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4 Essential Corner Rounding End Mill Decisions

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A Corner Rounding End Mill is typically used to add a specific radius to a workpiece, or in a finishing operation to remove a sharp edge or burr. Prior to selecting your tool, mull the following considerations over. Choosing the right tool will result in a strong tool with a long usable life, and the desired dimensional qualities on your part. Choosing wrong could result in part inaccuracies and a subpar experience.

Selecting the Right Pilot Diameter for Your Corner Rounding End Mill

Corner Rounding End Mill

The pilot diameter (D1 in the image above) determines the tool’s limitations. When pilot diameters are larger, the tool is able to be run at lower speeds. But with smaller pilot diameters, the tool can be run faster because of its larger effective cutter radius. The effective cutter diameter is determined by the following equations depending on the radius to pilot ratio:

For a Radius/Pilot Ratio < 2.5, Effective Cutter Diameter = Pilot Diameter + Radius
For a Radius/Pilot Ratio ≥ 2.5, Effective Cutter Diameter = Pilot Diameter + .7x Radius

Larger pilot diameters also have more strength than smaller pilot diameters due to the added material behind the radius. A smaller pilot may be necessary for clearance when working in narrow slots or holes. Smaller pilots also allow for tighter turns when machining an inside corner.

Flared or Unflared Corner Rounder

Putting a full radius on a part has the potential to leave a step or an over-cut on a workpiece. This can happen if the tool isn’t completely dialed in or if there is minor runout or vibration. A slight 5° flare on the pilot and shoulder blends the radius smoothly on the workpiece and avoids leaving an over-cut.

A flared Corner Rounding End Mill leaves an incomplete radius but allows for more forgiveness. Additionally, this tool leaves a clean surface finish and does not require a second finishing operation to clean leftover marks. An unflared corner radius leaves a complete radius on the workpiece, but requires more set-up time to make sure there is no step.

2 flute and 4 flute end mill

Front or Back

Choosing between a Corner Rounding End Mill and a Back Corner tool boils down to the location on the part you’re machining. A Back Corner Rounding End Mill should be utilized to put a radius on an area of the part facing the opposite direction as the spindle. While the material could be rotated, and a front Corner Rounding End Mill used, this adds to unnecessary time spent and increased cycle times. When using a Back Corner Rounding End Mill, ensure that you have proper clearance for the head diameter, and that the right reach length is used. If there is not enough clearance, the workpiece will need to be adjusted.

Corner Rounding End Mill

Flute Count

These tools are often offered in 2, 3, and 4 flute styles.  2 flute styles are normally used for aluminum and non-ferrous materials, although 3 flutes is quickly becoming a more popular choice for these materials, as they are softer than steels so a larger chip can be taken without an impact on tool life. 4 flutes should be chosen when machining steels to extend tool life by spreading out the wear over multiple teeth. 4 flute versions can also be run at higher feeds compared to 2 or 3 flute tools.

Corner Rounding End Mill Selection Summarized

The best corner rounding end mill varies from job-to-job. Generally speaking, opting for a tool with the largest pilot diameter possible is your best bet, as it has the most strength and requires less power due to its larger effective cutter diameter. A flared Corner Rounder is preferred for blending purposes if the workpiece is allowed to have an incomplete radius as this allows more forgiveness and can save on set up time. If not, however, an unflared Corner Rounder should be utilized. As is often the case, choosing between number of flutes boils down to user preference, largely. Softer materials usually require fewer flutes. As material gets harder, the number of flutes on your tool should increase.

Ideal Tooling for Machining Composites

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Composite Materials

A material is classified as a composite if it is made up of at least two unique constituents that when combined yield beneficial physical and mechanical properties for a number of different applications. A binding agent that is the matrix material is filled with either particles or fibers of a second material that act as reinforcements. The combination of strength, weight, and rigidity make composites extremely useful for the automotive, aerospace, and power generation industry. Often the matrix material of particulate-reinforced composites is some form of plastic, and the reinforcement material is either glass or carbon particles. These are sometimes called “filled plastics,” and are typically very abrasive materials. Many composites are layered with varying fiber orientations, which increase the strength of the material and are called fiber-reinforced composites.

Common Problems When Machining Composites

  1. Delamination of composite layers
  2. Uncut Fibers
  3. Fiber tear-out
  4. Uneven tool wear
  5. Poor surface finish due to “competing” materials

These problems are all caused by unique conditions created by composite materials, and can be very tricky to correct.  The simple fact of cutting a combination of multiple materials at the same time introduces many factors that make it difficult to strike the right balance of the proper tool for the job and appropriate running parameters.  The following tool styles provide solutions for a wide array of composite concerns.  Composite Drilling Applications can face the same issues, and proper drill choice can help as well.

