304 Stainless fast roughing metal removal

[Smit]

Has anybody found a tool that will work really well in 304 Stainless Steel? We're milling large plates (3/4" thick x 46" x 50"), removing approximately 1" around the profile and also milling 5 6" diameter bores and several 3" x 6" pockets thru. The inserted mills we use successfully in most materials don't hold up in this stuff.

 

Thanks in advance

[Storkman]

We have been using Iscar feedmills here. You can run a .125 cpt and about 450 sfm. You can only go .079 deep per cut but your still flying.

[Rick McAllister]

Or look into Mitsubishi feedmills. 'Highfeed' cutters do come with "Pucker Factor".

[robk]

Try out Mitsubishi AJX series AJX .

I don't think you would be disappointed. We have the Feed Mill from Iscar in here also. It's a little too unpredictable. The Mits is very fast also (look at the attachment), with a lot less vibration than the Iscar. The inserts are also a lot cheaper (not to mention they last longer) and don't loosen up. One more thing, you can't beat the warranty of Mitsubishi cutters-You break the body and they replace it for free.

[Smit]

quote:

---

'Highfeed' cutters do come with "Pucker Factor".

---

I like to see the machinists pucker, and the boss loves to see it.

 

Especially since I'm safe in my little office!

 

Both the iscar and mitsubishi look interesting. I should have mentioned we're going to be using them on a 40 taper, 15 HP Haas VF-8. Does it take a lot of horsepower to drive these tools?

[Hardmill]

Nothing but Sandvik in my cabinets.

390 series insert have been around for awile

and continue to get better.

You'll start @ about 600-700sfm.

 

PEACE

[mayday]

perfect waterjet job, send em over

anywho, try SGS Z carb endmills. 3/4" at 1528rpm and 15in ipm. we have used these a lot in 300 and 400 series

[Hardmill]

Also sandviks 200series mills kick @ss milling

large holes w/ no drill.

They're all great with machines that don't have

big hp.

 

PEACE

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I am guessing it is not the free machining "Prodec" stuff right?

 

Mike

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I am guessing it is not the free machining "Prodec" stuff right?

 

Mike

[Smit]

Michael,

No, there's nothing "free maching" about this stuff...

[jeff]

MAYDAY,

How fast does that waterjet cut and how accurate is it?

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

It may be a good idea idea to check material prices next time you do a 304 job. Most every shop I know finds it more inexpensive just to run Prodec. It is still certified 304 but I think they just "De-gas" it with calcium. Most all SST material makers manufacture a simalar product. With this stuff you can Fly!

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[robk]

We're running one of them on a 40 taper (30hp). Also one on a Monarch with their own holder (looks like about a 40 taper or a little smaller)@ 15hp without a problem. If you're going deep cavity milling make sure you've got plenty of air to throw the chips out of there though. For example we just finished 2 pockets (21.25x12.75x2.375) with the 2.5 dia. cutter in 420ss without having to index the insers and it took only 47 minutes per plate. The Sandvik 390 series cutter is also popular in here, but it can't touch the new "feed mills" with a 10 foot pole for speed. We use the 390 for smaller dia's. now.

[mayday]

Jeff, thin stuff like that moves right along.cant give you exact feeds at the moment. typicaly can hold around .004 thou. we cut all our plate with contouring features in them to size for anything with a +-.01 tol. and you can easily add some stock for finish machining. really saves on endmills

[Storkman]

quote:

---

I should have mentioned we're going to be using them on a 40 taper, 15 HP Haas VF-8.

---

I wouldn't know about driving feedmills with a 40 taper. You might have to bring the chip down. But with a 3" iscar you are running abot 350 ipm so dropping it a bit wouldn't bring the run time up much.

[RandleXX]

We cut all out 316 stainless molds on waterjet first then finish mill with Mitsubishi indexable and solid carbide Data flute endmills. I generally cut about .050-.100 oversize in the waterjet to leave material for clean-up. This process has beenworking great and saves time and tools.

[specv]

All i have to say is Ingersoll

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I have had really great results with Ingersoll in the past. I do believe that the Ingersoll inserts that we were using were actaully made by Iscar though.

 

Mike

[robk]

Ingersoll is Iscar

Iscar bought them out some time ago. Good stuff and less expensive.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Ooops..I didn't know that.

 

Thanks Rob

[Smit]

Thanks for the wealth of information guys. We are going to be checking out the free machining 304 stainless immediately. I didn't know that material was available.

 

I'm going to spend a day in Chicago comparing the tooling options. Iscar, Mitsubishi, Ingersoll and Sandvik. It sounds like there's a lot of time to be saved (money to be made!) with this technology.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

lso ,have a look on Seco insert mills with round inserts rock on anything from copper to steel

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Smit,

 

Although cutting this material is much nicer in all aspects, the big difference comes with drilling, tapping and milling with indexable tools. We just tap on our mills using standard Blazer coolant without worry of busted taps. 750/800 sfm is about the lowest you would run with a quality indexable cutter. You can really fly >1200sfm when taking smaller side cuts. Use air if you can.

 

As I said before, many material makers make a simalar stainless. The price is just a bit higher but well worth it. It also is more stable and will not move as much. I believe the name brand "Prodec" is Avesta Sheffield's product.

 

Read here: www.spiusa.com/Prod001/PRODECPlate.pdf

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[Midwest]

Seco insert mills

 

625 SFPM

 

Bullnose cutter .030 rad

 

.150 -.200 deep per pass

 

.005 chip load per (lip)