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What’s Cutting Tools Used For CNC Machining?

Time:2019-06-15 Views:2048

A CNC cutting tool is the tool used on CNC machines to cut or shape metal or other rigid materials, usually by cutting, boring, grinding, shearing, or other forms of deformation. It is the tool that contact with workpiece and cut away the extra material to make the desired part. So the material used to make the cutting tool must be stiff and wear-resistant, otherwise, the cutting tool will be broken or worn out easily.

Material for CNC Cutting Tools

Until now, the cutting tools used for CNC machining are typically made of tungsten carbide material, which are high stiff and wear resistant, it is approximately twice as stiff as steel and is double the density of steel. But some cutting tools are made of high speed steel, which is short for HSS. Carbide tools are way more stiff and wear resistant than HSS cutting tools, so carbide tools are with a higher price. HSS cutting tools are mostly used to machine nonferrous metals, such as brass, aluminum because its quick wear.

Types of CNC cutting tools

According to different applications, CNC cutting tools can be categorized into various types, there are end mills for CNC milliing work, lathe inserts for CNC turning, drills for drilling hole, taps for tapping, etc. And for end mill alone, according to tool end type, there are flat mills for milling flat surface, pocket, rabbet, etc. There are ball nose mills for milling 3D contours. Sometimes, in order to achieve a special purpose, you need a special cutting tools that custom made according to that purpose. In this case, it would cost much higher than the standard ones.

The coating of CNC cutting tools

Sometimes, in order to improve the performance of those CNC tools, special treatment coating are required to put on the tool’s cutting edge. HSS is usually left uncoated but carbide end mills are often coated to reach certain kind of applications. Each coating is different but they are generally applied to achieve one of two goals. These are improving hardness of the cutting edge and reducing friction. If your material is very hard, like titanium, you will want to make sure your cutting edge is coated to increase hardness. Otherwise you could end up with a poor finish, damaged tooling and possible tool failure.

CNC cutting tool is one kind of consumer articles, sometimes, a certain project will require several different kind of cutting tools, and some may be broken for cutting hardened materials. That’s why CNC machining cost for hard material is more than soft material.



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