Alfa Tools General Product Catalog

End Mills – Information & Coatings

The End Mill is the most-used tool in the tool crib arsenal in any machine shop It is used for milling, profiling, contouring, slotting, counterboring, drilling and reaming.

END MILL TYPES • Finishing end mills • Square end mills • Ball end mills • Taper body mills • Roughing end mills (Coarse tooth & fine tooth)

END MILL MATERIALS • High-speed steel (HSS) • Cobalt-M42 (8% cobalt HSS) • Powder metal (PM) cobalt • Solid carbide (micrograin) • Carbide tipped Standard Helix Angle is 30° Mill dia Tolerance +0 000 -0 002 Max. Operating Temperature Uncoated 750°F TiN 1110°F TiAlN 1450°F

End Mills – Information & Coatings

END MILL SELECTION SUMMARY

• Select the shortest possible end mill for the greatest rigidity • Select two or three flutes for slotting or heavy stock removal. • Select multiple flutes for finishing and greater rigidity. • Use the largest diameter possible for added strength and rigidity. • Apply coatings for higher feeds, speeds and tool life • Use cobalt, PM/Plus and carbide for tougher and harder materials, and for high production applications

FLUTE TYPE • Two Flute: The two-flute end mill has the greatest amount of flute space allowing for more chip carrying capacity. Used primarily in slotting and pocketing of non-ferrous materials where chip removal is a concern • Three Flute: While this tool has the same flute space as two flutes, it has a larger cross-sectional area providing for greater strength and the ability to pocket and slot both ferrous and non-ferrous materials • Four/Multiple Flute: Ideal for peripheral and finish milling The additional flutes allow faster feed rates, but due to the reduced flute space, chip removal may be a problem Produces a much finer finish than two and three flute tools

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MILLING FORMULAE • Revolutions per minute (RPM): Number of revolutions the cutter has in one minute • Inches per minute (IPM): Number of inches the cutter passes through the workpiece in one minute • Chip load: Amount each flute cuts during a single revolution of the cutting tool • Surface feet per minute (SFM): Number of feet a given point on the circumference of the cutter travels per minute This is the measure of cutting speed of the end mill used in the United States.

RPM = SFM x 3.82/tool diameter IPM = RPM x number of flutes x chip load Chip load = IPM/RPM x number of flutes SFM = 262 x tool diameter x RPM

SURFACE TREATMENT AND COATINGS

Description Characteristics

Application

TiN

• Recommended for ferrous and non-metallic materials

• Titanium Nitride: Gold color, General Purpose coating. • Consists of a very hard coating on surface of tool. • Provides excellent wear resistance with good lubricity. • Reduces friction and prevents galling • Titanium Carbonitride: Blue-Grey color, abrasion resistant coating • Consists of an extremely hard coating on surface of tool. • Provides excellent wear resistance. • Aluminum Titanium Nitride: Blue-Black color, multi-layered high heat-resistant coating • Provides excellent wear resistance. • Forms an aluminum oxide layer at high speeds and elevated temperatures

TiCN

• Recommended for Silicon Aluminum, brass and bronze applications, cast iron and alloy steels • Very effective at higher speeds.

AlTiN

• Recommended for semi and dry milling applications in high temperature alloys and hardened steel materials • Very effective at higher speeds and in some tapping applications

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