Deep Engraving

[SpecialtyTool]

I have to engrave letters .063" deep in 304 SS with a .025" carbide endmill. Any suggestions? I was thinking about just constantly ramping down?

[Chris In-House Solutions]

What about taking multiple depth cuts?

[SpecialtyTool]

I have a tip for deep engraving in stainless. DON'T TRY IT!!!!!!!!!! I already broke two tool and don't have 1 part done yet. I'm going to try to get a deviation from the customer today. Its pretty stupid to try to go that deep. Im going to send them pics of some samples we ran at .020" deep that look great but could still be even more shallow

[cthompson]

ya depth cuts, is how id go about it. reduce plunge feed to somthing small, so not to brake the cutter

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

You sure the customer didn't mean the letters or numbers should be .063" tall?

[AshM]

I do a fair bit of engraving in steel (just steel not stainless) so this may not help you, but i have found that ramping as you first suggested is my method of choice. Depending on the size of the lettering I typically use 0.075mm (0.003") as the ramping depth with a feed/tooth of 0.01mm so the tool is really just scratching it out. I don't remember ever having to go deeper than 1.1mm 0.044" (i think) so i'm a bit shallower than you, but the job got done, just in a very long time. When engraving i have also been using a 60deg tapered ball nose tool with an R0.15mm (0.006") end, so my rates are for that tool. I have done a job or two where I used a 1mm (0.040") flat endmill, and I used thesame basic rates and strategy. with this small stuff I just go with slow but steady wins the race.

 

Your case is pretty severe. If you get some success let me know how i'd love to be able to compare methods.

 

I hope I got those conversions right.....

 

Worst comes to worst if you struggle and the customer really wants it, perhaps look at producing a positive electrode and get someone to burn it in with SEDM? this would be expensive but if you have to make lots of parts it could work out....