins to degrade, the spindle speed can be increased to maintain the same production rate. High-speed steel “O” flute tools require slower feedrates to prevent the bit from deflecting and chattering causing knife marks.

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating provides superior edge strength and increased tool life; excels in hard aluminum, and at high speeds.

• Corners have 45° chamfer • Helps distribute cutting forces evenly • Prevents damage to the end mill • Extends corner life • Creates flat bottoms with slightly chamfered corners

Recommended for non-ferrous materials. Two-flute end mills have long been the industry standard when cutting aluminum and other non-ferrous alloys, where chip clearance is important to efficient material removal. The massive valleys between the two flutes accommodate the larger chips produced by high feed-per-tooth feedrates on softer materials.

Recommended for non-ferrous materials. Fewer flutes allow for excellent chip clearance on larger chips, and deeper cut depths. Ideal for aluminum in heavy roughing and finishing applications.

Hot knifeplasticCutter

High-Temperature Milling (HTM) HTM Series milling cutters are designed for high-performance milling of titanium and stainless steels. They also work well in alloy steels and cast iron. The high-performance, dual-core geometry is designed for superior chip evacuation, while still providing strength and rigidity, for excellent performance slotting and heavy profiling. These cutters feature unequal pitch for chatter-free cutting.

High-Speed Performance Milling 2 (HSPM2) HSPM2 series milling cutters feature unequal flute spacing (variable pitch) to reduce or eliminate unwanted harmonic vibrations, commonly known as chatter. The 5-flute end mills feature a 38° helix angle on the flute geometry and sharp corners on the cutting edges. These cutters are well suited for semi-finishing and finishing applications. The end mills are center cutting.

This radial clearance is designed to rub ever so slightly along the cut surface and provide some stability to the cutting tool. However, one or two degrees of too much relief, and the cutting tool will begin to chatter. The resulting knife marks along the cutting edge produce a poor finish. One or two degrees of too little relief and the router bit will rub too much, producing heat that will melt the material.

PlasticCutter Home Depot

HM2 series milling cutters, available in 2 or 3-flutes, are center-cutting, high performance end mills for aluminum applications. Made of M2 high-speed steel, with molybdenum and tungsten as its main elements, this composite provides outstanding wear resistance and hardness. These end mills feature a 42° helix angle, providing highly efficient chip evacuation.

These high-quality cobalt cutting tools are very cost-effective, especially in larger diameters, and can provide very stable production rates at low RPM.

Importance of chipload If the part to be machined is fixtured securely and the correct tool has been selected for the material, spindle speed and feedrate will be the determining factors on the quality of the finished part. Speeds and feeds can vary greatly depending on router horsepower, tooling and part composition; however, it is possible to make an educated guess at the correct ratios, and then to fine-tune the finish.

HM42 series milling cutters, featuring high-speed steel with 8% cobalt known as M42 or just "cobalt", provides higher performance over standard high-speed steels, because the added cobalt increases hardness and resists abrasion. These qualities make cobalt end mills a desirable alternative to carbide end mills in applications with abrasive, heat-resistant materials that tend to chip carbide cutting tools.

There are two different methods for attacking the tooling design problem associated with machining abrasive plastics. The first involves using a high rake angle and high clearance angle to allow the bit to cut freely and aggressively and to reduce the amount of heat produced during the cutting operation. Heat is a major factor contributing to accelerated tool wear in these operations. The adverse side to this is that the resultant wedge angle is very small and a weak cutting edge is continually presented to the reinforced plastic that can lead to chipping of the tool, and a general break-down of the cutting edge.

Routing was historically a means of quickly shaping and cutting wood and aluminum, and only occasionally plastics and plastic composites. Plastics machining has completely changed the router industry outlook on cutter design. CNC routing has taken those operations to a new level, and allowed plastic fabricators to put a finished edge on products that previously may have needed further processing.

HEPM series milling cutters are designed for side-cutting and trochoidal toolpaths only. High-efficiency milling and high-speed milling toolpaths subject the end mill to a light radial depth of cut (Ae) and heavy axial depth of cut (Ap) at high feedrates, with reduced tool stepover for more radial passes. This dramatically increases the material removal rate, while decreasing cutting pressure, reducing and dispersing heat, reducing tool wear, and improving surface finish.

This price includes shipping cost, export and import duties, insurance, and any other expenses incurred during shipping to a location in France agreed with you as a buyer. No other mandatory costs can be added to the delivery of a Haas CNC Product.

