When browsing Titan USA’s selection of available drill bits, you may come across descriptions like “Type B,” “Type C,” or “Type J.” The following will serve to explain the origins of these designations and what each “Type” means; information that will help you when selecting the optimal drill bit for your operation.
Origin of Drill Type Classifications
The drill “Types” referenced above are creations of the National Aerospace Specification Committee (NASC), a subset of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). The Committee is responsible for the creation and maintenance of part standards for aerospace parts and components within AIA’s National Aerospace Standards (NAS) library. These part standards are recognized for meeting the high strength, close tolerance, and rigorous acceptance testing requirements of the aerospace industry.[1]
Aerospace Drill Standards & Types
The NASC identifies three different “standards” for drills: NAS907, NAS937, and NAS965. Each of these standards can be broken down into different “types.” The “standard” represents the size range and shank options, and the “type” represents a unique combination of other attributes including material, surface treatment, web construction, back taper, point type, and lengths. For example, NAS 937 drills have a size range of Ø1/8” through Ø1/2” and the following shank options: Straight, straight w/ tri flats, quick change, reduced shank, reduced shank with tri flats, and Tang. Type B within that same standard would indicate that the material is High Speed Steel (M2 or M7), that the drill has a bright finish, a web construction where thickness increases uniformly at 0.017” ± 0.003” per inch taper, a back taper of 0.0002” to 0.0005” per inch for all diameters, a P-3 (135°) split point, and a jobber or aircraft extension length.
All the drills that call out a type in Titan USA’s catalog are NAS907 standard drills as they all have drill diameters of 1/16” through 1/2” and straight shanks. Below are examples of Titan USA drills of types B, C, and J within that standard:
Type B
Type C
Type J
Choosing the right drill bit for your job is key to ensuring accuracy and efficiency in any project, and knowing what these type designations represent can help you identify the size and material that’s right for you more quickly.
Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations by Third Wave Systems’ AdvantEdge CAE product, we tested different end mill corner geometries to compare their effects on both the tool and the workpiece. We studied and compared four 4 flute tools with either a 0.010” or 0.030” radius or chamfer. All tools were tested in 304 stainless steel at 1865 RPM, 244 SFM, and 0.0045 IPT for one revolution.
Both Corner Radius and Corner Chamfer tools offer advantages over Square End Mills by improving tool strength and reducing wear, though their benefits vary. One drawback of corner radius end mills is chip thinning along the radius, which can generate excess heat due to changes in chip thickness. This can lead to premature tool wear, poor surface finish, and potential work hardening. On the other hand, Corner Chamfers have the disadvantage of sharp corners where the chamfer meets the outer diameter (OD) and the end of the tool, causing local stress concentrations.
Force Analysis
The graphs above demonstrate the force exerted on the tool during cutting and how the corner size impacts the required force. As each flute engages, the forces peak in each direction. The 0.010” Chamfer generates the greatest force, while the 0.030” Chamfer requires the least. The forces with the radiused tools are very similar and fall between those of the two chamfered tools.
Temperature Analysis
The peak tool temperature graph shows the impact of chip thinning on corner radius tools and the overall corner size. The 0.030” Radius generated the most heat, while the 0.030” Chamfer generated the least. The temperature differences between the 0.010” Chamfer and 0.010” Radius was minimal, with the 0.010” Radius generated slightly less heat.
Chip and Workpiece Temperature
Understanding the temperature of the chip and workpiece is crucial for assessing tool performance. The contours above illustrate that the most heat is generated along the 0.030” Radius, followed by the 0.010” Radius. Corner Chamfer tools performed better, maintaining a lower overall temperature due to the absence of chip thinning.
Stress Analysis
The minimum principal stress on the backside of the flute indicates areas prone to tool failure. While there were slight differences between the chamfers and radii, the most notable finding was the reduction in stress with increased corner break size.
Similarly, the Mises stress analysis shows where stress is concentrated within the tool, potentially leading to failure. Again, the most significant observation was the reduction in stress with larger corner breaks.
