Benefits & Drawbacks of High and Low Helix Angles

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While many factors impact the outcome of a machining operation, one often overlooked factor is the cutting tool’s helix angle. The Helix angle of a tool is measured by the angle formed between the centerline of the tool and a straight line tangent along the cutting edge.

A higher helix angle, usually 40° or more, will wrap around the tool “faster,” while a “slower” helix angle is usually less than 40°.

When choosing a tool for a machining operation, machinists often consider the material, the tooling dimensions and the flute count. The helix angle must also be considered to contribute to efficient chip evacuation, better part finish, prolonged tool life, and reduced cycle times.

Helix Angles Rule of Thumb

One general rule of thumb is that as the helix angle increases, the length of engagement along the cutting edge will decrease. That said,
there are many benefits and drawbacks to slow and high helix angles that can impact any machining operation.

Slow Helix Tool <40°

Benefits

  • Enhanced Strength – A larger core creates a strong tool that can resist deflection, or the force that will bend a tool under pressure.
  • Reduced Lifting – A slow helix will decrease a part from lifting off of the worktable in settings that are less secure.
  • Larger Chip Evacuation – The slow helix allows the tool to create a large chip, great for hogging out material.

Drawbacks

  • Rough Finish – A slow helix end mill takes a large chip, but can sometimes struggle to evacuate the chip. This inefficiency can result in a sub-par part finish.
  • Slower Feed Rate – The increased radial force of a slow helix end mill requires running the end mill at a slower feed rate.

High Helix Tool >40°

Benefits

  • Lower Radial Force – The tool will run quieter and smoother due to better shearing action, and allow for less deflection and more stability in thin wall applications.
  • Efficient Chip Evacuation – As the helix angle increases, the length of cutting edge engagement will decrease, and the axial force will increase. This lifts chips out and away, resulting in efficient chip evacuation.
  • Improved Part Finish – With lower radial forces, high helix tools are able to cut through material much more easily with a better shearing action, leaving an improved surface finish.

Drawbacks

  • Weaker Cutting Teeth – With a higher helix, the teeth of a tool will be thinner, and therefore thinner.
  • Deflection Risk – The smaller teeth of the high helix tool will increase the risk of deflection, or the force that will bend a tool under pressure. This limits how fast you can push high helix tools.
  • Increased Risk of Tool Failure – If deflection isn’t properly managed, this can result in a poor finish quality and tool failure.

Helix Angle: An Important Decision

In summary, a machinist must consider many factors when choosing tools for each application. Among the material, the finish requirements, and acceptable run times, a machinist must also consider the helix angle of each tool being used. A slow helix end mill will allow for larger chip formation, increased tool strength and reduce lifting forces. However, it may not leave an excellent finish. A high helix end mill will allow for efficient chip evacuation and excellent part finish, but may be subject to increased deflection, which can lead to tool breakage if not properly managed.

Selecting the Right Chamfer Cutter Tip Geometry

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A chamfer cutter, or a chamfer mill, can be found at any machine shop, assembly floor, or hobbyist’s garage. These cutters are simple tools that are used for chamfering or beveling any part in a wide variety of materials. There are many reasons to chamfer a part, ranging from fluid flow and safety, to part aesthetics.

Due to the diversity of needs, tooling manufacturers offer many different angles and sizes of chamfer cutters, and as well as different types of chamfer cutter tip geometries. Harvey Tool, for instance, offers 21 different angles per side, ranging from 15° to 80°, flute counts of 2 to 6, and shank diameters starting at 1/8” up to 1 inch.

After finding a tool with the exact angle they’re looking for, a customer may have to choose a certain chamfer cutter tip that would best suit their operation. Common types of chamfer cutter tips include pointed, flat end, and end cutting. The following three types of chamfer cutter tip styles, offered by Harvey Tool, each serve a unique purpose.

Harvey Tool Chamfer Cutters

Pointed and Flat End Chamfer Cutters

Three Types of Harvey Tool Chamfer Cutters

Type I: Pointed

This style of chamfer cutter is the only Harvey Tool option that comes to a sharp point. The pointed tip allows the cutter to perform in smaller grooves, slots, and holes, relative to the other two types. This style also allows for easier programming and touch-offs, since the point can be easily located. It’s due to its tip that this version of the cutter has the longest length of cut (with the tool coming to a finished point), compared to the flat end of the other types of chamfer cutters. With only a 2 flute option, this is the most straightforward version of a chamfer cutter offered by Harvey Tool.

Type I Chamfer Cutter overview

Type II: Flat End, Non-End Cutting

Type II chamfer cutters are very similar to the type I style, but feature an end that’s ground down to a flat, non-cutting tip. This flat “tip” removes the pointed part of the chamfer, which is the weakest part of the tool. Due to this change in tool geometry, this tool is given an additional measurement for how much longer the tool would be if it came to a point. This measurement is known as “distance to theoretical sharp corner,” which helps with the programming of the tool. The advantage of the flat end of the cutter now allows for multiple flutes to exist on the tapered profile of the chamfer cutter. With more flutes, this chamfer has improved tool life and finish. The flat, non-end cutting tip flat does limit its use in narrow slots, but another advantage is a lower profile angle with better angular velocity at the tip.

Type II Chamfer Cutter overview

Type III: Flat End, End Cutting

Type III chamfer cutters are an improved and more advanced version of the type II style. The type III boasts a flat end tip with 2 flutes meeting at the center, creating a center cutting-capable version of the type II cutter. The center cutting geometry of this cutter makes it possible to cut with its flat tip. This cutting allows the chamfer cutter to lightly cut into the top of a part to the bottom of it, rather than leave material behind when cutting a chamfer. There are many situations where blending of a tapered wall and floor is needed, and this is where these chamfer cutters shine. The tip diameter is also held to a tight tolerance, which significantly helps with programing it.

