CHANGZHOU CHINA MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CO,LTD.

In modern manufacturing, CNC machining has become an indispensable part, and milling, as a core process within it, determines the processing efficiency and product quality. During the milling process, rough milling and finish milling are two extremely important stages, each undertaking different tasks. Rough milling is mainly used for quickly removing materials, focusing on efficiency, while finish milling is responsible for improving the surface finish and ensuring dimensional accuracy. However, in these two stages, the selection of appropriate milling cutters has a direct impact on the machining effect. Therefore, how to choose the right milling cutters for rough milling and finish milling has become the focus of attention for machining enterprises. This article will explore this issue in detail and answer related questions from multiple perspectives.

What are Rough Milling and Finish Milling?

Rough Milling

Rough milling is the first process in the process, and its main purpose is to remove most of the materials at high speed to create conditions for subsequent finishing. The rough milling cutter usually has a large cutting depth and feed rate, which means it is mainly used to process stainless steel, aluminum alloy, carbon steel and other materials. The features of the rough milling cutter are that the cutter surface is designed with special flutes or corrugations to minimize the cutting power and enhance efficiency.

Characteristics of Rough Milling:

High cutting efficiency, quickly removing materials;

Lower requirements for surface finish;

Large cutting force, more suitable for rough materials or hard workpieces.

Finish Milling

The final stage in the machining process is finish milling and its aim is to enhance the surface quality and dimensional accuracy of the workpiece. Finish milling cutters usually have finer cutting edges and higher cutting accuracy and are suitable for workpieces with strict requirements for surface quality.

Characteristics of Finish Milling:

Light cutting, ensuring surface finish;

High precision, meeting strict dimensional tolerances;

Slow feed rate, suitable for meticulous machining.

The Importance of Selecting the Right Milling Cutters for Rough Milling and Finish Milling

The design and performance requirements for the cutters are completely different for different milling stages. An Improper selection of the cutter can reduce machining efficiency, increase the scrap rate of workpieces, and even shorten the cutter's life. Following are some points that highlight the importance of choosing the right milling cutters:

Improving Machining Efficiency

In the stage of rough milling, the selection of an efficient Rough Milling Cutter can save the machining time greatly. The rough milling cutter has a special flute design, which can effectively reduce the cutting force and avoid cutter overheating and premature wear. For example, when machining stainless steel, a Specifically designed Roughing End Mill for Stainless Steel will ensure higher efficiencies in machining while simultaneously increasing the cutter life.

During finish milling, a correct Finishing End Mill can accomplish high-quality surface machining in effectively one step, which not only avoids rework and additional finishing treatment but also greatly enhances the overall processing efficiency.

Optimizing Surface Quality

Although the main purpose of the rough milling cutter is not to improve surface quality, there are some cases where a low-vibration rough milling cutter can lay a good foundation for finishing the surface. In the finish milling stage, the design of the cutter directly affects the surface finish of the workpiece. High-precision Finishing End Mills generally adopt hard alloy materials with fine particles and coats to achieve a smoother cutting effect (such as TiAlN coating).

Controlling Costs

Using the incorrect cutter can result in low processing efficiency, early wear of the cutter head and even scrapping of the part, thus indirectly increasing the processing cost. So, The cutter life can be maximized; material waste can be decreased, thus controlling the cost-effectively.

Adapting to Different Materials

The selection of a cutter is based on the machining characteristics of various materials. For difficult-to-machine materials like stainless steel, using a specially designed Roughing End Mill for Stainless Steel can reduce machining difficulty. For aluminum alloy or carbon steel finishing, the suitable Finishing End Mill can achieve the optimal process.

How to Select the Appropriate Milling Cutter?

Cutter Selection for Rough Milling

Material: Choose cutter material based on the workpiece material. Hard alloy or high-speed steel (HSS) is selected according to the workpiece material.

Coating: Coated cutters (for example TiN, TiAlN coatings) can better the wear resistance and heat dissipation performance.

Design: An optimized flute design can reduce cutting vibrations, especially when machining hard materials such as stainless steel. Using a Roughing End Mill for Stainless Steel can improve efficiency.

Selection of Finish Milling Cutters

Cutting Edge Count: More cutting edges mean higher cutting precision and less chip removal capability. Choose the correct number of cutting edges according to the characteristics of the workpiece.

Cutter diameter: Depending on the workpiece required machining size, choose the appropriate finish milling cutter with a certain diameter.

Surface Treatment: Smooth surface treatment technologies are commonly adopted by high-precision cutters to cut resistance.

Common Misconceptions about Rough Milling and Finish Milling

Myth 1: Rough Milling Cutters Can Be Used for Finishing

Surface machining with a high finish is not possible in the rough cutter because the main job of the rough milling cutter is to remove materials fast. When used as a finishing tool, it can leave behind surface scratches or other irregularities.

Myth 2: Finish Milling Cutters Can Replace Rough Milling Cutters

The cutting depth and efficiency of finish milling cutters are carefully designed. Used for rough machining, it may greatly reduce the life of a cutter and increase the cost of machining.

Conclusion

Rough milling and finish milling are two indispensable stages in milling machining, each undertaking different tasks. In the rough milling stage, selecting an efficient and durable Rough Milling Cutter can significantly improve machining efficiency; while in the finish milling stage, using an accurate Finishing End Mill can ensure the high-quality surface and dimensional accuracy of the workpiece. By selecting appropriate milling cutters according to the material characteristics, machining requirements, and cutter design, the machining efficiency can be maximized, the cost can be reduced, and the quality of the final product can be ensured.