Corner Chamfer vs. Corner Radius: Wrapped Up
Considering all factors, the 0.030” Corner Chamfer proved to be the best overall tool for 304 stainless steel. This is partly due to 304’s tendency to work harden, making excess heat generation particularly detrimental. When working with heat-sensitive materials, Corner Chamfer tools are preferable, especially during roughing, as they generate less heat due to the absence of chip thinning. Although there are minor stress concentrations at the sharp corners of Corner Chamfer tools, these are outweighed by the benefits of reduced heat generation. Larger radii exacerbate chip thinning’s impact on heat generation. While both tool styles offer advantages over square end mills, Corner Chamfer tools are more beneficial in high-heat applications where work hardening and tool wear are concerns.
Harvey Tool offers a range of Corner Chamfer Tools, with sizes ranging from 0.047” to 0.500” and various chamfer sizes to suit different applications.
Precision cutting plays a pivotal role in the manufacturing of honeycomb core. CoreHog, a leading provider of composite cutting solutions, offers two distinct styles of Honeycomb Core Finishing Tools: Traditional Finishing Core Tools and Free Cutting Tools. In this post, we explore the advantages and limitations of both Traditional Finishing Core Tools and Free Cutting Core Tools, helping you determine the right choice for your unique manufacturing needs.
CoreHog’s Large Core Finishing Tool
Advantages of Traditional Honeycomb Finishing Tools:
CoreHog’s Finishing Core Tools are designed to handle substantial cutting tasks, efficiently. With three size ranges available, they excel at removing high volumes of material and boast excellent tool life, making them ideal for production applications.
However, these tools may pose limitations in specific applications. Traditional tools exert tool pressure, but depending on the tool geometry and part profile, the pressure may be too much for the part. This becomes more pronounced when cutting knife edge features such as chamfers and bevels, where the pressure exerted by the tool can cause the part to arch, dislodging it from the table, and ultimately causing it to deviate from specifications.
Introducing Free Cutting Core Finishing Tools:
To address the limitations of traditional honeycomb core finishing tools when cutting knife edge features, CoreHog offers Free Cutting Finishing Core Tools. The innovative design reduces tool pressure seen in both the Coreslicer and CoreHogger. The Free Cutting Coreslicer features a more acute and sharper angle, reducing the upward pressure exerted on the part during cutting.
Differentiation of angle between the Large Coreslicer and the Free Cutting Coreslicer
Further, these tools feature a CoreHogger with a reduced diameter, allowing for greater offset between the CoreHogger and Coreslicer. This allows the Coreslicer to be more forward and free cutting, engaging with the material prior to the CoreHogger and reducing the resulting pressure typically exhibited by the CoreHogger.
Reduced diameter design of Free Cutting CoreHogger decreases tool pressure on the part.
When to Use Free Cutting Tools:
CoreHog’s Free Cutting Core Finishing Tools are particularly well-suited for applications involving chamfering, beveling, and cutting angled profiles in honeycomb core materials. By reducing pressure and preventing lifting on the part, these tools ensure precise cuts without compromising part quality.
Traditional vs. Free Cutting Core Finishing Tool: Summarized
In conclusion, choosing the right cutting tool is crucial for achieving precise results in composite manufacturing. While traditional finishing core tools excel in handling substantial tasks, they may pose challenges when cutting angled profiles in honeycomb core materials. CoreHog’s Free Cutting Core Finishing Tools offer a solution by minimizing pressure on the part, making them ideal for chamfering, beveling, and most other angled profiles. However, in finicky applications where the knife edge part is extremely shallow, a Valve Stem Cutter may still be necessary to achieve your desired cut. By understanding your specific cutting requirements, you can select the most suitable tool for your application, ensuring optimal results in your honeycomb manufacturing processes.
In today’s Manufacturing Industry, part finish and machining efficiency are key to a successful machine shop. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the popularity Multi-Axis Finishers has never been greater. Helical Solutions is a leader in the manufacturing of Multi-Axis Finishers, and its customers utilize this impressive tool when faced with extremely high surface finish requirements, oftentimes swapping out a traditional Ball End Mill to dramatically improve finish while minimizing cycle times.
Multi-Axis Finisher Basic Principles
A Multi-Axis Finisher can be easily recognized by its large radius included in the profile of the tool. With a larger radius, a far greater stepover can be used pass-to-pass while keeping the same cusp height as a Ball End Mill. This decreases the cycle time by a known value called the Benefit Multiple.