Type III Chamfer Cutter overview

In conclusion, there could be many suitable cutters for a single job, and there are many questions you must ask prior to picking your ideal tool. Choosing the right angle comes down to making sure that the angle on the chamfer cutter matches the angle on the part. One needs to be cautious of how the angles are called out, as well. Is the angle an “included angle” or “angle per side?” Is the angle called off of the vertical or horizontal? Next, the larger the shank diameter, the stronger the chamfer and the longer the length of cut, but now, interference with walls or fixtures need to be considered. Flute count comes down to material and finish. Softer materials tend to want less flutes for better chip evacuation, while more flutes will help with finish. After addressing each of these considerations, the correct style of chamfer for your job should be abundantly clear.

How to Select a Spindle

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When trying to develop efficient processes, many machinists and programmers turn to tool selection first. It is true that tooling can often make a big difference in machining time, and speeds and feeds, but did you know that your machine’s spindle can have an equally impactful effect? The legs of any CNC machine, spindles are comprised of a motor, a taper for holding tools, and a shaft that will hold all of the components together. Often powered by electricity, spindles rotate on an axis which receives its input from the machine’s CNC controller.

Why is Choosing the Right Spindle Important?

Choosing the right spindle to machine your workpiece with is of very high importance to a successful production run. As tooling options continue to grow, it is important to know what tooling your spindle can utilize. Large diameter tools such as large end mills or face mills typically require slower spindle speeds and take deeper cuts to remove vast amounts of material. These applications require supreme machine rigidity and require a spindle with high torque.

Contrastingly, smaller diameter tools will need a higher-speed spindle. Faster speeds and feeds deliver better surface finishes and are used in a variety of applications. A good rule of thumb is that an end mill that is a half inch or smaller will run well with lower torque.

Types of CNC Spindles

After finding out what you should look for in a spindle, it is time to learn about your different options. Spindles typically vary by the type, style of the taper, or its size. The taper is the conical portion of the tool holder that fits inside of the opening of the spindle. Every spindle is designed to mate with a certain taper style and size.

properly selecting a spindle

CAT and BT Holders

This is the most widely utilized holder for milling in the United States. Referred to as “V-flange holders,” both of these styles need a retention knob or pull stud to be secured within the machine spindle. The BT (metric style) is popular overseas.

HSK Holders

This type of holder is a German standard known as “hollow shank taper.” The tapered portion of the holder is much shorter than its counterparts. It also engages the spindle in a different way and does not require a pull stud or retention knob. The HSK holder is utilized to create repeatability and longer tool life – particularly in High Efficiency Milling (HEM) applications.

All of these holders have benefits and limitations including price, accuracy, and availability. The proper selection will depend largely on your application requirements.

Torque vs. Horsepower

Torque is defined as force perpendicular to the axis of rotation across a distance. It is important to have high torque capabilities when using an end mill larger than ½ inch, or when machining a difficult material such as Inconel. Torque will help put power behind the cutting action of the tool.

Horsepower refers to the amount of work being done. Horsepower is important for smaller diameter end mills and easy-to-machine materials like aluminum.

You can think of torque as a tractor: It can’t go very fast, but there is a lot of power behind it. Think of horsepower as a racecar: It can go very fast but cannot pull or push.

Torque-Horsepower Chart

Every machine and spindle should come with a torque horsepower chart. These charts will help you understand how to maximize your spindle for torque or horsepower, depending on what you need:

Haas spindle horsepower and torque chart
Image Source: HAAS Machine Manual

Proper Spindle Size

The size of the spindle and shank taper corresponds to the weight and length of the tools being used, as well as the material you are planning to machine. CAT40 is the most commonly used spindle in the United States. These spindles are great for utilizing tools that have a ½ inch diameter end mill or smaller in any material. If you are considering using a 1 inch end mill in a material like Inconel or Titanium, a CAT50 would be a more appropriate choice. The higher the taper angle is, the more torque the spindle is capable of.

While choosing the correct tool for your application is important, choosing a tool your spindle can utilize is paramount to machining success. Knowing the amount of torque required will help machinists save a lot of headaches.

Green Manufacturing: Lasting Environment & Shop Benefits

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“Green Manufacturing” has become a common phrase used by many in America’s largest industry. It is defined by Goodwin College as “the renewal of production processes and the establishment of environmentally friendly operations within the manufacturing field.” Taking the time to rethink dated processes can save you time, money, and help build your reputation as a state-of-the-art business. The establishment of environmentally friendly machining processes is a huge leap in the right direction of creating an eco-friendly business.

green field with shrubs

Green Manufacturing is the next logical step forward for the industry.

How to Get Started With Green Manufacturing

The first step you should take on your march toward a more sustainable machine shop, and green manufacturing, is an evaluation of your facilities environmental impact. The most common method for environmental impact assessment of the manufacturing process is Life Cycle Assessment or LCA. ISO 14040 defines LCA as the compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs, and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.

4 Questions to Ask Yourself:

  1. Goal Definition and Scoping – What am I trying to achieve in this investigation?
  2. Inventory Analysis – What are the quantified inputs (energy, water, materials, etc.) and outputs (air emission, wastewater)?
  3. Impact Assessment – How do these things affect the environment?
  4. Interpretation – What can I change to make my processes more efficient and eco-friendly?

There are databases available to help with the inventory analysis. These databases collect information such as feed rate, cutting speed, tool diameter, cutting time, coolant properties, and then calculate all the material, and energy inputs and outputs.

Understanding the Impact of Cutting Fluids

Cutting fluids are most likely the number one pollutant in your machine shop, and are getting in your way of achieving green manufacturing. According to Modern Manufacturing Processes, North American manufacturers consumed more than 2 billion gallons in 2002, and the metal working fluid market has only grown since then. Cutting fluids have a number of benefits to the machining process, mostly involving cooling of the cutting region, lubrication, and chip evacuation.