Definition of cutter angles and chipload thickness. Like soft plastics, hard-plastic tooling benefits from an increased rake angle that allows the material to break away easily. However, unlike soft-plastic tooling, there is no need for a dramatically increased rake angle. Because of the willingness of most hard plastics to release their bonds in response to a sharp cutting edge, a moderate increase in rake angle will usually produce the best results. Also, the clearance angle does not need to be reduced as much to control the tool, and frequently a straight relief angle is all that is required to control the tool and prevent chatter.Hard plastic suffers from the same chatter and melt problems as soft plastic, and it must be controlled through the same tight tolerances for rake and clearance angles. Hard plastics also exhibit “cratering” — a cutting effect rarely seen in softer materials. Because of the manner in which hard plastic is machined, if the rake angle becomes too high, the tendency for the material to break and release its bonds is greatly exaggerated, and the chips will pull additional material from within the cut edge, leaving a cratered or dimpled surface along the finished edge. By tightly controlling the wedge angle of the cutting tool, this can normally be prevented for a reasonable range of cutting speeds.Whereas soft plastics respond best to “O” flutes, hard plastics generally rout best with modified “O” flutes or a straight-rake face geometry. This, combined with the smaller chips produced, allow multi-fluted spirals to effectively cut the material with a superior finish and good chip extraction.Geometries for reinforced plastics Reinforced plastics usually consist of a polyester, epoxy, or phenolic base with either a fibrous or glass material woven or otherwise embedded in, to add rigidity to the composite. While this can add significant strength to the material, it causes it to be extremely difficult to machine.There are two different methods for attacking the tooling design problem associated with machining abrasive plastics. The first involves using a high rake angle and high clearance angle to allow the bit to cut freely and aggressively and to reduce the amount of heat produced during the cutting operation. Heat is a major factor contributing to accelerated tool wear in these operations. The adverse side to this is that the resultant wedge angle is very small and a weak cutting edge is continually presented to the reinforced plastic that can lead to chipping of the tool, and a general break-down of the cutting edge.The other method used in the design of composite cutting tools is to present a very strong cutting edge to the material by greatly lowering the rake angle and slightly decreasing the clearance angle. This method reduces the chipping of the cutting edge but can lead to high heat build-up. The best application of these tools requires decreased spindle speeds to reduce the material heating, but this can lead to increased cutting forces and cause part movement.Machining of reinforced plastics requires that great care be made when choosing one of these two tooling types and that the spindle speed and feed rates are matched to the cutting tool selected, as each requires different cutting properties and heat characteristics to function best. Cutting tools typically consist of spirals and straight rake-face tools, with either radial clearance for low speeds and strong cutting edges or straight clearance for a free cutting action for high speeds.Importance of chipload If the part to be machined is fixtured securely and the correct tool has been selected for the material, spindle speed and feedrate will be the determining factors on the quality of the finished part. Speeds and feeds can vary greatly depending on router horsepower, tooling and part composition; however, it is possible to make an educated guess at the correct ratios, and then to fine-tune the finish. The defining ratio of speed and feed combinations determines chipload — the thickness of the chip that is removed by a cutting edge per revolution.

Routing and trimming have become some of the most common operations performed during the manufacture of plastic components and finished goods. The key to machining plastic successfully is to match the cutter geometry with the machining characteristics of the material. Although the focus here is on cutter/material characteristics, factors like programming and fixturing techniques are equally critical.

Harder plastics work well with low-helix tools that have been designed to break away the plastic chips cleanly. These tools can be run at around 300 ipm. Double-edged “V”-flute tools can run anywhere from 125 to 250 ipm, depending on style and bit composition, and also produce an excellent finish. It is important to understand that in all cases, whether routing hard or soft plastics, the byproduct must be in the form of chips, not dust. Large chips will not re-weld to a cut surface and will prolong the life of the tool. If the cut waste that is produced is dust, that means the chips have been re-cut numerous times or the chipload is too low, and tool life and edge finish will be degraded.

PlasticCuttingtoolDremel

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Like soft plastics, hard-plastic tooling benefits from an increased rake angle that allows the material to break away easily. However, unlike soft-plastic tooling, there is no need for a dramatically increased rake angle. Because of the willingness of most hard plastics to release their bonds in response to a sharp cutting edge, a moderate increase in rake angle will usually produce the best results. Also, the clearance angle does not need to be reduced as much to control the tool, and frequently a straight relief angle is all that is required to control the tool and prevent chatter.

