“Never regret your decisions, every mistake makes you smarter and stronger.” - Unknown

Tools That Make Life Easier

Choosing a CNC machine tool is an exciting endeavor, but if you are just starting and are curious about the best way to find the perfect tools for your business, you're probably wondering how to go about it.

When you have the right tools, tracking machine efficiency is simple. In this article, we'll take a look at the most important things to take into account and provide some thoughts on popular tools to consider. 

Materials Used To Make CNC Machine Tools

Various CNC cutting tools are available for performing cutting operations. It is essential to understand the material from which CNC cutting tools are made before selecting the right tool for a particular operation. Our classification of CNC cutting tools is as follows:

Carbon Steel Tool

Generally, these tools are inexpensive and used for low-speed operations. Their carbon content varies between 0.6 and 1.5 percent, with traces of manganese and silicon. Twist drills, forming tools, milling cutters, and turning tools are their primary applications.

High-Speed Steel (HSS)

A substantial amount of chrome, tungsten, and molybdenum alloys are present in this tool. Combining these two properties increases hardness, wear resistance, and toughness. These properties lead to a higher removal rate for metals and other materials. To improve its removal rate, you need to apply a surface treatment.

Ceramics

In contrast to high-speed steel, these corrosion-resistant tools are ten times faster and chemically inert. Aluminum oxide and silicon nitride are common constituents of ceramic materials. They're commonly used for high-quality finish operations.

Carbide

This material is extremely hard and can withstand temperatures as high as 1000oC, making it ideal for high-speed operations. Its main components are tantalum, titanium, and tungsten. It is also used in applications that require high surface finishes.

How To Make Machines More Efficient With Surface Coatings

A cutting tool's function depends on its shape and material, but it can also be altered by coating the primary material. Coatings harden tools, lengthen their life, and allow them to cut at greater speeds without damaging the part. Common coatings include:

Titanium Nitride (TiN)

TiN has a high oxidation temperature as a general-purpose coating, which increases a tool's hardness.

Titanium Carbo-Nitride (TiCN)

TiCN adds lubricity and hardness to a cutting tool.

Super-Life Titanium Nitride (Al-TiN)

Al-TiN enhances the heat resistance of carbide cutting tools, especially when minimal coolant is used.

Diamond

In cutting abrasive materials, diamond coatings provide excellent performance.

Various Milling Cutters

Milling cutters come in various designs, each with specific features to complete a range of milling and lathe operations. Common milling cutters include:

End Mills

End mills are used for vertical CNC machining. The teeth on both ends and both sides are designed to assist in removing large amounts of material quickly.

The flutes come in various forms and sizes, with some having only one flute and others eight. However, chip removal can become problematic beyond four flutes.

• Types of End Mills:

This is a general-purpose tool that can handle 2D features.

A ball-shaped tool used for contouring and curving in 3D.

Roughing End Mills

Roughing end mills are the finest choice when you need to remove a large amount of material from a workpiece in a short amount of time. The cutter sacrifices precision to achieve speed, leaving a rough surface on the workpiece. Due to its small size, this machine's cut bits of metal are always easy to clear.

Face Mill

Compared to other milling cutters, this one is more varied. The cutting edges are replaceable and have flat heads. These cutting edges are located on the side of the milling cutter, which means that they can only be used horizontally. Machine operators use face mills for making flat sections on raw materials. The inserts of the tool can easily be replaced rather than purchasing a new one.

Thread Mill

Taps are usually used to create threads, but CNC machines fitted with thread mills can do the same. Regarding penetrating asymmetrical parts or hard metals, thread mills may be better than taps for cutting internal or external threads.

Drill Inserts

Various drill bits can be used with CNC machines for cutting different types of materials. A drill bit has a conical cutting point and multiple flutes. A common drill insert used in CNC machining is a center drill used to precisely locate a hole before drilling.

Reamers

With considerably tighter tolerance than other tools, machinists use reamers to expand existing holes in workpieces and give them a more exact finish and diameter.

SCTools is the first stop for cutting-edge research and innovation in the CNC tooling industry. We provide the best and strongest machines to meet your demand and increase productivity.

If you have any questions about carbide cutting tools, end mills, drills, etc. be sure to reach out to us @ sctools.co/Home or call us at (877)737-0987. We help you machine better!