Machining HI Temp Machining Ceramic

[mike561h]

Hi Friends,

 

Has anyone had any experience machining machinable hi temp ceramics.

We are using QCT 1/2 inch roughing cutters SE toughy mill. Kinda looks like qa deburiing cutter

Any one got any tips that may help?????? Different cutters. coolant etc...

Thanks,

Mike

[Colin Gilchrist]

For cutting Ceramic, I'd go with a diamond coated or CBN tool.

[Oscar R.]

I'm machining some glass filled ceramic right now. PITA!

This stuff keeps chipping on all the sharp edges.

 

For cutting Ceramic, I'd go with a diamond coated or CBN tool.

 

+1 on that.

This stuff is supper abrasive. I'm using standard carbide 4flt endmills right now becuase that's all I have access to at this moment and it's a short run.

One to rough and another to finish.

SFM of 20-35.

 

Good luck with yours and if you have positive reluts post back, I could use the insight for future reference.

[Glenn Bouman]

I tried using ceramic inserts in a face mill cutting inconel a few years back and it was not very successful. Used the recommended feeds and speeds and here is the results:

 

 

Here is the video http://home.cogeco.ca/~mastercam/inconel/DSCF0993.AVI

[#Rekd™]

Hi Friends,

 

Has anyone had any experience machining machinable hi temp ceramics.

We are using QCT 1/2 inch roughing cutters SE toughy mill. Kinda looks like qa deburiing cutter

Any one got any tips that may help?????? Different cutters. coolant etc...

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

Here is some old literature that I dug up, not sure if it is clear enough. Send me an email and I will email you the pdf, too large to attach.

 

We only use High Speed Steel on our Macor, all manual machines for this stuff since it is prone to cracking and chipping.

 

Good luck.

[cammie]

The high temp ceramics are used with QCT 1/2 inch roughing cutters. Kinda usually looks like a SE toughy mill. The qa deburiing cutter looks nice. There are different cutters and coolants that might help you in cutting the ceramics. Such type of stuffs keeps you chipping on all the sharp edges.

______________________

machining ceramics

[MrFish]

we looked into machining some similar stuff a while back and got costings for a 3mm OSG CBN endmill to do the job - $900 each !!! that poo pooed the job straight away

[MrFish]

I tried using ceramic inserts in a face mill cutting inconel a few years back and it was not very successful. Used the recommended feeds and speeds and here is the results:

 

 

Here is the video http://home.cogeco.c...el/DSCF0993.AVI

 

Glenn , you say it wasn't very successful, isn't this what machining with ceramics is supposed to look like - all hot and glowy !!

[MotorCityMinion]

"we looked into machining some similar stuff a while back and got costings for a 3mm OSG CBN endmill to do the job - $900 each !!! that poo pooed the job straight away"

 

Used correctly, CBN tipped tools pay for them selves. We've got a 2mm ball x 12 mm min length tool that we use only for finishing hardened tool steels, typically 60 -64 rc. That same tool, yes, the original tool, is over 6 years old.

 

The cost savings from not burning, grinding or finishing with high end carbide has been amazing. It was either OSG, Nachi or Polkum at $400 a pop. The key here is a knowledgeable sales rep who can get you in the zone right away.

[mkd]

never heard of a $400 2mm EM or cutters lasting years.....

student for life

[crazy^millman]

I have seen a carbide endmill bend like a plastic straw and not break. It was cutting plastic and the owner did not take excess material into account in his program. The endmill came up to the excess material and just keep spinning and bending over. It is still one of the craziest things I have ever seen.

[mkd]

in college, we did a torsion test of .75" dia x 10" long bar of hot rolled steel.

sucker twisted all the way around something like 8 times before it broke!

cool story but has absolutely nothing to do with machining ceramics. haha

[lanart]

how about tapping Macor? HSS work? 2-56 and 4-40. thinking maybe tap by hand?

[#Rekd™]

Yes HSS works great on Macor. Tap by hand for sure.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I try to avoid tapping small holes in tough, hard, or abrasive material. I'd much rather Thread Mill those holes...

[lanart]

thanks. even 2-56 rather thd mill?

[#Rekd™]

Tap by hand with coolant as a taping fluid, go slow. We tap down to 0-80 in Macor.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I'd rather thread mill a 0-80 than worry about scrapping a part, or digging out a broken tap, but that's just my opinion. To Thread Mill that small you need to have a good spindle and tool holder setup. Minimal run-out on your tool, good coolant flushing to carry away the chips, and the correct machining parameters are all critical when using small tools.

 

I think someone recently posted some new tools made by Emudge that go down to 0-80 for Thread Mills, but other manufacturers also make them.