Contaminants

Getting the most out of your coolant is a key factor of cost efficiency in any machine shop. Therefore, one of the largest problems you are likely to face, or are currently facing, is the deterioration of cutting fluid performance due to contaminants. The most common types of contaminants include:

  1. Free oils (tramp or sump oil) – Liquid that lubricates the gears and equipment of CNC machine seeping into the cutting fluid
  2. Coarse Particulates – Relatively larger solid waste, chips, and swarf
  3. Fine Particulates – Extremely small pieces of the workpiece or cutting tool that usually consist of heavy metals such as cobalt, cadmium, chromium, aluminum, and lead
  4. Microorganisms – Bacteria and fungi that grow inside the walls and pipes of the CNC machine

Coarse particulates such as chips and swarf are generally easily extracted using an H-Chain, chain and flight, push bar, or a flume system. Fine particulates are more difficult as they require either separation or filtration in the form of setting tanks, foam separators, centrifugal separation, or magnetic separators. Free oil can also be removed through filtration but can also be taken care of quickly and easily with a skimmer.

green manufacturing contaminants

The right filtration system can both save machine shops money and help the environment.

Microorganisms are the most difficult to remove as they can be a tenth of the size of fine particulates. “Monday morning stink” is a common side effect of anaerobic bacteria excreting hydrogen sulfide during their metabolic processes. These organisms are one of the main reasons coolant has to be drained and changed from a machine every few months. Advancements in technology over the past few decades have made it possible for membrane microfiltration systems to separate biomass, as well as oil from coolant fluids. With these types of systems, operators will no longer have to use problematic biocides as these have troublesome health effects for both the environment and employees. However, it is important to note that most of the microorganisms aren’t growing in the cutting fluid but on the walls/pipes of the machine or buried in the residue of chips at the bottom of the tank.

Some ways of reducing microorganism build-up in your shop include:

  • Keeping machines clean – sludge, swarf, and chips can be a breeding ground for bacteria
  • Reduce organic contamination – spit, sweat, tobacco juice, and organic matter are all a food source for microorganisms
  • Reduce the amount of tramp oil – This can also be a food source

green manufacturing

A dirty pile of chips where bacteria will grow and stink up your machine.

Types of Cutting Fluids

A good cutting fluid should have a high flash point, good adhesiveness, high thermal stability, and high oxidative stability. A high flash point is necessary as the fluid should not catch fire at high temperatures (gasoline has a low flash point). Good adhesiveness allows fluid to stick to the surface of the workpiece. This creates a layer between the cutting tool and the workpiece, helping to separate them and thus, reducing friction. Greater amounts of friction leads to higher cutting force, which leads to higher cutting temperatures.

High cutting temperatures are problematic, as this causes the cutting tool to wear faster and can also cause your workpiece to workharden. High thermal stability means that at high temperatures, the fluid should have a low viscosity (an example of a fluid with high viscosity would be honey at room temperature). A lower viscosity in the cutting region allows for a lower amount of friction, and therefore lower amounts of heat and cutting force. A cutting fluids oxidative stability ultimately decides how long that cutting fluid can be used. After a while, oil begin to oxidize, which then causes its viscosity and amount of deposits of sludge to rise.

green manufacturing

Excessive amounts of coolants can mean an excessive amount of waste.

For the purpose of this article, cutting fluids will be placed into two broad categories: biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

Non-Biodegradable Coolants

Non-biodegradable coolants are petroleum-based. They have high human and ecological toxicity, which results in occupational health risks. They also have a complicated disposal processes.

Biodegradable Coolants

Biodegradable coolants are plant-based. These are usually manufactured from vegetables such as soy, coconut and canola, or non-edible plants such as neem, karanja, and jatropha. This factor makes them a renewable resource and less toxic to humans, as well as the environment.

In recent years, some modified vegetable-based oils have surpassed petroleum based oils in performance in regards to surface finish, heat suppression and lubrication. One study, published in Science Direct, centered on turning in 304 stainless steel revealed that coconut oil with a boric acid additive was significantly better at combating tool flank wear and surface roughness when compared to two other cutting fluids. This was due to the vegetable-based solutions high thermal stability.

Another study, published in IOP Science, found that a combination of neem and karanja oil was superior to SAE 20W40 (petroleum based oil) in regards to lubrication when drilling mild steel. The results showed that the vegetable-based oil solution reduced the cutting force of the operation due to its higher viscosity and adhesiveness. This ultimately led to a better surface finish on the part.

Summary of Cost Efficient Coolant Changes You Can Make

  • Reduce microorganism build up in your machines by keeping the machines clean and reducing amount of outside contamination
  • Install a membrane microfiltration system
  • Switch to a more efficient and biodegradable cutting fluid

The Positive Green Machining Impact of Dry Machining

Dry machining should be utilized whenever the opportunity presents itself, as the costs and environmental issues associated with cutting fluid obtainment, management, and disposal are eliminated. Another benefit to dry machining is the absence of thermal shock. When the cutter exits the cut but coolant is still blasting, the large temperature fluctuation (thermal shock) will cause the cutting edge to break down quicker than if it were to run hot full time. Dry machining is most prevalent in machining operations with interrupted cuts or when cutting hardened steels. It is especially popular in milling operations with high speeds and feeds. Cutting with high running parameters allows for most of the heat to be dispersed into the chips rather than into the workpiece. This is also the case when machining hardened steels.

Ideal Tooling for Dry Machining

The ideal cutting tool should be more heat resistant, and less heat generative. Carbide is a good substrate as it is extremely hard and strong. Coated tools are the best option for dry machining as they have improved thermal insulation as well as improved self-lubrication.