A Multi-Axis Finisher with a Benefit Multiple of 8 will reduce the cycle time to 1/8 of the cycle time for a Ball End Mill of the same shank diameter – an 87.5% time savings! If a Multi-Axis Finisher is used with the same pass-to-pass stepover as a Ball End Mill, the finish will be drastically improved due to exponentially smaller cusp heights. Most situations allow both reduced cycle time and improved surface finish to be achieved.
The images below show the comparison of a ball end mill to an Oval Shape Multi-Axis Finisher with a benefit multiple of 4.
Due to their large radii, Multi-Axis Finishers are best suited for wide open, flowing, and somewhat flat surfaces. Smaller spaces, especially tight corners, will generally not see as much benefit from these tools due to limited use of the major radius.
Multi-Axis Finisher Tool Selection
The Manufacturing Industry’s leader in Multi-Axis Finishers, Helical Solutions offers 3 distinct profiles, each fully stocked and available to ship the day of purchase.
Oval Form Multi-Axis Finishers
The oval form includes 2 tangential radii and offers the most versatility in smaller spaces where a slightly varied approach angle is required, such as impellers or fan blades.
Taper Form Multi-Axis Finishers
The taper form includes 3 tangential radii and a taper angle. It allows for the largest radius, and therefore greatest potential improvement of finish and reduction of cycle time. They are best used where a specific approach angle is needed and where maximum performance gain is desired.
Lens Form Multi-Axis Finishers
The lens form includes 2 tangential radii on the end of the tool and is used for work mostly on the face of a part. Tilt angles of approximately 5 degrees are recommended for these tools to avoid working on-center.
Programming Multi-Axis Finishers
Programming Multi-Axis Finishers requires some additional consideration compared to a typical end mill. Luckily, many modern CAM packages offer support for these unique profiles, including many of Helical’s CAM partners. Each software has their own name for these toolpaths, so reach out to your CAM or Helical sales rep to find how you can program yours!
For more information on Multi-Axis Finishers, and to learn if this advantageous tool is right for you, read our Multi-Axis Finishers Q&A.
https://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Featured-Image-Multi-Axis-Finisher-Keys-to-Surface-Finish-1.jpg5251400Tom Pylehttp://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Logo_HarveyPerformanceCompany-4.pngTom Pyle2024-03-29 10:27:002024-04-24 09:17:44Multi-Axis Finishers: The Key to Amazing Surface Finish
Choosing the correct tool coating is extremely important when machining highly abrasive materials like composites, graphite, aluminum alloys, and other non-ferrous materials. Proper coating selection will result in maximized tool life and a higher quality final part. When searching for a coating, it is imperative to find one that has high hardness and maintains a sharp cutting edge, like Helical Solutions’ Dplus coating. This post will explore what Dplus coating is (and isn’t), and when it might help you gain a competitive edge at the spindle.
What is Helical Solutions’ Dplus Coating?
Helical’s Dplus is a premium coating, specially engineered to extend tool life when machining materials ranging from aerospace aluminums to graphite or abrasive composites. It has a Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (taC) bond structure, which delivers remarkable enhancements in tool life compared to traditional DLC coatings.
Helical’s Dplus coating is applied by a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) process. This method of coating takes place in a near-vacuum and distributes micron-thick layers evenly onto a properly prepared tool. Since this coating is applied via a PVD process, it is inherently different than true diamond created through Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes. While this means it can be outlasted by CVD diamond, Dplus is a thinner coating allowing it to have a sharper cutting edge.
Dplus is an excellent choice when working in abrasive non-ferrous materials like graphite and high-silicon aluminums. It is an extremely hard coating (50 Gpa), which enables it to remain strong against abrasive materials. It also has a very low coefficient of friction, allowing for optimal lubricity. This reduces the risk of built-up edge and ensures chips can be easily evacuated out of the flute valleys.
In Production Runs
The combination of Dplus being an extremely hard and sharp coating, makes it a true winner when it comes to tool life. Using a coated tool in extended production runs can pay dividends at the spindle, especially when working in highly abrasive non-ferrous materials.
Although Dplus takes the spot as Helical’s highest performing coating for non-ferrous materials, it may not be needed in certain applications. Its high hardness and abrasion resistance may be necessary for long production jobs, but may not be necessary for shorter jobs and one-off parts.
When Should a Machinist NOT Use Dplus Coating?
