No milling without end mill
The end mill is the tool that is used to remove material. It is therefore of central importance. End mills are available in a wide variety of forms and can possess different cutting edges. They are selected depending on the respective material and application. While a single-flute end mill is the perfect choice when working with plastic, a V-Groove or engraving bit should be used for engraving jobs. On Router Bit Wood we have compiled all information on tools for wood milling. For all other end mills, please see our general overview.
Face milling
Face milling is used to produce flat surfaces. Perfect for this job are face milling cutters with indexable knives in the milling head. The feed motion is straight.
In short:
- For producing flat surfaces
- Straight feed motion
Circular milling
Circular milling serves to create circular cylindrical surfaces. It is used to produce inside and outside contours, such as pins and holes. The feed motion is circular.
In short:
- For producing circular cylindrical surfaces
- Circular feed motion
Helical milling
Helical milling is a manufacturing process used to produce helical surfaces, such as threads, spindles or cylindrical screws. The feed motion is helical.
In short:
- For producing helical surfaces
- Helical feed motion
Hobbing
Hobbing serves to create gear teeth, such as gear wheels. For this purpose, a hob is hobbed against the workpiece in a simultaneous feed and hobbing motion.
In short:
- For producing gear teeth
- Simultaneous feed and hobbing motion
Profile milling
In profile milling, the contour of the profile cutter is transferred to the workpiece, for example in slot milling. Straight, circular and other feed motions are possible.
In short:
- For producing profiles
- Straight, circular and other feed motions
Form milling
Form milling is used to create workpieces with arbitrary planar or spatial surfaces. In this way, any three-dimensional shapes can be created.
In short:
- For producing three-dimensional shapes
Climb milling
If the cutting edge of an end mill is to the right of the cutter's center, seen in milling direction, it is called climb milling. It is the most frequently used cutting direction. Climb milling is especially suited for machining harder materials and for CNC machines with backlash-free ball bearing guides.
*Figure shows view from above of the vertically positioned end mill
Conventional milling
If the cutting edge of an end mill is to the left of the cutter's center, seen in milling direction, it is called conventional milling. It is especially suited for machining softer materials, such as foam, as well as with CNC machines with backlash in the threaded lead screws and without ball bearing guides.
*Figure shows view from above of the vertically positioned end mill
Wood
- Softwood
- Hard wood
- MDF
- Multiplex
- etc.
Non-ferrous metal
- Aluminum
- Brass
- Silver
- Gold
- etc.
Plastic
- Acrylic
- Plexiglas®
- Foam
- POM
- etc.
... and more
- Carbon
- Composites
Cutting speed
Cutting speed is the speed at which a cutting edge removes material. The cutting speed depends on the speed rate and the diameter of the end mill and is usually given in meters per minute.
vc = π * d * n * 1 m/1000 mm
Speed rate
The term speed rate describes the number of revolutions that an end mill makes within one minute. The speed rate depends on the cutting speed and the diameter of the respective end mill.
n = vc/ (d * π)
Cutting depth
Cutting depth or immersion depth describes the depth at which the tool plunges into the workpiece. The value determines how much material is removed in one pass. The optimum cutting depth depends on the respective workpiece material and the milling cutter used.
Feed rate
The feed rate is the speed at which the milling cutter is moved through the material in feed direction. The lower the feed rate, the finer the surface, but also the longer the machining time. With milling, the feed rate depends on the speed rate and the number of teeth.
vƒ = n * ƒz * z