The Positive Affect of Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL)

  • Significantly reduced fluid consumption
  • Safer cutting fluids and lubricants
  • Reduced health hazards for employees
  • Cleaner shop environment
  • Reduced maintenance

Because such a small quantity of fluid is used in MQL, this make it a perfect application to use slightly pricier vegetable-based oils. MQL has been found to be most effective in sawing and drilling operations.

The Benefits of Green Manufacturing

Taking a second look at your current machining operations through and environmentalist lens can save you time, money, and create a less hazardous work place for your employees. Using the techniques above, one can approximate shop efficiency and make appropriate changes for the benefit of current and future generations.

The Geometries and Purposes of a Slitting Saw

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When a machinist needs to cut material significantly deeper than wide, a Slitting Saw is an ideal choice to get the job done. These are unique due to their composition and rigidity, which allows it to hold up in a variety of both straightforward and tricky to machine materials.

What is a Slitting Saw?

A Slitting Saw is a flat (with or without a dish), circular-shaped tool that has a hole in the middle and teeth on the outer diameter. Used in conjunction with an arbor, this tool is intended for machining purposes that require a large amount of material to be removed within a small diameter, such as slotting or cutoff applications.

Other names include (but are not limited to) Slitting Cutters, Slotting Cutters, Jewelers Saws, and Slitting Knives. Both Jewelers Saws and Slitting Knives are particular types of saws. Jewelers Saws have a high tooth count enabling them to cut tiny, precise features, and Slitting Knives have no teeth at all. On Jewelers Saws, the tooth counts are generally much higher than other types of saws in order to make the cuts as accurate as possible.

Key Terminology

slitting saw terminology chart

Why Use a Slitting Saw?

These saws are designed for cutting into both ferrous and non-ferrous materials, and by utilizing their unique shape and geometries, they can cut thin slot type features on parts more efficiently than any other machining tool. Non-Ferrous slitting saws have fewer teeth, allowing for aggressively deep depths of cut.

harvey tool slitting saw

Common Applications:

  1. Separating Two Pieces of Material
    1. If an application calls for cutting a piece of material, such as a rod, in half, then a slitting saw will work well to cut the pieces apart while increasing efficiency.
  2. Undercutting Applications
    1. Saws can perform undercutting applications if mounted correctly, which can eliminate the need to remount the workpiece completely.
  3. Slotting into Material
    1. Capable of creating thin slots with a significant depth of cut, Slitting Saws can be just the right tool for the job!

When Not to Use a Slitting Saw

While it may look similar to a stainless steel circular saw blade from a hardware store, this tool should never be used with construction tools such as a table or circular saw.  Brittle saw blades will shatter when used on manual machines, and can cause injury when not used on the proper set up.

In Conclusion

Slitting Saws can be beneficial to a wide variety of machining processes, and it is vital to understand their geometries and purpose before attempting to utilize them in the shop. They are a great tool to have in the shop and can assist with getting jobs done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

How to Advance Your Machining Career: 8 Tips From Machining Pros

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Since we began shining a light on Harvey Performance Company brand customers via “In the Loupe’s,” Featured Customer posts, more than 20 machinists have been asked to share insight relevant to how they’ve achieved success in advancing their machining career. Each Featured Customer post includes interesting and useful information on a variety of machining-related subjects, including prototyping ideas, expanding a business, getting into machining, advantages and disadvantages of utilizing different milling machine types, and more. This post compiles 8 useful tips from our Featured Customers on ways to advance your machining career.

Tip 1: Be Persistent – Getting Your Foot in the Door is Half the Battle

With machining technology advancing at the amazing rate that it is, there is no better time to become a machinist. It is a trade that is constantly improving, and offers so many opportunities for young people. Eddie Casanueva of Nueva Precision first got into machining when he was in college, taking a job at an on-campus research center for manufacturing systems to support himself.

“The research center had all the workings of a machine shop,” Eddie said. “There were CNC mills, lathes, injection molding machines, and more. It just looked awesome. I managed to get hired for a job at minimum wage sweeping the shop floor and helping out where I could.

As a curious student, I would ask a million questions… John – an expert machinist – took me under his wing and taught me lots of stuff about machining. I started buying tools and building out my toolbox with him for a while, absorbing everything that I could.”

One of the best things about becoming a machinist is that there is a fairly low entry barrier. Many machinists start working right out of high school, with 12-18 months of on-the-job training or a one to two year apprenticeship. Nearly 70% of the machinist workforce is over the age of 45. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting a 10% increase in the machinist workforce with opportunities for 29,000 additional skilled machinists by 2024, so it is certainly a great time to get your foot in the door.

Tip 2: Keep an Open Mind – If You Can Think of It, You Can Machine It

Being open-minded is crucial to becoming the best machinist you can be. By keeping an open mind, Oklahoma City-based company Okluma’s owner Jeff Sapp has quickly earned a reputation for his product as one of the best built and most reliable flashlights on the market today. Jeff’s idea for Okluma came to him while riding his motorcycle across the country.

“I had purchased what I thought was a nice flashlight for $50 to carry with me on the trip. However, two days in to the trip the flashlight broke. Of course, it was dark and I was in the middle of nowhere trying to work on my bike. I’m happy to pay for good tools, but that wasn’t what happened. Not only was there no warranty for replacement, there was no way to fix it. It was just made to be thrown away. That whole attitude makes me angry. When I got home, I decided I was going to put my new skills to work and design and build my own flashlight, with the goal of never running into an issue like I had on my trip ever again. I started by making one for myself, then four, then twenty. That was four years ago. Now I have my own business with one employee and two dogs, and we stay very busy.”

An awesome side benefit to working as a machinist is that you have all the resources to create anything you can dream of, like Jeff did with Okluma.

machining career

Image courtesy of Okluma.