In High Temperature Applications
Although Dplus coating provides outstanding tool life and sharpness, it can’t be run at extremely high temperatures. This coating should not be run in any ferrous material or high temperature aerospace alloys.
Key Takeaways
Featuring an exceptionally low coefficient of friction and extremely high hardness, Helical’s Dplus coating maintains a sharp cutting edge, while still resisting abrasion, making it an excellent choice in low temperature applications of highly abrasive non-ferrous materials.
A CNC drill has many different features and geometries that directly impact the tool’s performance, productivity, and tool life in the specific material it’s machining. It is important to understand the different geometries of a drill to ensure you’re not only recognizing how they affect an application, but also which geometries you should be looking for when selecting your next drill. For continued success a machinist must know all aspects that goes into a cnc drill geometry.
1. Point Angle
This drill geometry refers to the angle of the cutting edge of the drill. As the point angle increases on a drill, the radial forces decrease, making the angle size a huge factor in what type of material the drill is optimized for and what types of applications should be run. The smaller the point angle, the better it will perform in through hole applications. This is because the smaller angle reduces the axial forces, allowing less of the chip to be pushed out and more cutting to occur.
118° & 120° Point Angle
Many machinists opt for this angle when machining soft gummy materials.
135° Point Angle
This point angle size is an excellent choice for machining aluminum and stainless steels.
140° Point Angle
This larger point angle size is great for machining steels.
150° Point Angle
Large angles are often used for spot drilling applications, but the optimal spot drill angle is determined by the size of the angle of the final drill being used. Selecting the proper spot drill is essential to eliminating the chance of drill walking and ensuring a more accurate final product. Learn which spot angle should be used for your next drilling job in this in-depth guide.
2. Chisel and Cutting Edges
Although the chisel edge of a CNC drill does not provide any cutting action, it is responsible for the centering of the drill, as it extrudes the material towards the cutting edges. The cutting edges are then able to start the process of producing chips, which then travel up the flutes of the drill.
3. Flutes
The most recognizable part of a drill is its flutes. They are the deep grooves that allow for chip evacuation to occur. When one thinks of a drill, they are likely imagining a spiral flute drill. These spiral flutes complement the point angle, chisel edge, and the cutting edges. They work like an elevator system to lift the chips out of the hole, allowing them to provide excellent chip evacuation. They work great in most material types and provide good hole quality.
4. Helix Angle
The helix angle is the angle formed by the leading edge of the land with a plane containing the axis of the drill. The main function of the helix angle is to transfer the chips out of the hole and a specific angle is relevant to the type of material that is being machined in and the particular application being run.
Low Helix
A low helix of 12° – 22° is recommended for materials like cast iron, brass, and hardened steels. In these “short chipping” materials, the chips move more freely, and the coolant provides enough assistance to properly evacuate the chips out of the hole.
Medium Helix
The most widely used helix angles are medium as they provide optimal chip evacuation and strength to the drill. Medium helix angles range from 28° – 32° and are recommended for any general purpose drilling applications.
High Helix
A high helix angle of 34° – 38° is recommended for long chipping material such as softer non-ferrous materials like brass, aluminum, and plastics. Drills with a high helix are also beneficial in deep hole applications as the chips can evacuate more easily.
5. Web Thickness (Core)
The web is the core section of the drill body, which connects the two flutes. The thickness of the web determines the torsional strength of a drill. A drill with a larger web diameter will have more torsional strength than a drill with a smaller web diameter.
The proper web thickness is determined by the material type to be machined. Long chipping materials will require a drill with a smaller web thickness to provide adequate clearance for chip removal. When drilling short chipping materials such as cast iron, the drill web can be increased for additional strength.
6. Corner Chamfer
A corner chamfer or radius is often added to eliminate the sharp edge at the intersection of the flutes and the outside diameter of a drill. This helps to eliminate material breakout when exiting a hole, while also helping to reduce the size of the entrance and exit burrs. This feature is also widely known to significantly extend tool life.
7. Drill Margin
Margin(s) are the surfaces along the outer diameter of the drill which provide stability to the hole as they support the radial forces that are directed radially by the drill point.
Size of Drill Margin
The size of the margin will determine the overall quality of the hole. Wide marginswill stabilize the drill better, hold a tighter hole diameter tolerance, and improve the circularity of the hole. Narrow margins reduce friction and heat, eliminate work hardening, mitigate built-up edge, and provide better tool life.
