Truths of Medical Device Machining： You Need to Know

 

Machines, such as high-speed milling machines, are capable of creating parts of almost any shape. For different manufacturing purposes, CNC milling operations are available in a variety of types. In the end milling process, the type of tooling used for material cutting makes it different from other processes. This article will explore the different kinds of end mills, the concept of end milling, and the steps involved in the manufacturing of end mills in this article.

What Is An End Mill?

The cylindrical shank of this rotating cutting tool has teeth at the end, which is used as a machine for machining metal plates and other items. Absbrading is a process that dates back thousands of years. A wide variety of products have been formed from materials that have been ground, crushed, or cut. “Milling” has been a term used since the 1800s to describe this process. The end mill differs from the drill bit by application, geometry, and manufacturing. Most milling bits can cut in a radial direction instead of an axial direction like drill bits can. End mills are mills designed specifically to cut axially; others cannot cut axially.

What Is An End Mill Used For?

The endmill is used in various milling applications such as profile milling, tracer milling, face milling, plunging, contour shaping, slotting, drilling, and reaming. Endmill tools can be grouped into several general categories. Milling machines are used for milling, profiling, contouring, milling, counterboring, drilling, reaming, and other applications involving making shapes and holes in a workpiece. Both the face and edge of these tools are equipped with cutting teeth that can cut numerous types of materials in various directions.

Material For an End Mill

Solid Carbide

You get lots of advantages by investing in a?solid carbide square end mill. They are highly rigid, have excellent heat resistance, and have a much faster-cutting speed than HSS. By doing this, your cutting speed will be sped up, and you will be able to cut a wider range of materials. End mills manufactured from carbide are frequently used for finishing needs.

HSS

High-speed steel end mills offer a more cost-effective alternative to carbide. Several metals, including many types of plastics, can be used in these machines. They have a good wearing resistance, so you won’t have to resharpen them too often. Standard operations usually require them to be sharpened. Despite this, the tool life is shorter, and the performance and speed of the tool are more restricted.

What Is The Best Material For The End Mill?

High-speed steel (HSS) and carbide are the two most commonly used materials in manufacturing end mills. Older machines and those with less rigidity and one-off and very short-run production may benefit from HSS. Despite its slower speed, it is less costly, less brittle, and more forgiving of unstable conditions. Machine tools using CNC blades achieve higher speeds, require fewer tool changes, and are more productive. Due to longer tool life and shorter cycle times, the higher cost is justifiable in these applications.

Types of end mill

V-Bit End Mills

The V-bit end mill entails cutting depressions in the workpiece in a V-shaped pattern called V-carving. The V-bit end mills are available at either 60° or 90° angles. End mills with sharp tips are intended for cutting narrow paths. End mills with wider bottoms are designed for cutting large areas. Due to its rounded edges and corners, this end mill is ideal for machining edges and corners that are particularly sharp.

Up and Down-Cut End Mills

 

Spiral end mills can be used for milling up-cuts as well as down-cuts. The spiral can either carry the chips upward or away from the designated area, resulting in a rougher top surface, depending on the cut (up-cut or down-cut). By cutting up-cut end mills, they keep the bit cool and remove materials more quickly, which is ideal for cutting softer materials like plastic and aluminum. However, the wear on the surface can cause workpieces to lift and require hold-downs to be held down. By down-cutting end mills, the top surface of laminates can be smooth, and a flat surface can be achieved on thin parts, as well as avoiding tabs on larger parts.

Straight Flute End Mills

The straight flute end mill has a single-end, zero degrees helix, and straight and basic flutes. The straight flute reduces the fraying of a workpiece’s edges and provides a good surface finish. The milling of composites of epoxy and glass can be done with these machines, as well as profile milling.

Roughing End Mills

Metal chips on a workpiece are broken into smaller pieces by roughing end mills with scallops on the outside diameter. A given radial depth of cut is thus accomplished with lower cutting pressures. When large quantities of material need to be removed, roughing end mills are mainly used for rough milling. Due to the variety of materials that can be milled, roughing end mills can be configured with many different helix angles and flute configurations.