Tip 3: Be Patient – Take Time to Ensure Your Job is Setup Correctly before Beginning

The setup process is a huge part of machining, but is often overlooked. Alex Madsen, co- owner of M5 Micro in Minnesota, has been working in manufacturing for more than 11 years. Alex is also a part owner of World Fabrication, and owns his own job shop called Madsen Machine and Design. Alex has spent countless hours perfecting his setup to improve his part times.

“It is certainly challenging to use little tools, but the key is to not get discouraged. You should plan on lots of trial and error; breaking tools is just a part of the game. You may buy ten end mills and break six, but once you dial one in it will last the rest of the job.

You should also make sure to put extra time and effort into understanding your machine when working on micromachining jobs. You need to know where there is any backlash or issues with the machine because with a tiny tool, even an extra .0003” cut can mean the end of your tool. When a difference of one tenth can make or break your job, you need to take your time and be extra careful with your machine, tool inspection, and programming before you hit run.”

Tip 4: Effort Pays Off In Your Machining Career – Long Hours Result in Shop Growth

Success isn’t earned overnight. That is especially true in the machining world. Becoming a good machinist takes a great deal of sacrifice, says Josh from Fleet Machine Co. in Gloucester, MA.

“Opening your own shop involves more than learning how to program and machine. You also need to be willing to sacrifice some of your free time by working long hours to build your business from the ground up. Being a great machinist is important, but you also need to understand the basics of business, and you need to be able to sell your service and maintain a certain level of quality to keep your customers coming back.”

Working hard is a common theme we hear from our featured customers. Brothers Geordan and Nace Roberts of Master Machine Manufacturing have similar advice.

“We often need to work odd hours of the day to maintain the business, but we do it in a way that makes sure we have our family time. There are many times where we will go home, have dinner and hang out with the family, and wait until they are all sleeping to go back to work until two or three a.m. We will get back home later that morning to sleep a little and have breakfast with the family and send them on their way before heading back into the shop.” Starting and growing a business takes time. Every machinist starts from the beginning and through hard work and determination, grows their business.

Liberty Machine cnc mill

Image courtesy of Liberty Machine Inc.

Tip 5: Utilize Tooling from Quality Manufacturers – All Tooling Isn’t Created Equal

When it comes down to it, tooling is singlehandedly the biggest choice you will make in your machining career. Grant Hughson, manufacturing engineer at Weiss Watch Company who works as a manufacturing instructor in his spare time, reflected on the importance of tooling.

“Tool to tool accuracy and performance is vital in this business, especially with our extremely tight tolerances. High quality tools make sure that we get the same performance time after time without needing to scrap parts. This saves us valuable time and money.”

While opting for cheaper tooling can appear to be beneficial when just starting out, before long, machinists are losing time and money because of unpredictability. Jonathan from TL Technologies echoed this point, saying:

“We feel that if we invested so much in these high-end machining centers, it would be criminal to put insufficient tooling and holders into them. We found that by selecting the proper tool with the appropriate sciences behind it we have been able to create products with a cost per cut that is not only competitive, but required to stay current. By keeping the quality as high as possible on the part making side of things, we’ve insured as much ease and reliability into our downstream process as we could. Quality tooling also provides predictability and added safety into the workflow. High-quality carbide tooling is the lifeblood of the business.”

Additional Thoughts Regarding Boosting Your Machining Career With Tooling:

Don’t Cheap Out

  • “The additional cost is always worth the payoff in the end knowing that you have a tool that will produce quality parts and shave valuable minutes off your cycle times. The slightly higher cost of the Harvey/Helical product is small change compared to the long term cost savings associated with their performance” – Seth, Liberty Machine

Consistency is Key

  • “We know the performance we are going to get from the tools is consistent, and we can always rely on getting immaculate finishes. While using the Harvey Tool and Helical product, we can confidently walk away from the machine and come back to a quality finished part every time.” – Bennett, RIT Baja SAE

Superior Specialty Tools

  • “One of the greatest things that I’ve experienced over the past year and a half is flexibility. We’ve asked for some specific tools to be made typically, the lead times that we found were beyond what we needed. We went through the Helical specials division and had them built within a couple of weeks. That was a game changer for us.” – Tom, John Force Racing

“Having high quality tooling like Helical is essential. Helical tools help us maintain a much higher machining efficiency because of the outstanding tool life, while also achieving more aggressive run times. In addition, we are able to consistently keep high tolerances, resulting in a better final product.” – Cameron, Koenig Knives

Tip 6: Get With the Times – Join the Social Media Community

Social media is a valuable tool for machinists. With ever-increasing popularity in networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, there will always be an audience to showcase new and unique products to. We asked a few of our featured customers how they incorporated social media into their machining career and the benefits that come along with it.

“A lot of our sales come through Instagram or Facebook, so I would recommend those platforms to anyone who is trying to start a business,” Jeff from Okluma said. “We have also had a lot of success collaborating with others in the community. Typically it is something we couldn’t do ourselves, or they couldn’t do themselves, so we share the labor and collaborate on some really cool items.”

Tip 7: Value Your Customers – Always Put Them First

“In the Loupe’s” featured customers repeatedly emphasized the importance of putting customers first. It’s a simple concept to master, and pays off immensely as you advance in your machining career. Repeat customers tell you that you are doing something right, said Brian Ross, owner of Form Factory.

“We have kept our customers happy and consistently deliver parts on time, so we get a lot of repeat business. Word definitely gets around on how you treat people so we try to treat everyone with respect and honesty which is key to running a good business.” Jeff from Okluma takes great pride in his customer service, saying “we only sell direct to consumers through our website so we can control our lifetime warranty. It has worked really well for us so far, so we have no plans to change that right now. I care more about our customers than any retailer is able to.”

man examining machined part for machining career

Image courtesy of MedTorque.

