Types Of Milling Cutters used For Various Milling Operation

Milling cutters are cutting tools typically used in milling machines or machining centres to perform milling operations (and occasionally in other machine tools). They remove material by their movement within the machine (e.g., a ball nose mill) or directly from the cutter’s shape (e.g., a form tool such as a hobbing cutter).

Milling cutters are made in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. . Milling cutters may be classified in various ways, such as purpose or use of the cutters (Woodruff keyseat cutters, T-slot cutters, gear cutters, etc.); construction characteristics (solid cutters, carbidetipped cutters, etc.); method of mounting (arbor type, shank type, etc.); and relief of teeth. The latter has two categories: profile cutters which produce flat, curved, or irregular surfaces, with the cutter teeth sharpened on the land; and formed cutters which are sharpened on the face to retain true cross-sectional form of the cutter.

Two kinds of milling are generally considered to represent all forms of milling processes: peripheral (slab) and face milling. In the peripheral milling process the axis of the cutter is parallel to the surface milled, whereas in face milling, the cutter axis is generally at a right angle to the surface. The peripheral-milling process is also divided into two types: conventional (up) milling and climb (down) milling. Each has its advantages, and the choice depends on a number of factors such as the type and condition of the equipment, tool life, surface finish, and machining parameters.

TYPES OF MILLING CUTTERS

Milling cutters are made in various forms to perform certain classes of work, and they may be classified as:

(1) Plain milling cutters,

(2) Side milling cutters,

(3) Face milling cutter,

(4) Angle milling cutters,

(5) End milling cutter,

(6) Fly cutter,

(7) T-slot milling cutter,

(8) Formed cutters,

(9) Metal slitting saw,

Milling cutters may have teeth on the periphery or ends only, or on both the periphery and ends. Peripheral teeth may be straight or parallel to the cutter axis, or they may be helical, sometimes referred as spiral teeth.

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