Ball-Nose End Mill

End mills with ball-noses are also called ball end mills, and their tips are rounded. These can be single-ended or double-ended. Ball nose end mill?can use general-purpose geometries or have high-performance ones. These cutters are used to mill large corner radiuses, grooves with full radiuses, and mill contours or profiles. For engravers and 3D tools, smaller diameters are most often used.

Tips of Endmills

Different shapes of end mill tips are designed for different types of applications. Ball nose cutters, squares, and corner radiuses are the most common shapes.

Ball Nose:

It is ideal for 3D contour work to use ball nose mills because they produce a rounding pass and can be manipulated at fast speeds.

Radius End Mill:

This end mill is the most recommended because it assures a constant smooth cut without chipping. By increasing the radius of the corner edges, corners are stronger, meet functional print requirements, and result in the desired radius.

Chamfer End Mill :

By creating a cutting action, most materials can be chipped more easily. With chamfering, feed rates can be higher, as well as efficiency increases. Using their angled profile, aluminum, brass, bronze, iron, and steel can be chamfered, beveled, or otherwise shaped.

Square End Mill:

Generally known as flat end mills, they are used for general milling tasks, including slotting, profiling, drilling square shoulders, and plunge cutting. The bottom of the slot and pocket of the workpiece is produced with a sharp edge using Square End Mills. To prevent damage to the end mill or the workpiece, each cutting head of the end mill has flutes that transport chips away from the workpiece. Manual and CNC milling machines use square end mills.

How To Make An End Mill?

Cut The Length:

The first step in the process of making?long reach end mills?is to note and measure the size of the material in accordance with the length required for the tool.

Polishing:

If the end mill surface has to be smoothed out, then the cut tool needs to be polished.

Processing:

Once being polished, the drill needs to be processed into the shape you want, including ball nose end mill,?solid carbide square end mill, or any?long reach end mills.

Grinding:

After processing the end mill, the next step is to grind it. Through grinding, the mill achieves precision and accuracy in making holes.

Coating The Ground Mill:

Coating at the beginning of the process is necessary to make the grinding and processing of the mill easier. However, in this step, the prepared end mill is again coated to give a sleek and smooth finish look to the end mill.

Measurement:

With the use of measurement tools, the mills have been measured for their accuracy after they have been polished.

Packing:

Once the tools are perfectly ready, they are packed to be delivered to the shops so you can have access to them.

 

End Mill Coatings

As a result of their coatings, carbides are protected from the heat produced during cutting and minimize friction. There are many coatings available that suit certain materials better. It is easier to use the correct coating if you pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Why Does End Mill Flute Count Matter?

Overall, the correlation of flute number, core size, and tool strength can be answered with simple proportional calculations. An increased number of flutes means a greater number of cores, which equals greater tool strength. Additionally, higher flute count end mills tend to have a shallower cut, so they can be used to produce a smoother surface on virtually any material.

The addition of more flutes does come with some downsides, though. Cores of larger dimensions take up more space and limit flute valleys that would otherwise facilitate chip evacuation during machining. To remove metal faster when cutting harder, ferrous materials, stronger end mills with higher flute counts need to be used.

Also, consider the type of machining application you are dealing with when determining the appropriate flute count. Higher flute count end mills are more suitable for finishing operations. In short, less material should be removed, so chip evacuation is not likely to be of major concern due to the smaller quantity of material to be removed. Nevertheless, a lower count of flutes will be beneficial for roughing operations, where it is necessary to have a larger valley in the flute for more frequent chip evacuation. Implementing chip breakers during roughing operations can also be beneficial. Moreover, consider four flutes end mill suppliers for best results.

Things To Consider While Choosing End Mills

In machining, choosing the right end mill is one of the most important steps. The fact that every tool has different geometries, each crucial to the outcome on your part, complicates the process. During the tool selection process, we recommend that you keep the following points in mind.

Material You are cutting.

Knowing what materials and properties you will be working with will help narrow down your end mill selection. The mechanics of each material differ substantially so that they exhibit different characteristics when it comes to TNGG Insert machining. Different machining strategies are required for plastic materials, for example, as well as different tool geometries. Tool performance and longevity will be improved if you choose a tool with geometries suited to those unique characteristics.

