Tool wear: Carbide in aluminum

[Tom Szelag]

Hey guys. Haven't been around here in a while..

 

For those of you who run a lot of aluminum, I'm curious what kinda tool life you get out of solid carbide tools. I'm an engineering student and do assorted machining on a campus where the nicest machines are a Hurco VM1 and Fadal 3016L (hold your laughter for a moment). Most of the 'machinists' that run the shops have old HSS tools and refuse to push a half inch tool faster than 18ipm through aluminum.

 

Finally got some good tools here.. uncoated solid carbide, SGS and Data Flute stuff. Pushing 3/4" at about 6000rpm and 60-80ipm, which I feel is a good conservative start. I don't want to push too hard though for fear of burning these tools up. Money is TIGHT on the team I work for. So realistically, what kind of tool life can you expect milling aluminum at say 7000rpm and 90ipm?

[mayday]

quote:

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7000rpm and 90ipm?

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tool love you long time

 

save your pennys and get this

 

iscar

 

I run these generally 7500 at 300 ipm on Haas mills 1/8 depth of cut, change inserts once a year

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...tool love you long time...

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LOL!!!

 

Yeah, as long as you don't chip the teeth, that tool will last a long time. Months easily, unless you're using it 8 hours a day 7 days a week, in which case you'd probably be looking at replacing it after a few weeks. The key is don't chip the teeth. Also, go with 3 flute. You get the strength and rigidity of a 4 flute but you get the chip evacuation of a 2 flute. Also, you want to make absolutely sure you keep that tool flooded with coolant. If you get aluminum gummed up on it, that will diminish life as well.

 

HTH

[Chris Rizzo]

with the light usage and small runs your school environment probably has, those tools should last a long, long time. The biggest risk to them will be bouncing around a toolbox or hungover companions setting offsets.

 

[crazy^millman]

Send me an email I might have some donations I can send your way if this is school related.

[Jerome]

That endmill will last

10,235,457 hours and 57 seconds!

 

 

Depending on machine set-up and tool holder condition.

[mowens]

Remember that vibration is the enemy of solid carbide. Set ups should be as rigid as possible, (of course, that's true no matter what you're running). Also, what depth of cut are running?

[Tom Szelag]

Not running that deep. This was the first time I had run anything faster than 20ipm.. cuts at most like .500 radial and .175 or so axial. Definately clamped the work down solid and was running a nice ER32 collet chuck. Came out very nice.

[Bob_Looney]

I run hanita "masterpiece series" (4A03 AND 4K03) 1/2 and 3/4, 3 flute, 12000 rpm, 200 ipm, .200" depth, full slot, all day for 6 months easy.

3/4" Powder metal rougher, 11000 rpm, 200 ipm, lasts one year then cut .300" off the bottom and do it again.

[gti_jay]

Yup. Carbide wear when cutting Aluminum can virtualy be ignored.

 

Your issues will be corner/tool breakage due to chatter or excessive cutting forces.

[SLJ]

I run the 1.25" version of maydays tool at 10,000rpm, 300ipm, .25 deep, full slot on a Daewoo DVC-400. Haven't had any problems yet! Well I'll take that back, the plexiglass window is taking a beating!

[Jerome]

One good trick I do all the time is this:

When an endmill gets a little old it develops little dings/cracks on the flutes. The flute imperfections will result in lines around the profile cuts. Not to hard to sand off but why sand? I program depth cuts with a .015 fin cut on all profile cuts. This will cut once then step down .015 and cut again. many times it results in a cleaner cut.

[elbro]

MA Ford 135 series 3/8 dia 3/8 depth of cut 13500 RPM 390 IPM and the end mill could take more i just ran out of spindle. Runs 3 shifts 5 days a week no problems.