Tip 8: Never Stop Learning – Ask Questions Whenever You Can as Your Machining Career Advances

Hopefully some of these tips from our featured customers stuck with you in exploring a machining career. To leave you with a quote from of Seth Madore, owner of Liberty Machine, “Don’t stop learning. Keep your ears open and your mouth shut,” “That old guy in the shop has likely forgotten more than you will ever learn. The amount of tools in your Kennedy box doesn’t mean you’re a good machinist. Some of the best toolmakers I knew had small boxes with only the common tools. Learn how to excel with limited resources. Ask questions, and own up to your mistakes.”

When to and Not to Use Drop Hole Allowance

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Dovetail Cutters are cutting tools that create a trapezoidal-type shape, or a dovetail groove, in a part. Due to the form of these tools, special considerations need to be made in order to achieve long tool life and superior results. This is particularly true when machining O-ring grooves, as this operation requires the tool to drop into the part to begin cutting. Using an appropriate tool entry method, specifically understanding when drop hole allowance is (and is not) needed, is important to keep common dovetail mishaps from occurring.

What is a Drop-Hole?

When designing parts featuring O-ring grooves, the consideration of drop-hole allowance is a pivotal first step. A drop-hole is an off-center hole milled during the roughing/slotting operation. This feature allows for a significantly larger, more rigid tool to be used. This is because the cutter no longer has to fit into the slot, but into a hole with a diameter larger than its cutter diameter.

drop hole allowance

Why consider adding a Drop-Hole?

When compared to tools without drop-hole allowance, tools with drop-hole allowance have a much larger neck diameter-to-cutter diameter ratio. This makes the drop-hole tools far stronger, permitting the tool to take heavy radial depths of cut and fewer step-overs. Using a drop-hole will allow the use of the stronger tool, which will increase production rate and improve tool life.

Machining Operation with Drop-Hole Allowance

drop hole allowance

A maximum of 4 radial passes per side are needed.

When Not to Drop Hole

Drop-holes are sometimes not permitted in a design due to the added stress concentration point it leaves. Common examples for where a drop-hole would not be allowed include:

  • In high pressure applications
  • In seals requiring a high reliability
  • Where dangerous or hazardous fluids are being used

The issue with drop-hole allowance is that the additional clearance used for tool entry can create a weak spot in the seal, which can then become compromised under certain conditions. Ultimately, drop-hole allowance requires approval from the customer to ensure the application allows for it.

Machining Operation Without Drop-Hole Allowance

drop hole allowance

A maximum of 20 radial passes per side are needed.

Drop-Hole Placement

When adding a drop-hole to your part, it is important to ensure that the feature is placed correctly to maximize seal integrity. Per the below figure, the drop-hole should be placed off center of the groove, ensuring that only one side of the groove is affected.

drop hole allowance

It is also necessary to ensure that drop-hole features are put on the correct side of the groove. Since O-rings are used as a seal between pressures, it is important to have the drop-hole bordering the high pressure zone. As pressure moves from high to low, the O-ring will be forced into the fully supported side, allowing for a proper seal (See image below).

drop hole allowance

Chipbreaker vs. Knuckle Rougher End Mills

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Knuckle Roughers and Chipbreakers are common profiles found on roughing end mills that, while fairly similar in appearance, actually serve different functions. Chipbreakers refer to the notches along the cutting edge of a tool that work to break up chips to prevent common evacuation mishaps. Knuckle Roughers refer to the serrated cutting edge of a tool, which works to enhance cutting action for an overall smoother operation.

Determining the appropriate style of tool is a very important first step to a successful roughing application.

Increase Your Roughing Efficiency With Helical Solutions’ Chipbreakers

Understanding the Two Styles

Chipbreaker End Mills

To aid chip evacuation, Chipbreaker End Mills feature a notched profile along the cutting edge that break down long chips into smaller, more manageable pieces. These tools are often utilized in aluminum jobs, as long, stringy chips are common with that material.

Each notch is offset flute-to-flute to enhance the surface finish on the part. This works by ensuring that as each flute rotates and impacts a part, following flutes work to clean up any marks or extra material that was left behind by the first pass. This leaves a semi-finished surface on your part.

In addition to improving chip control and reducing cutting resistance, these tools also help in decreasing heat load within the chips. This delays tool wear along the cutting edge and improves cutting performance. Not only are these tools great for hogging out a great deal of material, but they can be utilized in a wide array of jobs – from aluminum to steels. Further, a machinist can take full advantage of the unique benefits this tool possesses by utilizing High Efficiency Milling toolpaths, meant to promote efficiency and boost tool life.

Knuckle Roughers

Knuckle Rougher End Mills have a serrated cutting edge that generates significantly smaller chips than a standard end mill cutting edge. This allows for smoother machining and a more efficient metal removal process, similar to Chipbreaker End Mills. However, the serrations chop the chips down to much finer sizes, which allows more chips into the flutes during the evacuation process without any packing occurring.

Designed for steels, Knuckle Rougher End Mills are built to withstand harder materials and feature a large core. Because of this, these tools are great for roughing out a lot of material. However, due to the profile on the cutting edge, tracks along the wall can sometimes be left on a part. If finish is a concern, be sure to come in with a finishing tool after the roughing operation. Knuckle Roughers have proven the ability to run at higher chip loads, compared to similar end mills, which makes this a highly desired style for roughing. Further, this style of rougher causes a lot of heat and friction within the chips, so it’s important to run flood coolant when running this tool.

Key Differences Between Knuckle Roughers & Chipbreakers

While the two geometries offer similar benefits, it’s important to understand the distinct differences between them. Chipbreakers feature offset notches, which help to leave an acceptable finish on the walls of a part. Simply, the material left on an initial flute pass is removed by subsequent passes. A Knuckle Rougher does not feature this offset geometry, which can leave track marks on your part. Where part finish is of upmost importance, utilize a Knuckle Rougher to first hog out a great deal of steel, and work a final pass with a Finishing End Mill.