?Tool Dimensions

Suppose you wish to accomplish the milling operation you need. In that case, you will need to take into consideration the dimensions of the tool, including the cutter diameter, the length, and the profile of the tool.

• Tool Profile:

End mills can be classified into three main types of shapes, namely square, corner radius, or ball end. There are sharp corners on both ends of the flute on the square profile on the end mill, which is squared off at 90° to each other. By replacing a sharp corner with a radius, a corner Carbide Inserts radius profile increases strength, prolongs tool life, and prevents chips. Another type of fluted profile is the ball profile which features straight flutes with a rounded end, thus creating a “ball nose” at the tip of the tool. It is considered to be the strongest type of fluted profile.

• Cutter Diameter:

The dimension that will define the width of a slot or the amount of material to be removed by the radial depth of cut when side milling. Selecting a cutter diameter that is the wrong size – either too large or small – can lead to the job not being completed successfully or a final part not being to specifications.

• Length of Cut & Reach:

The longest contact length during operation should dictate the length of the cut for any end mill. The cut length should not exceed the required length. A tool that is as short as possible will result in a reduced overhang, a more rigid setup, and less chatter when being used. When cutting at a depth greater than 5x the tool diameter, it may be better to explore necked reach options as opposed to long length cuts.

 

How Many Flutes Do I Need?

When selecting?long reach end mills, determining the right flute count is of utmost importance. This decision is influenced by both the material as well as the application. With fewer flutes on the cutting edge, end mills will provide better chip clearance. Meanwhile, with more flutes, the finish will be finer, and the end mill will work more smoothly when cutting harder materials.

In comparison to multiple flute end mills, two and three flute end mills have better stock removal, but a markedly reduced finish. Finish cuts and cuts in harder materials require end mills with five or more flutes, which must operate at lower removal rates due to their poor chip evacuation properties.

Flutes Types:

2-Flutes:?

Two flutes end mills have an Excellent Chip carrying capacity. Furthermore, it has a low cutting resistance. It can be used for the purpose of slotting or side milling. Meanwhile, it has low rigidity.

3-Flutes:

Three flutes end mills also have excellent chip carrying capacity. and are the best fit for sinking. Additionally, it can be used for slotting, side milling, heavy cutting, and finishing, but its diameter is quite hard to measure.

4-Flutes:

A?4 flutes end mill supplier?can be ideal for your application as they have high rigidity and can be used for shallow slotting, side milling, finishing

6-Flutes:

Six flute end mills are highly rigid and deliver the best durability. These end mills deliver superior cutting edge performance on the hardest materials. They can also be used on high hardness material, shallow slotting, and side milling.

8-Flutes:

This is the maximum count of flutes an end mill can have. Similar to the 6-flutes end mill, it also has high rigidity. In addition, it is also capable of providing a superior cutting edge on materials of the highest hardness.

Material

There is no question that the most common tools used in the production of nonferrous materials are the two-flute or three-flute tools. Since the 2-fluted option has traditionally been chosen because of the good clearance that 2-fluted cutters offer. In finishing applications and High-Efficiency Milling, however, the 3-flute option has proven to be successful due to its higher contact points with the material due to its high flute count.

?Coated Tool

Coated tools help increase performance through the following benefits: Improved Chip Evacuation by increasing SFM; More Aggressive Running Parameters by using the higher SFM. In general, a coating may enhance the performance of a good tool, but it rarely enhances the performance of a misapplied tool.

Maintaining An End Mill

Keep It In The Case

Despite the fact that round tooling pieces are shipped from the factory in a fitted casing, there is a reason behind this.?When it comes to storing tools in the shop, the protective sleeves they came in are beneficial. It would be advisable to leave the faucet in its original packaging until you are ready to attach it to the collet. Keeping it clean and undamaged will prevent the tool from getting damaged before use.

Use Right Speed

It is important to understand the speed at which your machine should be run if you want to extend its tool life. An overly fast tool will produce an undersized chip, a defective chip evacuation process, or even cause the tool to malfunction. Slowly operated tools may deflect, result in a poor finish, or even reduce metal removal rates.