Straight Flute End Mill

Straight Flute Composite Cutters are designed to prevent delamination of layered materials by applying all cutting forces radially, eliminating axial forces from a typical helical cutting edge. Cutting action is improved with a high positive rake angle for shearing fibers and eccentric relief for improved edge life. Shallow ramping operations can be performed with this tool, but the largest benefits are seen in peripheral milling applications.

straight flute end mill

Compression Cutters

The Compression Cutter consists of an up cut and down cut helix. The top portion of the length of cut has right-hand cutting teeth with a left-hand spiral. The lower portion of the length of cut has right-hand cutting teeth with a right-hand spiral. This creates opposing cutting forces to stabilize the material removal process when cutting layered composites to prevent delamination, fiber pullout, and burs along the surface. Compression of the top and bottom of the workpiece keeps the layered bonded together.

compression cutter end mill

Chipbreaker Cutter

The Chipbreaker Cutter is ideally suited for roughing and profiling composites with a high percentage of fiber fill. The notch-like chipbreakers shear fibers and shorten chips for improved material evacuation. This specialized geometry is great for keeping chips small and avoiding “nesting” of stringy fibrous chips around the cutter.

chipbreaker for composite materials

Diamond Cut End Mill

Diamond Cut Composite Cutters come in two different geometries: End Mill Style and Drill Mill Style. Although the end mill style tool is center cutting, the drill mill style has a 140° point angle, making it more suitable for plunge cutting. This is great for clearing out pockets in the middle of composite sheets.

diamond cut end mill for composites

End Mills for Composites – Diamond Cut – End Mill Style

diamond cut drill mill for composites

End Mills for Composites – Diamond Cut – Drill Mill Style

Both the end mill and drill mill style share the same downcut geometry on the outside diameter. This diamond cut tool receives its name from the combination of left-hand and right-hand teeth. The tool is predominantly a downcut style – a geometry that allows for these tools to effectively rough and profile high fiber reinforced or filled composites, breaking up chips and shearing through fibers.

Diamond Cut vs. Chipbreaker Style

The diamond cut tools have a higher flute count, which some may intuitively think would lead to a better finish, but this is not the case as this line of tools contains right-hand and left-hand teeth. There is a trade-off between an increased ability to shear fibers and leaving a poorer finish. The chipbreaker style tool, although not as effective as shearing fibers, is ultimately designed for the same purpose but leaves a better finish as all of the flutes are facing the same direction.

Composite Finisher

The Composite Finisher has optimized geometry for finishing in composite. A slow helix and high flute count for more contact points ultimately renders a smooth finish by minimizing fraying of fiber-reinforced and layered materials.

finishing end mill for composites

Coating or No Coating?

Composite materials, especially those with glass or carbon fiber, can be particularly abrasive and have a tendency to wear down the cutting edge of carbide tools. If one is looking to achieve the best tool life and maintain a sharp cutting edge, then choosing an Amorphous Diamond coated tool is the best option. This thin coating improves lubricity and wear resistance over its uncoated counterpart. Using a tool with CVD diamond coating can be very beneficial in extreme cases, when fiber fill percentage is very large. This is a true diamond coating, and offers the best abrasion resistance, but a slightly less sharp cutting edge as it is a thicker coating. PCD diamond tooling offers the best tool life. If it a solid diamond wafer brazed to a carbide shank, and can maintain the sharpest edge of any diamond tooling. However, PCD is limited to straight flutes, and can come at a higher price.

Composite materials are being increasingly utilized in today’s manufacturing world for their impressive strength to weight ratio. This growth has stimulated innovative techniques of cutting composites seen in the tool choices above. Harvey Tool’s variety of geometries helps any machine shop tackle composite cutting applications and will continue to offer groundbreaking solutions to these types of manufacturing problems.

4 Important Keyseat Cutter Considerations

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Keyseat cutters, also called woodruff cutters, keyway cutters, and T-slot cutters, are a type of cutting tool used frequently by many machinists – some operations are impractical or even impossible without one. If you need one of these tools for your job, it pays to know when and how to pick the right one and how to use it correctly.

Keyseat Cutter Geometry

Selecting and utilizing the right tool is often more complicated than identifying the right diameter and dialing in the speeds and feeds. A keyseat’s strength should be considered carefully, especially in tricky applications and difficult materials.

