Machining 40HRC mould cavity

[Astonlee]

This is not high-speed 'Z' level type machining demo, check out how they are using the side of tools for the machining of the cavity from the bottom up. This was a method my old company develope 12+ years ago for Bridgeport UK VMC to enable them to use their 10,000 rpm spindle to complete with high-speed machining center for hard metal machining: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/video....ils&videoid=33

[5axisguy]

I can't believe no one responded to this video yet, so I must speak. In the very recent past it seems as though alot of endmill manufactures were making the "high feed" carbide tools, four flute torroid tools to take advantage of the whole "chip thinning" theory. I sat thru many machining seminars from Makino, Mikron, Hermele just to name a few, and I watched each of them rough out cores and cavities with these tools, taking tiny .01 depth of cut and hauling ass feedrates. I have followed in their footsteps on our 5axis machine, roughing 3d mold core and cavity blocks in the neighborhood of 300-400" per min feeds. Tool life was excellent and predictable, roughing close to net shape was easy and things were looking good. Now guys have jumped on the variable flute bandwagon like in this video, not as fast of feeds but HUGE tool engagement and depth of cuts. I would have to say if you have the choice, this is most certainly the best way to rough material, using the side of the tool. The harder the material is, the more likely I will cut this way, plus it's fun.! watching the chips fly without a hint of chatter is impressive. I have not tried SGS tools for this but I have had excellent luck with Emuge's version. The only downside to this strategy is if you have a heavily contoured 3d shape, you leave rather large steps behind, so the flatter the part is your cutting, the more this becomes a better choice. Also it allows for huge metal removal on a machine that's not too likely to feed at those abnoxious speeds, so older machines can enjoy this as well. Very good video and I'm glad to see someone actually use these tools they way they were designed.

[Astonlee]

Thanks for comment, and for your real appreciation of what this video demonstrating!
Re heavily contoured forms: When I used to sell the Kobelco Miracle Cutters and we used Ǿ 10 or 12mm 6 flute Endmills with a 1mm corner radius combined with a 0,5 step over and D.O.C. 1 to 1.½ x D to generate & semi finish the form (like the sides of a bottle mould), of course the very bottom of mould still need ball nose cutters.

[Konrad]

Interesting...but can't open video...Invalid video specified.
Wow...300-400" per min feeds, 5axisguy,
not something I'm capable of, but wondering,.. don't you wear out your machine
prematurely?

Konrad

[5axisguy]

I guess there is an argument on both sides of that issue, zipping along that fast with a light depth, there is very little toolpressure, both on the machine and on the spindle, where as doing more of a hogging method there is considerable stress on the ball screws, bearings, ways,etc.. In fact on our small kuraki boring bar our ball screws are streched out a bit from heavy hogging pockets years ago. Almost all new high speed machines are capable of these types of feeds for extended periods of time. This life of the machine at least for us is still undetermined, I have to think it will be out dated and replaced before things wear out.