Cutters for Aluminium , Plastic Machining.

[mchin-pilot]

Heloo Mastarcam Knowledge Bank!

 

Wonder what make of cutters are there that are best made for machining Plastics and Aluminium?

 

What coatings are favourable to have?

 

Cheers!

 

Pilot

 

 

 

 

[jeff]

What kind of plastic?

For aluminum I use endmills like these: http://www.lakeshorecarbide.com/variablefluteendmillsforaluminum.aspx

3 flute either ZrN coated or bright polished finish.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

http://www.abtoolsinc.com/prod/shear-hogs-shank

[specv]

I love using Helical endmills for aluminum hogging http://1helical.com and Niagara http://69.65.12.215/ncutter/NC-Details.php?id=420129&eid=22127 for aluminum finishing.

 

for plastic we have been using http://www.harveytool.com/cat/Browse-Specialty-Carbide-Cutting-Tools---End-Mills/End-Mills/Plastic-Cutting-End-Mills_137.aspx

[mchin-pilot]

Thankyou all,

 

Plastics mainly PC-Polycarbonate, POM-Delrin,

Looking for really good cutters, any one using cutters from Japan or Europe.

This is for high quality Product Development work, not for production,

[The Cathedral]

For aluminum we use three-flute, high helix uncoated endmills, mostly from IMCO. They say the TidB coating is supposed to be excellent in aluminum but I just stick with polished & uncoated.

 

As for plastics, I use the same things specv posted. Uncoated, polished single flutes for polycarbonate, delrin, HDPE; two-flute with diamond for Ultem 30% glass and Torlon.

[elbro]

Face mill I would use a shear hog, for end mills I use MA Ford tuff cut AL endmill line. I haven't found an endmill that can come close. I have ran a 3/8 diameter endmill at 12,000 rpm 400 IPM 3/8's deep in 6061-T6 plate and get approximately 5,000 liner feet of cut from one endmill. I have tried many other brands of endmills but nothing has come close to this endmill.

[D Ford]

I've had very good luck with " Destiny Mill ".

The Viper three flute line works great.

It leaves a polished finished.

They also work great on Teflon, Ryton, Rulon bad Delran too.

[mchin-pilot]

Thankyou all,

 

Ya,, the MAFord Alumi ones are what I found good and sharp. will Look into viper from destiny what it does special.

 

Imco, ( the orange!) not used recently for  plastic. but have used on steel. They are good too.

[JAMMAN]

Aluminum.. OSG blizzard. Try it. Afreakingmazing. I roughed out 40 of the wheels in my avatar with one. It's still in the machine ready for the next batch.

[civiceg]

For aluminum: 

Indexable: Shear Hog line, best insert cutters I have used on aluminum. Have a few small ones coming next week, big grin.

Solid Relief: YG1 or OSG 3 flutes

Standard Load: Helical 3 flutes and 5 flutes for tight tolerance hole interpolation 

[JAMMAN]

I've been using YG1 insert drills lately, tried both carbide and HSS inserts been having very good luck. I get them through Fastenal believe it or not.

[D Ford]

Thankyou all,

 

Ya,, the MAFord Alumi ones are what I found good and sharp. will Look into viper from destiny what it does special.

 

Imco, ( the orange!) not used recently for  plastic. but have used on steel. They are good too.

Destiny Viper geometry for aluminum, plus high helix design, plus their coating works good.

A friend just finished a big job, started with MA Ford, but switched back to Destiny. He could run faster and get a lot bey year finish.

Side cuts will look polished.

[mchin-pilot]

Will try Destiny and OSG Blizzard as suggested.

Cheers!