As with any tool, a longer reach will make this tool more prone to deflection and breakage. A tool with the shortest allowable reach should be used to ensure the strongest tool possible.

A keyseat cutter’s neck diameter greatly affects its performance. A thinner neck allows for a comparatively larger radial depth of cut (RDOC) and more clearance, but makes for a weaker tool. A thicker neck reduces the cutter’s RDOC, but greatly strengthens the tool overall. When clearances allow, a keyseat cutter with a thicker neck and larger cutter diameter should be chosen over one with a thinner neck and smaller cutter diameter (Figure 1).

keyseat cutter geometry

Cutter width has an effect on tool strength as well. The greater a keyseat cutter’s cutter width, the more prone to deflection and breakage it is. This is due to the increased forces on the tool – a greater cutter width equates to an increased length of engagement. You should be particularly careful to use the strongest tool possible and a light RDOC when machining with a keyseat cutter with a thick cutter width.

Harvey Tool Keyseats

Harvey Tool Keyseat Geometries

Radial Depth of Cut

Understanding a keyseat cutter’s radial depth of cut is critical to choosing the correct tool, but understanding how it affects your tool path is necessary for optimal results. While it may be tempting to make a cut using a keyseat cutter’s maximum RDOC, this will result in increased stress on the tool, a worse finish, and potential catastrophic tool failure. It is almost always better to use a lighter depth of cut and make multiple passes (Figure 2).

keyseat cutter RDOC
When in doubt about what RDOC is correct for your tool and application, consider consulting the tool manufacturer’s speeds and feeds. Harvey Tool’s keyseat cutter speeds and feeds take into account your tool dimensions, workpiece material, operation, and more.

Desired Slot Size

Some machinists use keyseat cutters to machine slots greater than their cutter width. This is done with multiple operations so that, for example, a keyseat cutter with a 1/4” cutter width can create a slot that is 3/8” wide. While this is possible and may save on up-front tooling costs, the results are not optimal. Ideally, a keyseat cutter should be used to machine a slot equal to its cutter width as it will result in a faster operation, fewer witness marks, and a better finish (Figure 3).

desired slot size

Staggered Tooth Geometry of a Keyseat Cutter

When more versatility is required from a keyseat cutter, staggered tooth versions should be considered. The front and back reliefs allow the tools to cut not only on the OD, but also on the front and back of the head. When circumstances do not allow for the use of a cutter width equal to the final slot dimensions as stated above, a staggered tooth tool can move axially in the slot to expand its width.

staggered toot
Machining difficult or gummy materials can be tricky, and using a staggered tooth keyseat cutter can help greatly with tool performance. The shear flutes reduce the force needed to cut, as well as leave a superior surface finish by reducing harmonics and chatter.

Having trouble finding the perfect keyseat for your job? Harvey Tool offers over 2,100 keyseat cutter options, with cutter diameters from 1/16” to 1-1/2” and cutter widths from .010” to ½”.

Why Flute Count Matters

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One of the most important considerations when choosing an end mill is determining which flute count is best for the job at hand. Both material and application play an important role in this critical part of the tool selection process. Understanding the effects of flute count on other tool properties, and how a tool will behave in different situations is an essential consideration in the tool selection process.

Machining Advisor Pro (MAP) Takes Flute Count Into Consideration When Helping You Dial In Running Parameters.

Click Here to Get Started.

Tool Geometry Basics

Generally, tools with more flutes have a larger core and smaller flute valleys than tools with fewer flutes.  More flutes with a larger core can provide both benefits and restrictions depending on the application.  Simply put, a larger core is directly proportional to tool strength; the larger the core, the stronger a tool will be.  In turn, a larger core also reduces the flute depth of a tool, restricting the amount of space for chips to exist.  This can cause issues with chip packing in applications requiring heavy material removal.  However, these considerations only lead us part way when making a decision on which tool to use, and when.

flute count core

Material Considerations

Traditionally, end mills came in either a 2 flute or 4 flute option.  The widely accepted rule of thumb was to use 2 flutes for machining aluminum and non-ferrous materials, and 4 flutes for machining steel and harder alloys.  As aluminum and non-ferrous alloys are typically much softer than steels, a tool’s strength is less of a concern, a tool can be fed faster, and larger material removal rates (MRR) is facilitated by the large flute valleys of 2 flute tools.  Ferrous materials are typically much harder, and require the strength of a larger core.  Feed rates are slower, resulting in smaller chips, and allowing for the smaller flute valleys of a larger core tool.  This also allows for more flutes to fit on the tool, which in turn increases productivity.

end mill flute count

Recently, with more advanced machines and toolpaths, higher flute count tools have become the norm in manufacturing.  Non-ferrous tooling has become largely centered on 3 flute tools, allowing greater productivity while still allowing proper chip evacuation.  Ferrous tooling has taken a step further and progressed not only to 5 and 6 flutes, but up to 7 flutes and more in some cases.  With a wider range of hardness, sometimes at the very top of the Rockwell hardness scale, many more flutes have allowed longer tool life, less tool wear, stronger tools, and less deflection.  All of this results in more specialized tools for more specific materials.  The end result is higher MRR and increased productivity.