A good way to understand what to expect from a cutting tool geometry is to categorize plastics according to how they respond to machining.

PlasticCutterToolElectric

Recommended for ferrous materials. The low flute count allows for excellent chip clearance for general purpose roughing and slotting. Ideal for steel, stainless, and cast iron.

Geometries for soft plastics Soft plastics are routed by removing long, curly chips from the face of the material being machined. Normally the release of these chips is quite easy and there is little or no instance of burring or fuzzing at the edge. Abrasive and impact wear is not an issue when cutting soft plastics, and the tool’s rake angle can be large, resulting in an easy release of the chip from the material. This allows fast feedrates and less movement of the part due to cutting pressure.

High-Speed Performance Milling 1 (HSPM1)  HSPM1 series milling cutters feature unequal flute spacing (variable pitch) to reduce or eliminate unwanted harmonic vibrations, commonly known as chatter. The 4-flute end mills feature a 38° helix angle on the flute geometry and chamfers on the cutting edges to guard against chipping and premature wear of the edges in roughing applications. The end mills are center cutting, but the HSPM1 chamfer mills are not designed for cutting with the sharp center point of the tool.

If, despite adjusting speeds and feeds, the best cut still produces a hot tool or causes occasional chip re-welding, forced air can be used to evacuate the chips.

The defining ratio of speed and feed combinations determines chipload — the thickness of the chip that is removed by a cutting edge per revolution.

Constructed of premium-grade micrograin carbide, these 6-flute end mills feature a 45° helix angle for higher productivity and longer tool life, and unequal flute indexing to reduce harmonic vibrations (chatter) and improve surface finishes. These tools utilize a unique chip splitter that reduces chip length by up to two-thirds. Combined with chip thinning, high-efficiency milling, and high-speed machining toolpaths, these tools provide superior chip evacuation to carry heat away from the tool and workpiece.

• Corners have a sharp, square profile • 90° cutting angle • Most common corner type • Used for slotting, profiling, and plunge milling • Creates flat bottoms with square corners

These end mills all have a square corner profile and a 30-degree helix design. We carry common fractional diameters up to 1" with 4-flutes and 2:1 length-of-cut to diameter ratios. The 3/4" and 1" versions are also available with 6-flutes. Most diameters are also available with a longer 4:1 flute length and 4-flutes.

High-Temperature Performance Milling (HTPM) HTPM series milling cutters have unequal flute spacing (variable pitch) and multiple helix angles (35° and 37°) to reduce chatter and harmonics for improved stability and better finishing. This also optimizes chip formation and chip evacuation. These 4-flute end mills feature chamfers or different available corner radii to strengthen the edges in roughing applications.

In effect, increasing the chipload causes a larger chip to be removed. The larger the chip removed, the more heat that is removed with it, and the longer the tool life. The primary means of increasing chipload is to increase the feedrate, as this has the added benefit of increasing the number of finished parts produced per hour. Chipload also can be increased by lowering spindle speed if feedrate is already at a maximum. Decreased chipload means the number of times that a cutting edge is presented to the workpiece is increased. Each router bit edge can be used only a finite number of times before it becomes dull; therefore, the highest chipload that will produce an acceptable finish should be used to prolong cutter life.

Aluminum Chromium Nitride (Hybrid AlCrN) reduces wear and increases heat resistance. These end mills are ideal for high-speed machining and high-efficiency milling of steels, stainless steels, cast iron, and high-temp alloys for increased material removal rates and fine surface finishes.

The highly engineered 3-flute design provides more balanced cutting performance, without excessive heat buildup. In fact, while other end mills can gum up at high surface speeds, HSAM2 end mills keep cool by dissipating heat and providing outstanding chip evacuation. Combined with its ultra-micrograin carbide design, the results are:

Whereas soft plastics respond best to “O” flutes, hard plastics generally rout best with modified “O” flutes or a straight-rake face geometry. This, combined with the smaller chips produced, allow multi-fluted spirals to effectively cut the material with a superior finish and good chip extraction.

High-Speed Aluminum Milling 3 (HSAM3)  HSAM3 series milling cutters are solid carbide 2-flute end mills designed specifically for high-speed machining of aluminum and other non-ferrous materials. The mirror-like surfaces of the flutes produce excellent surface finishes and greatly enhance chip removal.

Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN) coating increases the resistance to wear, ductility, and heat transfer through the chips, making these cutters a good all-around choice for roughing and finishing steel, stainless steels, cast iron, and high-temperature alloys.