Number of Drill Margins
The number of margins on a drill is usually determined by the type of hole being machined. Single margin drills are very common in non-interrupted holes. Double or triple margin drills are common in interrupted or intersecting holes. The more margins there are, the better the guidance is to help the drill stay straight through interrupted cuts, cross holes, and irregular or angled surfaces on exit. While adding margins does provide these benefits for irregular style cuts, they also increase friction, which causes the drill to produce more heat. This causes wear to be accelerated, reducing the life of the tool.
8. Land of a Drill
The land is the outer portion of the body of the drill between two adjacent flutes. Land width will determine how much torsional force a drill can withstand before catastrophic failure. The smaller the land is, the more chip space there is, producing less torsional strength. The larger the land is, the less chip space there is, providing more torsional strength.
9. Coolant-Through Channels
Not only do coolant-through channels offer any drilling application a multitude of benefits, but they are also highly recommended for hole depths that exceed 4XD (4 times diameter). Coolant-Through Drills allow for higher speed and feed rate capabilities, increased lubricity, better chip control, improved surface finish, and enhanced tool life.
10. Shank
The shank is a very important yet overlooked drill geometry as it is the drive mechanism and is what is mounted into a Tool Holder. It is essential that the shank is held to proper diameter tolerance and considerations are being made depending on the holder being used. For example, a shank with an h6 tolerance is essential when a shrink fit style tool holder is being used.
Learning the different geometries of a CNC drill can greatly assist you in ensuring you are selecting the right drill for your next job, while understanding the functions of these features will allow you to trouble shoot any potential machining hiccups you may encounter in your future CNC drilling applications.
https://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Valor-SteelDrill-001-1.jpg5251400Harvey Performance Companyhttp://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Logo_HarveyPerformanceCompany-4.pngHarvey Performance Company2023-12-11 11:52:362025-01-28 16:04:3910 CNC Drill Geometries Every Machinist Must Know
One of the most common issues machinists face during a drilling operation is hole misalignment. Hole alignment is an essential step in any assembly or while mating cylindrical parts. When holes are properly aligned, the mating parts fit easily in each other. When one of the pieces to the puzzle is inaccurate, however, machinists run into issues and parts can be scrapped. The two types of common misalignment woes are Angular Misalignment and Offset Misalignment.
Angular Misalignment
Angular misalignment is the difference in slope of the centerlines of the holes. When the centerlines are not parallel, a shaft will not be able to fit through the hole properly.
Offset Misalignment
Offset misalignment is the distance between the centerlines of the hole. This is the position of the hole from its true position or mating part. Many CAD software programs will help to identify if holes are misaligned, but proper technique is still paramount to creating perfect holes.
1. Utilize a Spotting Drill
Using a spotting drill is a common way to eliminate the chance of the drill walking when it makes contact with the material. A spotting drill is designed to mark a precise location for a drill to follow, minimizing the drill’s ability to walk from a specific area.
Although using a spotting drill would require an additional tool change during a job, the time spent in a tool change is far less than the time required to redo a project due to a misaligned hole. A misaligned hole can result in scrapping the entire part, costing time and money.
Do you know how to choose the perfect spot drill angle? Learn how in this in-depth guide so you can eliminate the chance of drill walking and ensure a more accurate final product.
2. Be Mindful of Web Thickness
A machinist should also consider the web thickness of the drill when experiencing hole misalignment. A drill’s web is the first part of the drill to make contact with the workpiece material.
Essentially, the web thickness is the same as the core diameter of an end mill. A larger core will provide a more rigid drill and a larger web. A larger web, however, can increase the risk of walking, and may contribute to hole misalignment. To overcome this machining dilemma, machinists will oftentimes choose to use a drill that has a thinned web.
Web Thinning
Also known as a split point drill, web thinning is a drill with a thinned web at the point, which helps to decrease thrust force and increase point accuracy. There are many different thinning methods, but the result allows a drill to have a thinner web at the point while having the benefit of a standard web throughout the rest of the drill body.
A thinner web will:
Be less susceptible to walking
Need less cutting resistance
Create less cutting force
3. Select a Material Specific Drill
Choosing a material specific drill is one of the easiest ways to avoid hole misalignment. A material specific drill design has geometries that will mitigate the specific challenges that each unique material presents. Further, material specific drills feature tool coatings that are proven to succeed in the specific material a machinist is working in.