Running Parameters

Just as material considerations will have an impact on the tool you choose, operation type and depth of cut requirements may also have a big impact on the ideal number of flutes for your application.  In roughing applications, lower flute counts may be desirable to evacuate large amounts of chips faster with larger flute valleys.  That said, there is a balance to find, as modern toolpaths such as High Efficiency Milling (HEM) can achieve extreme MRR with a very small step over, and a higher number of flutes.  In a more traditional sense, higher flute counts are great for finishing operations where very small amounts of material are being removed, and greater finish can be achieved with more flutes, not worrying as much about chip evacuation.

flute count

Flute count plays a big role in speeds and feeds calculation as well.  One common rule of thumb is “more flutes, more feed,” but this can be a very detrimental misconception.  Although true in some cases, this is not an infinitely scalable principle.  As stated previously, increasing the number of flutes on a tool limits the size that the flute valleys can be.  While adding a 5th flute to a 4 flute tool theoretically gives you 25% more material removal per revolution with an appropriately increased feed rate, feeding the tool that much faster may overload the tool.  The 25% increase in material removal is more likely closer to 10-15%, given the tool is exactly the same in all other specifications.  Higher flute count tools may require speeds and feeds to be backed off so much in some cases, that a lower flute count may be even more efficient.  Finding the right balance is key in modern milling practices.

Tackling Titanium: A Guide to Machining Titanium and Its Alloys

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In today’s manufacturing industry, titanium and its alloys have become staples in aerospace, medical, automotive, and firearm applications. This popular metal is resistant to rust and chemicals, is recyclable, and is extremely strong for its weight. However, there are several challenges that must be considered when machining titanium and selecting the appropriate tools and parameters for the job.

Titanium Varieties

Titanium is available in many varieties, including nearly 40 ASTM grades, as well as several additional alloys. Grades 1 through 4 are considered commercially pure titanium with varying requirements on ultimate tensile strength. Grade 5 (Ti6Al4V or Ti 6-4) is the most common combination, alloyed with 6 percent aluminum and 4 percent vanadium. Although titanium and its alloys are often grouped together, there are some key differences between them that must be noted before determining the ideal machining approach.

Titanium 6AL4V

Helical Solutions’ HVTI End Mill is a great choice for high efficiency toolpaths in Titanium.

Titanium Concerns

Workholding

Although titanium may have more desirable material properties than your average steel, it also behaves more flexibly, and is often not as rigid as other metals. This requires a secure grip on titanium workpieces, and as rigid a machine setup as is possible. Other considerations include avoiding interrupted cuts, and keeping the tool in motion at all times of contact with the workpiece. Dwelling in a drilled hole or stopping a tool next to a profiled wall will cause the tool to rub – creating excess heat, work-hardening the material, and causing premature tool wear.

Heat Generation

Heat is a formidable enemy, and heat generation must be considered when selecting speeds and feeds. While commercially pure grades of titanium are softer and gummier than most of its alloys, the addition of alloying elements typically raises the hardness of titanium. This increases concerns regarding generated heat and tool wear. Maintaining a larger chipload and avoiding unnecessary rubbing aids with tool performance in the harder titanium alloys, and will minimize the amount of work hardening produced. Choosing a lower RPM, paired with a larger chipload, can provide a significant reduction in temperature when compared to higher speed options. Due to its low conduction properties, keeping temperatures to a minimum will put less stress on the tool and reduce wear. Using high-pressure coolant is also an effective method to reduce heat generation when machining titanium.

cutting tools for titanium

These camshaft covers were custom made in titanium for Mitsubishi Evos.
Photo courtesy of @RebootEng (Instagram)

Galling and Built-Up Edge

The next hurdle to consider is that titanium has a strong tendency to adhere to a cutting tool, creating built up edge. This is a tricky issue which can be reduced by using copious amounts of high pressure coolant aimed directly at the cutting surface. The goal is to remove chips as soon as possible to prevent chip re-cutting, and keep the flutes clean and clear of debris. Galling is a big concern in the commercially pure grades of titanium due to their “gummy” nature. This can be addressed using the strategies mentioned previously, such as continuing feed at all times of workpiece contact, and using plenty of high-pressure coolant.