A unique benefit of Knuckle Roughers is the grind they possess – a cylindrical grind, compared to a relieved grind of a Chipbreaker End Mill. Because of this, Knuckle Roughers are easier to resharpen. Therefore, instead of buying a new tool, resharpening this profile is often a cheaper alternative.

How Material Specific Tooling Pays Off

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A machinist is faced with many questions while selecting the proper tool for their job. One key decision that must be made is whether a material specific tool is appropriate and necessary for the application that’s going to be performed – whether the benefits of using this type of tool outweigh the higher price tag than that of a tool designed for use in a variety of materials. There are four main categories to consider when deciding whether a material specific tool is your best bet: internal tool geometry, coatings, material removal rates (MRR), and cost.

When to Utilize Material Specific Tooling

Are you a machinist in a shop that deals primarily with one type of material? Or, do you generally change materials frequently throughout the day? Further, how many parts do you make at a time? These are questions you must ask yourself prior to making a tooling decision.

Material Specific Tooling is best utilized where several parts are being machined of the same material. For instance, if your shop is machining 1,000 plastic parts, it would be in your best interest to opt for a tool designed for this material as your tooling would not only last longer but perform better. If machining flexibility is paramount for your shop, if you’re only machining a few parts, or if part finish is not of high importance, a regular end mill may suffice.

Pros and Cons of Material Specific Tooling

There are pros and cons to purchasing a Material Specific Tool.

Pros:

  • Tool geometry designed for the material you’re working in to achieve the best results.
  • Coating optimized for the material you’re cutting.
  • More aggressive speeds and feeds, and boosted MRR as a result.
  • Increased tool life.

Cons:

  • Higher upfront cost, though long term savings are possible if used in proper situations.
  • Less opportunity for flexibility. While most end mills may be suitable for use in many jobs and many machines, Material Specific End Mills are engineered for use in specific materials

Special Benefits of Material Specific Tooling

A Unique Internal Tool Geometry

Many manufacturers supply tooling designed for use in specific material buckets. For instance, Harvey Tool has distinct catalog sections for material specific tooling for Hardened Steels, Exotic Alloys, Medium Alloy Steels, Free Machining Steels, Aluminum Alloys, Plastics, Diamond Tooling for Non-Ferrous Materials, and Composites. The special geometry of tools found in these sections is optimized to allow the tool to perform optimally in its select material group.

For instance, a machinist may be faced with a dilemma while preparing to machine a plastic part. While an end mill found in Harvey Tool’s Miniature End Mill section could certainly machine this material, Harvey Tool’s end mill offering designed to machine plastics feature a high rake, high relief design. This is ideal for plastics because you want to effectively cut and form chips while the strength of the tool is less of a concern. The high rake and high relief creates a sharp cutting edge that would quickly break down in metals. However, in plastics, this effectively shears the material and transfers the heat into the chip to produce a great finish in your part.

material specific tooling

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Specific Coatings & Substrates for Optimal Performance

One key benefit of opting for a material specific tool is the ability to utilize the best coating option available for that material. Tool coatings serve many functions, including improved lubricity, increased tool life, and a higher-quality part finish. In addition, coated tools can typically be run around 10% faster than uncoated tools.

While many manufacturers will specially coat a standard end mill at your request, this takes added time and cost. In its Material Specific catalog sections, Harvey Tool offers coated tools stocked and ready to ship. For instance, their Hardened Steels and Exotic Alloys categories utilize AlTiN Nano coating. This is a unique nanocomposite coating that has a max working temperature of 2,100° F and shows improved performance in materials such as Hardened Steels, Titantium Alloys, and Inconel, among others.

Increased Material Removal Rates

Because Material Specific Tooling features optimal tool geometry for a job, running parameters are generally able to be more aggressive. Any machinist knows that Material Removal Rates (MRR), is the metric that’s most closely related to shop efficiency, as the more material removed from a part in a given period of time, the faster parts are made and the higher the shop output.

The following example compares running parameters of end mills from Harvey Tool’s Miniature End Mill and Material Specific End Mill Sections. You can notice that while key geometries between the two tools are identical, and are in use in the same material with the same operation, the chip load (+25%), linear feed rate (+33%), and depth of cut (+43%) are boosted. This allows for more material to be removed in a shorter period of time.

Miniature End Mill

Part Number: 836408

Description: 3 Flute 1/8 inch diameter 3x LOC Square Stub & Standard

Material: 6061 Aluminum

Application: Slotting

Speed: 10,000 RPM

Chip Load: .00124 IPT

Linear Feed: 37.2 IPM

DOC: .04375

Material Specific End Mill

Part Number: 942308

Description: 3 Flute 1/8 inch diameter 3x LOC Square Variable Helix for Aluminum Alloys

Material: 6061 Aluminum

Application: Slotting

Speed: 10,000 RPM

Chip Load: .00165 IPT

Linear Feed: 49.5 IPM

DOC: .0625

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Extensive Cost Savings

The following chart displays a cost analysis breakdown between a tool found in the Miniature End Mill section, item 993893-C3; and a tool found in the Material Specific End Mill section, item 933293-C6. When compared for the machining of 1,000 parts, the overall savings is nearly $2,500.

material specific tooling benefit chart

Material Specific Tooling Summarized

In conclusion, Material Specific End Mills have many benefits, but are best utilized in certain situations. While the initial cost of these tools are higher, they can work to save your shop time and money in the long run by lasting longer and producing more parts over a given period of time.

How to Extend the Life of Your End Mill

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Breaking and damaging an end mill is oftentimes an avoidable mistake that can be extremely costly for a machine shop. To save time, money, and your end mill it is important to learn some simple tips and tricks to extend tool life.