Drilling an ultra-precise hole can be tough. Material behavior, surface irregularities, and drill point geometry can all be factors leading to inaccurate holes. A Spot Drill, if used properly, will eliminate the chance of drill walking and will help to ensure a more accurate final product.
Choosing a Spot Drill
Ideally, the center of a carbide drill should always be the first point to contact your part. Therefore, a spotting drill should have a slightly larger point angle than that of your drill. Common drill point angles range from 118° to 140° and larger. Shallower drill angles are better suited to harder materials like steels due to increased engagement on the cutting edges. Aluminums can also benefit from these shallower angles through increased drill life. While these drills wear less and more evenly, they are more prone to walking, therefore creating a need for a proper high performance spot drill in a shallow angle to best match the chosen drill.
If a spotting drill with a smaller point angle than your drill is used, your drill may be damaged due to shock loading when the outer portion of its cutting surface contacts the workpiece before the center. Using a drill angle equal to the drill angle is also an acceptable situation. Figure 1 illustrates the desired effect. On the left, a drill is entering a previously drilled spot with a slightly larger angle than its point. On the right, a drill is approaching an area with an angle that is far too small for its point.
Marking Your Spot
A Spotting Drill’s purpose is to create a small divot to correctly locate the center of a drill when initiating a plunge. However, some machinists choose to use these tools for a different reason – using it to chamfer the top of drilled holes. By leaving a chamfer, screw heads sit flush with the part once inserted.
What Happens if I Use a Spot Drill with an Improper Angle?
Using a larger angle drill will allow the drill to find the correct location by guiding the tip of the drill to the center. If the outer diameter of a carbide drill were to contact the workpiece first, the tool could chip. This would damage the workpiece and result in a defective tool. If the two flutes of the drill were slightly different from one another, one could come into contact before the other. This could lead to an inaccurate hole, and even counteract the purpose of spot drilling in the first place.
Avoiding CNC Drill Walking With a Spotting Drill
Few CNC machining applications demand precision like drilling. The diameter hole size, hole depth, part location, and finish are all important and provide little recourse if not up to specifications. That said, accuracy is paramount – and nothing leads to inaccurate final parts faster than drill walking, or the inadvertent straying from a drill’s intended location during the machining process. So how does drill walking occur, and how can one prevent it?
To understand drill walking, think about the act of striking a nail with a hammer, into a piece of wood. Firm contact to a sharp nail into an appropriate wood surface can result in an accurate, straight impact. But if other variables come into play – an uneven surface, a dull nail, an improper impact – that nail could enter a material at an angle, at an inaccurate location, or not at all. With CNC Drilling, the drill is obviously a critical element to a successful operation – a sharp, unworn cutting tool – when used properly, will go a long way toward an efficient and accurate final part.
To mitigate any variables working against you, such as an uneven part surface or a slightly used drill, a simple way to avoid “walking” is to utilize a Spotting Drill. This tool is engineered to leave a divot on the face of the part for a drill to engage during the holemaking process, keeping it properly aligned to avoid a drill from slipping off course.
When Won’t a Spot Drill Work for My Application?
When drilling into an extremely irregular surface, such as the side of a cylinder or an inclined plane, this tool may not be sufficient to keep holes in the correct position. For these applications, flat bottom versions or Flat Bottom Counterbores may be needed to creating accurate features.
https://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Feature-Image-Spotting-Drills-IMG.jpg5251400Tom Pylehttp://www.harveyperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Logo_HarveyPerformanceCompany-4.pngTom Pyle2022-08-25 10:52:002023-10-18 08:19:12Spot Drilling: The First Step to Precision Drilling
When it comes to machining difficult materials like high-silicon aluminums, abrasive copper alloys, and other non-ferrous and aluminum alloys, finding a coating that improves performance and increases tool life can be difficult. When machining in aluminum-based materials, machinists often opt for an uncoated tool due to the sharp cutting edge needed. Uncoated tools may give you the sharpest edge possible, but Helical’s Nplus coating helps combat wear and keep your edge sharp for longer, allowing you to win at the spindle and gain a competitive edge.
What is Helical Solutions’ Nplus Coating?
