HST Opticore and H-13 46-48 Rc

[Brian B 74]

Has anyone had any success machining hardened H-13 using Opticore?  I have a solid piece of hardened steel that I need to machine some core sub inserts from.  In the past I have always used a OSG highfeed cutter taking a .008" DOC and .150" WOC going 250 IPM.  On this particular block my roughing cycle is over 3hrs.  I would like to try using Opticore with a Garr VRX bull mill and try to get a better cycle time.

 

Is this feasible?  Or am I better off with a high feed cutter?  I am doing this in a Roeders RFM600.

 

Thanks!

[Machineguy]

Your VRX feed and speeds are going to be a little slower. I'd like to know what you come up with.

Haven't tried H-13.

 

Machineguy

[BenK]

I have done it. You are better off with the highfeed cutter. Opticore is slower in this case from my experience.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I do blocks of the same material and hardness with a bunch of little ribs.  I use HSM Rest Rough with stock models, stepping down through two or three highfeed cutter sizes.

 

You can see the blocks here:

 

http://www.midlandtechnologies.com/

[Brian B 74]

Ok.  Decided to go with a Garr 545RA 1/2dia R.06.  7650rpm 131ipm.  .560doc .025woc.  Stepping up wasn't showing a really good tool path so I left .030/s and switched to a waterline.  Finished the rest of the part the same.

 

Estimated Cycle time with Garr - 1hr 30 min.

 

Estimated Cycle time with OSG High Feed - almost 3hr.

 

I am going to risk it and try the Garr.  I will post the results when available.

 

BB

[zero_divide]

I think your SFM is too high.

I would go 570 SFM and 0.004 ipt chipload

This would give you about 4400rpm and 80 ipm for a 5 flute endmill

[Brian B 74]

I think your SFM is too high.

I would go 570 SFM and 0.004 ipt chipload

This would give you about 4400rpm and 80 ipm for a 5 flute endmill

 

I took the 1000SFM right from the Garr technical data.  I also took their recommended .0015ipt and used that to calculate a WOC compensated feedrate (.0035ipt).

 

I will plug your numbers and see what kind of cycle time I come up with.

[zero_divide]

So, how did it go?

[Brian B 74]

Hasn't run yet.  Maybe another week or 2.