Tiny Slots

[Wargo]

I'm milling a part out of 6061 and have to make a series of "fins" at .06" wide, almost 1" deep, and .24" apart. I tried running a .125" EM through it at .025" DOC, but the chatter was so bad it ended up snapping the endmill. 

Anyone have a work around for this, or a better method?

[JParis]

There is a "Thin Wall" option on the finishing branch in pocketing...I have used it to get through similar situations

You'll have to draw some geometry to support what you need but it does work

 

[Wargo]

What does that do? Either way, I'll have to slot through that at full WOC for the first pass through and that's where the vibration is.

[gms1]

Typically I would cut them all from the top down at the same time. Instead of 1 rib at a time. That is what the thin wall function does, but does it better by staggering the depth of cut.

[#Rekd™]

How big is the part? What machine?

 

If you can use a slitting saw it would make things easier.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

If you can't use a slitting saw I'd do dynamic milling with depth cuts.  High pressure through spindle coolant if you have it.

[Eric@HorsepowerInc.]

Ramp z axis Zigzag all day long and be done with it.  1-3 deg pending on spindle speed available.

[Newbeeee™]

IF geo allows....run 2x slitting saws with a .060" spacer between them (straddle/gang).

 

[Robert Ouellette]

are the slots 0.240" center to center or 0.240 between faces? If between faces use a bigger EM than 1/8". something like 3/16, 5mm, 5.5mm or even 6mm. and ramp down right in center then clean up pass using thin wall option. 

I am assuming you cant use a slitting saw. If you can stand the part up and use a saw I would do that all day long. that's what slitting saw are for.

 

 

[BrianP.]

On 4/14/2020 at 10:13 PM, Eric@HorsepowerInc. said:

Ramp z axis Zigzag all day long and be done with it.  1-3 deg pending on spindle speed available.

We do a ton of smaller stuff here. Ramp usually works the best. A few  jobs I do are with a 1/16 or 1/32 endmills at 10x diam. no problem.