Helical’s Nplus coating is applied by a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) process. This method of coating takes place in a near-vacuum and distributes micron-thick layers evenly onto a properly prepared tool.
Nplus is a premium coating, specially engineered to extend tool life when machining non-ferrous and aluminum alloys.
The above image was taken from Helical Solutions’ Coating Chart.
When Should a Machinist Use Nplus Coating?
When Machining Non-ferrous and Aluminum Alloys
Helical’s Nplus coating is optimized for machining difficult aluminum alloys and other abrasive non-ferrous materials, as its composition doesn’t react with aluminum as some other coatings do. This coating possesses many advantageous qualities, including its high hardness (40 GPa), which provides excellent edge retention to ensure that your tool stays sharp for longer. Also, its high working temperatures (2,012°) and its thickness (1-4 µm) provide further wear resistance when tackling these difficult-to-machine materials.
When Working in High Temperature Non-Ferrous Applications
When machining in many non-ferrous and aluminum alloys, high temperatures can become an issue. Nplus is specially designed to withstand temperatures up to 2,012°, allowing tooling to run at the high temperatures these abrasive materials require, without degrading them.
When Machining Large Production Runs
Machining materials like wrought aluminum, cast aluminum, graphite, and other non-ferrous alloys can quickly end the life of your tool, costing time and money. Nplus coating is specially engineered to extend tool life in these materials, allowing your tool to stay in the spindle for longer. This calls for less tool changes, creating a more efficient process flow in your large production runs.
Helical’s Nplus Coated Tooling
Helical’s 5 Flute End Mills for Aluminum
Introduced in Helical’s Spring 2022 Catalog, Helical’s 5 Flute End Mills for Aluminum are specially engineered for optimal performance in High Efficiency Milling (HEM) of aerospace aluminum alloys and other non-ferrous alloys. They’re offered in two unique styles, both fully stocked in Helical’s Nplus coating:
Also introduced in Helical’s Spring 2022 catalog, this offering of Multi-Axis Finishers feature a specially defined profile for massive reductions in cycle times and vastly improved surface finish when machining aluminum. They’re offered in 3 styles, all fully stocked in Helical’s Nplus coating to ensure excellent finish in abrasive aluminums and extended tool life in a wide variety of non-ferrous materials.
Proper tool coating plays a large role during the selection of a CNC cutting tool. At Harvey Tool, coatings are optimized for specific materials and alloys to ensure the highest tooling performance, possible. Each coating offers a unique benefit for the cutting tool: increased strength, enhanced lubricity, heat resistance, and wear mitigation, just to name a few.
In Benefits of Tool Coatings, the method of applying coatings to tools is examined. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at each Harvey Tool coating to examine its key properties, and to help you decide if it might add a boost to your next CNC application.
Harvey Tool offers a wide range of tool coating options for both ferrous and exotic materials, as well as non-ferrous and non-metallic materials. In the Harvey Tool catalog, coatings are often denoted in a -C# at the end of the product part number.
Harvey Tool Coatings for Ferrous and Exotic Materials
TiN
TiN, or Titanium Nitride (-C1), is a mono-layer coating meant for general purpose machining in ferrous materials. TiN improves wear resistance over uncoated tools and aids in decreasing built-up edge during machining. This coating, however, is not recommended for applications that generate extreme heat as its max working temperature is 1,000 °F. TiN is also not as hard as AlTiN and AlTiN Nano, meaning its less durable and may have a shorter tool life.
AlTiN, or Aluminum Titanium Nitride (-C3), is a common choice for machinists aiming to boost their tool performance in ferrous materials. This coating has a high working temperature of 1,400 °F, and features increased hardness. AlTiN excels in not only dry machining, due to its increased lubricity, but also in machining titanium alloys, Inconel, stainless alloys, and cast iron. To aid in its high heat threshold, the aluminum in this coating coverts to aluminum oxide at high temperatures which helps insulate the tool and transfer its heat into the formed chips.
AlTiN Nano or Aluminum Titanium Nitride Nano (-C6) is Harvey Tool’s premium coating for ferrous applications. This coating improves upon AlTiN by adding silicon to further increase the max working temperature to 2,100 °F while also increasing its hardness for increased tool life during demanding applications. Due to its penchant for demanding applications, AlTiN is recommended for hardened steels, hardened stainless, tool steels, titanium alloys, and aerospace materials. These applications often create high levels of heat that AlTiN Nano was designed to combat.
