End Mill Comparisons in CFRP, Part 4 - Veined PCD Tool
Video shows the performance of coated carbide, diamond-coated, PCD and veined PCD tools in carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Part four in a four-part series.
#compositesmachining
Share
Smith MegaDiamond Inc. and Star Cutter Company compared the performance of various end mills in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). The tools tested included a coated carbide end mill, a diamond-coated end mill, a conventional PCD end mill with straight flutes, and a “veined” PCD end mll featuring a vein of PCD within a helical slot in a carbide tool body.
The table below summarizes the test parameters. Shown here is the video of a 30-degree helical veined PCD tool. Jeff Michael, engineering manager for Star Cutter, comments, “The sound is great. The corners are sharp, and the uncut fibers are minimal because of the shearing effect the geometry has. The last full cut was just to prove out the robustness of the tool, and would not be recommended in production. If you look closely, you can actually see the cutter glow. This does not damage the cutter. Other end mills broke when we attempted to run them at these parameters.”
Featured Content
|
|
Tool Type |
|||
|
Ø .500 in. |
Solid Carbide |
CVD Diamond |
PCD |
Veined PCD |
|
Flute angle |
30° helical |
10° helical |
7° skew |
30° helical |
|
Spindle speed (rpm) |
3,000 |
4,600 |
12,000 |
18,000 |
|
Chip load (in./tooth) |
0.0035 |
0.0035 |
0.001 |
0.0065 |
|
Machine advance (in./min.) |
42 |
64 |
36 |
470 |
|
Radial depth (in.) |
.050 |
.050 |
.050 |
.050 |
Cutting speeds and feed rates were recommended parameters from each tool’s manufacturer.
Related Topics
RELATED CONTENT
-
Inserts For Difficult Materials
Economic efficiency is an important consideration when choosing tools for challenging metals.
-
Rolling Threads Has Advantages
With macros and canned cycles resident in the CNC on most contemporary turning centers, single point turning of OD threads can seem like almost a default process decision. However, for numerous applications, OD thread rolling has inherent advantages as an alternative to cutting threads.
-
Successful Application Of Ceramic Inserts
Applying ceramic inserts is not a simple substitution of one cutting tool material for another. There are significant process considerations that shops should examine carefully in order to realize performance and tool life expectations from ceramic inserts. Here's a look at some of the ways they are used.
