Cutting copper?

[MIKE_B]

Hi all

 

Not much experience cutting copper here so I'm looking for some tips Quoting a job with material call out to be: UNS C11000 ETP ASTM B152

Copper Cold Rolled Plate RFB2 or Alternate material can be : Copper Alloy C10200 (CDA 102)

H02 Temper ( Half Hard )

 

I guess my first question would be which of these materials would be best to machine.

 

And any advice on cutters SFM etc would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

Mike

[JCLM]

Well I'm definately not an expert but we cut copper on an occasion here. I would start with speeds and feeds comparable to CRS and you shouldn't have any real problems. Also, copper tends to try to grab your tools, ecspecially drills, so make sure that the tool and part are held securely. I'm not sure about which material would be better.

 

HTH

[MIKE_B]

Just a little more info. This is just a simple vertical mill part with some pockets holes and tapped holes. All my tapped holes are blind .250 min depth some 2-56 and 4-40. I would usually form tap blind holes but I'm not sure how coppoer would react.

[Goldorak]

sfm around 900

endmill sharp as possible

feed between .005 .008 ipt

 

drill hss w little peck .025 to .05 (coper dont chip wery well)

 

tap with a lot of taping fluid, no coolant!

 

 

one word for cooper: sticky !!

[Kelly Burns]

C180 machines great, sucks to drill. I back my rpms down about 30% and feed like a sissy with .025 pecks.

[Hardmill]

Stone the bottom of one flute before you drill.

This will cut a little big but the drill wont want to

grab at all. No need to take small peck.

 

 

PEACE

[MIKE_B]

Thanks for the tips gang Every little bit helps. Quoting 3000 pcs anually so I really don't wanna miss on this one. The .025 pecks are kinda scary though. I might have to put some toolpaths together to run on the machine to get a more accurate cycle time. I never have any luck with pecking and mastercam cycle time