Note: AlTiN and AlTiN Nano are not recommended for use in Aluminum or Aluminum Alloys due to their high affinity to those materials.
Tool Coatings for Non-Ferrous and Non-Metallic Materials
TiB2
TiB2, or Titanium Diboride (-C8), is Harvey Tool’s “bread and butter” coating for non-abrasive aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys, as it has an extremely low affinity to aluminum as compared to other coatings. Aluminum creates lower working temperatures than ferrous materials, so this coating has a max working temperature of of a suitable 900 °F. TiB2 prevents built-up edge and chip packing, further extending its impressive tool life. TiB2 is not recommended for abrasive materials as the carbide is slightly weakened during the coating process. These materials can cause micro fractures that may damage the tool at high RPMs.
TiB2 can be found on a wide variety of Harvey Tool 2 and 3 flute tools as the premium option for high performance in aluminum alloys.
ZrN, or Zirconium Nitride (-C7), is a general-purpose coating for a wide variety of non-ferrous materials, including abrasive aluminum alloys. This tool coating is a lower cost alternative to diamond coatings, while still boasting impressive performance through its high hardness levels and overall abrasion resistance. ZrN has a max working temperature of 1,110 °F with strong lubricity in abrasive alloys. This coating is best suited for abrasives, such as brass, bronze, and copper, as well as abrasive aluminum alloys that should not be used with TiB2.
CVD Diamond, or Crystalline CVD Diamond, is a process where the coating is grown directly onto the carbide end mill. This process dramatically improves hardness over other coatings, improving tool life and abrasion resistance while also allowing for higher feed rates. The trade-off for increased wear resistance is a slight rounding of the cutting edge due to the coating application. Due to its increased wear resistance, CVD is best suited for highly abrasive materials such as graphite, composites, green carbide, and green ceramics. Similarly, these tool coatings have a max working temperature of 1,100 °F, meaning they are not well suited for ferrous applications.
Harvey Tool’s CVD Diamond Coating Options:
Amorphous, CVD 4 μm, CVD 9 μm, PCD Diamond
CVD Diamond (4 μm)
The 4 μm is thinner than the 9 μm allowing for a sharper cutting edge, which in effect leaves a smoother finish.
CVD Diamond 9 μm)
The 9 μm CVD tool coating offers improved wear resistance over the 4 μm CVD and Amorphous coatings due to its increased coating thickness.
Amorphous Diamond
Amorphous Diamond (-C4) is a PVD diamond coating which creates an exceptionally sharp edge as compared to CVD. This coating aids in performance and finish in abrasive non-ferrous applications, as it allows for greatly improved abrasion resistance during machining, while still maintaining a sharp cutting edge necessary for certain abrasives. Due to the thinness of the coating, edge rounding is prevented in relation to CVD diamond tooling. Amorphous Diamond is best suited for use in abrasive plastics, graphite, and carbon fiber, as well as aluminum and aluminum alloys with high silica content, due to their abrasiveness. The max working temp is only 750 °F, so it is not suited for use in ferrous machining applications.
PCD Diamond, or Polycrystalline Diamond, is a tool coating that is brazed onto the carbide body. In comparison to the other diamond coatings, PCD does not face the same challenges of other coatings as it pertains to rounded cutting edges, as these edges are ground sharp. PCD has the edge benefits of Amorphous Diamond with the abrasion resistance of CVD Diamond. PCD is the thickest diamond layer offered by Harvey Tool, and excels due to its incredible hardness and abrasion resistance. This tool is best suited for all forms of abrasive, non-ferrous materials including abrasive plastics, graphite, carbon fiber, and composites. Similar to the other non-ferrous tool coatings, PCD is not suited for ferrous applications due to its working temperature of 1,100 °F.
When deciding on a coating for your application there are many factors to be considered. Different coatings often cross several applications with performance trade-offs between all of them. Harvey Tool offers a “Material Specific Selection” that allows users to choose tooling based upon what materials they are working with. Further, Harvey Tool’s technical team is always a phone call away to help in finding the right tool for your specific applications at 1-800-645-5609. Also, you can contact Harvey Tool via e-mail.