Titanium Solutions

While the primary concerns when machining titanium and its alloys may shift, the methods for mitigating them remain somewhat constant. The main ideas are to avoid galling, heat generation, work hardening, and workpiece or tool deflection. Use a lot of coolant at high pressure, keep speeds down and feeds up, keep the tool in motion when in contact with the workpiece, and use as rigid of a setup as possible.

In addition, selecting a proper tool coating can help make your job a successful one. With the high heat being generated during titanium machining operations, having a coating that can adequately deal with the temperature is key to maintaining performance through an operation. The proper coating will also help to avoid galling and evacuate chips effectively. Coatings such as Harvey Tool’s Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN Nano) produce an oxide layer at high temperatures, and will increase lubricity of the tool.

Tooling Solutions

Helical Solutions offers the HVTI-6 line of tooling optimized for High Efficiency Milling (HEM) in Titanium and its alloys. Helical’s HVTI-6 features its Aplus coating which offers added lubricity and high temperature resistance for improved tool life and faster speeds and feeds.

As titanium and its many alloys continue to grow in use across various industries, more machinists will be tasked with cutting this difficult material. However, heat management and appropriate chip evacuation, when paired with the correct coating, will enable a successful run.

machining titanium

Overcoming Composite Holemaking Challenges

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Overcoming Composite Holemaking Challenges

Harvey Tool’s Miniature High Performance Composite Drills are specifically designed with point geometry optimized for the unique properties of composite materials. Our Double Angle style is engineered to overcome common problems in layered composites and our Brad Point style is built to avoid the issues frequently experienced in fibrous composites.

Common Composite Problems

Drilling in composite materials is a unique challenge. There are a wide variety of regularly machined composites, each requiring different considerations and approaches. Overcome common composite holemaking problems by identifying and selecting the right tool for your job.


Defining Delamination

Delamination occurs when high drilling forces cause laminated layers to separate, yielding less structurally-sound parts. The more blunt a drill point is, the more force it will take to move through a part, increasing the chance of delamination.

Identifying Delamination

The separation of layers may be difficult to identify through visible scrutiny. Closely inspecting and testing the hole quality is ideal when looking for delamination.

Ideal Drill Choice

Double Angle Composite Drills

composite drills

Defining Uncut Fibers

Uncut fibers are largely caused by dull tooling. If a drill’s cutting edge is not sharp enough, fibers will remain uncut, frayed, or splintered, potentially ruining the part.
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Identifying Uncut Fibers

Uncut fibers should be easily noticed: look for splintered or frayed fibers around the edges of your hole.

Ideal Drill Choice

Brad Point Composite Drills

composite drills

Defining Tear-Out

Rather than leaving uncut fibers hanging on to a workpiece, dull tools can also grab fibers and tear them out of the material altogether. This can leave voids in your material and cause damage to even greater areas of the workpiece.

Identifying Tear-Out

Tear-out can be more difficult to spot than uncut fibers. However, it is often seen as an area of material completely removed around the edge of a hole.

Ideal Drill Choice

Brad Point Composite Drills

Choose Your Tool

Harvey Tool’s new Composite Drills are engineered with point geometry optimized for fibrous and layered composite materials. Each design is specifically built to overcome common composite drilling challenges and achieve excellent results.

Double Angle Composite Drills

Avoid Delamination and Push-Out


composite drills Harvey

Harvey Tool’s Double Angle Composite Drills help combat delamination and push-out in layered composite materials with specialized point geometry. The primary 130° point angle allows the drill to efficiently engage laminated composites without lifting the top layer of material. The shallower secondary 60° point angle reduces the amount of force required to move the drill through the material, further reducing the probability of delamination. The higher shear angle also aids in reducing push-out at the back of the workpiece by more gradually breaking through the part.

Brad Point Composite Drills

Avoid Uncut Fibers and Tear Out


composite drills

Harvey Tool’s Brad Point Composite Drills are designed specifically for superior performance in fibrous materials. The trident-like brad point ensures that holes in fiber filled and reinforced materials come out clear and free of fraying. The outer points accurately score the outer diameter of drilled holes, eliminating uncut fibers, tear-out, and splintering.

For more information on Composite Drills and all of Harvey Tool’s new products, visit the Harvey Tool website.