Properly Prepare Before the Tool Selection Process

The first step of any machining job is selecting the correct end mill for your material and application. However, this doesn’t mean that there should not be an adequate amount of legwork done beforehand to ensure the right decision on a tool is being made. Harvey Tool and Helical Solutions have thousands of different tools for different operations – a vast selection which, if unprepared – can easily result in selecting a tool that’s not the best for your job. To start your preparation, answer the 5 Questions to Ask Before Selecting an End Mill to help you quickly narrow down your selection and better understand the perfect tool you require.

Understand Your Tooling Requirements

It’s important to understand not only what your tool needs, but also general best practices to avoid common machining mishaps. For instance, it is important to use a tool with a length of cut only as long as needed, as the longer a tools length of cut is, the greater the chance of deflection or tool bending, which can decrease its effective life.

tool life

Another factor to consider is the coating composition on a tool. Harvey Tool and Helical Solutions offer many varieties of coatings for different materials. Some coatings increase lubricity, slowing tool wear, while others increase the hardness and abrasion resistance of the tool. Not all coatings increase your tool’s life in every material, however. Be wary of coatings that don’t perform well in your part’s material – such as the use of AlTiN coating in Aluminum (Both coating and material are aluminum-based and have a high affinity for each other, which can cause built-up edge and result in chip evacuation problems).

Consider Variable Helix & Pitch Geometry

A feature on many of our high performance end mills is variable helix or variable pitch geometry, which have differently-spaced flutes. As the tool cuts, there are different time intervals between the cutting edges contacting the workpiece, rather than simultaneously on each rotation. The varying time intervals minimizes chatter by reducing harmonics, increasing tool life and producing better results.

Ensure an Effective Tool Holding Strategy

Another factor in prolonging tool life is proper tool holding. A poor tool holding strategy can cause runout, pullout, and scrapped parts. Generally, the most secure connection has more points of contact between the tool holder and tool shank. Hydraulic and Shrink Fit Tool Holders provide increased performance over other tightening methods.

tool life

Helical also offers shank modifications to all stocked standards and special quotes, such as the ToughGRIP Shank, which provides added friction between the holder and the shank of the tool for a more secure grip; and the Haimer Safe-Lock™, which has grooves on the shank of the tool to help lock it into place in a tool holder.

helical end mill

Trust Your Running Parameters, and their Source

After selecting the correct end mill for your job, the next step is to run the tool at the proper speeds and feeds.

Run at the Correct Speed

Understanding the ideal speed to run your machine is key to prolonging tool life. If you run your tool too fast, it can cause suboptimal chip size, ineffective chip evacuation, or even total tool failure. Adversely, running your tool too slowly can result in deflection, bad finish, or decreased metal removal rates.

Push at the Best Feed Rate

Another critical parameter of speeds and feeds is finding the best possible feed rate for your job, for sake of both tool life and achieving maximum shop efficiency. Pushing your tool too aggressively can result in breakage, but being too conservative can lead to recutting chips and excess heat generation, accelerating tool wear.

Use Parameters from Your Tooling Manufacturer

A manufacturer’s speeds and feeds calculations take into account every tool dimension, even those not called out in a catalog and readily available to machinists. Because of this, it’s best to rely on running parameters from tooling manufacturers. Harvey Tool offers speeds and feeds charts for every one of its more than 21,000 tools featured in its catalog, helping machinists to confidently run their tool the first time.

Harvey Performance Company offers the Machining Advisor Pro application, a free, cutting-edge resource that generates custom running parameters for optimized machining with all of Helical’s products.

tool life

Opt for the Right Milling Strategy: Climb vs Conventional

There are two ways to cut material when milling: Climb Milling and Conventional Milling. In conventional milling, the cutter rotates against the feed. In this method, chips will start at theoretical zero and increase in size. Conventional milling is usually recommended for tools with higher toughness, or for breaking through case hardened materials.

In Climb Milling, the cutter rotates with the feed. Here, the chips start at maximum width and decrease, causing the heat generated to transfer into the chip instead of being left in the tool or work piece. Climb milling also produces a cleaner shear plane, causing less rubbing, decreasing heat, and improving tool life. When climb milling, chips will be removed behind the cutter, reducing your chances of recutting.

Utilize High Efficiency Milling

High Efficiency Milling (HEM), is a roughing technique that uses the theory of chip thinning by applying a smaller radial depth of cut (RDOC) and a larger axial depth of cut (ADOC). The parameters for HEM are similar to that of finishing, but with increased speeds and feeds, allowing for higher material removal rates (MRR). HEM utilizes the full length of cut instead of just a portion of the cutter, allowing heat to be distributed across the cutting edge, maximizing tool life and productivity. This reduces the possibility of accelerated tool wear and breakage.

Decide On Coolant Usage & Delivery

Coolant can be an extremely effective way to protect your tool from premature wear and possible tool breakage. There are many different types of coolant and methods of delivery to your tool. Coolant can come in the form of compressed air, water-based, straight oil-based, soluble oil-based, synthetic or semi-synthetic. It can be delivered as mist, flood, high pressure or minimum quantity lubricant.

Appropriate coolant type and delivery vary depending on your application and tool. For example, using a high pressure coolant with miniature tooling can lead to tool breakage due to the fragile nature of extremely small tools. In applications of materials that are soft and gummy, flood coolant washes away the long stringy chips to help avoid recutting and built-up edge, preventing extra tool wear.

Extend Your Tool’s Life

The ability to maximize tool life saves you time, money and headaches. To get the best possible outcome from your tool, you first need to be sure you’re using the best tool for your job. Once you find your tool, ensure that your speeds and feeds are accurate and are from your tooling manufacturer. Nobody knows the tools better than they do. Finally, think about how to run your tool: the rotation of your cutter, whether utilizing an HEM approach is best, and how to introduce coolant to your job.