Be Gentle When Cleaning

In the case of cutting heads, one process may result in the utilization of the cutting head, but end mills and taps are potential reusable tools.?End mills can typically be reground up to six times, allowing a fully consumed tool to be brought back into service for a fraction of its replacement cost.

But it is the integrity of the cutting face that determines whether or not you can regrind an end mill or tap. In the case where the edge of the tool is intact, the tool can likely be reground back to its original specifications and can probably be used again. Having a chipped edge can require reflecting, however, which is costly and significantly decreases the tool’s future longevity. Even if the tool needs to be reground, it’s vital to protect a severely damaged cutting tool afterward. As if the tooling were brand new, you should take the same measures to protect its cutting edge.

Be careful with the Edges.

High-speed steel or carbide cutting face is only designed to take the stress from one direction. The tool’s cutting face is incredibly resilient to steady pressure applied to its leading edge, but a hard impact on the tool’s trailing edge can chip the cutting face. Using a tool with a chipped edge can cause unexpected failure in the machine, which can be very expensive.

Things You Are Doing Wrong

Running It Too Fast or Too Slow

When it comes to speed and feed, determining the right speed (RPM) is important before starting your machine to ensure proper tool life. If you run a tool too fast, the chip size may become suboptimal or even the tool may fail. On the other hand, high RPMs can cause deflection or a poor finish, or they can simply reduce metal removal rates. You should ask the?best end mill manufacturers?what the ideal RPM is for the particular job you are doing if you are unsure.

Wrong Coating

An optimally coated tool can have a big impact even if it is marginally more expensive. Some coatings increase lubricity, which reduces natural tool wear, while others increase hardness and abrasion resistance. Despite this, not all coatings can be used on all materials, and the most notable difference occurs between ferrous and nonferrous materials.

Bottom Line

One of the best?China Carbide End Mill manufacturers,?Huana tools, provides you with quality end mills so you can deliver the best at your work or home.

Face Milling： Definition, Process, Differences, Practical Tips

Adaptive control enhances submerged cutting on the ”I” series of Fanuc wire EDMs.

The Fanuc RoboDrill high-speed drilling center gets a productivity boost when integrated with robotic parts handling.TNMG Insert

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Methods Machine Tools, Inc.“Smart” machine tools. Spindles reaching 60,000 rpm. Affordable robots for load/unload.

Not long ago, statements like these were used to characterize the next generation of machining technology. Today, in fact, these statements apply to machinery currently available, with many examples already in full operation on the floors of machine shops. These are machines “smart” enough to detect changing cutting conditions on a job and adapt accordingly. These are machines with spindle speeds reaching 60,000 rpm on a routine basis. These are machines equipped with economical and reliable robots able to load and unload huge production batches.

In November, machine tool supplier Methods Machine Tools (Sudbury, Massachusetts) took advantage of the transition to a new century by opening up its National Technical Center near Boston to shop managers from New England and across the country. At the week-long show, engineers from Methods and its partner companies displayed working demonstrations of the latest generation of machine tool technology that is making its way onto shop floors.

For example, integrated robotic systems to enhance drilling and milling applications attracted great interest, reports John Crean, product manager for the Fanuc RoboDrill line. He noted that fast spindle speeds aren’t much help to a machine shop if it doesn’t have the manpower to load parts for three shifts and over weekends. Shop managers are well aware that today’s limited workforce should not be a factor in production output, he says.
The solution is to be able to integrate any machine tool with a variety of load/unload options, and Methods showed several examples of this approach. Various demonstrations centered around Fanuc’s line of high-speed drilling centers, where an 8,000 or 15,000 rpm spindle can be combined with a variety of bed configurations and integrated pallet-shuttle and robotic systems designed specifically for use with the machine. With one-second tool changes and artificial intelligence built into the control, a machine shop is able to maintain unmanned operations and reach new levels of production speed and efficiency.

Milling keeps getting faster, too. Incredibly fast milling speeds are continually being obtained in the laboratory, but Matsuura Corp. has developed a 60,000 rpm machine tool that’s already at work on production floors. The newly introduced LX-1 was developed by the builder as a high acc/dec machining center that is specifically designed for small, precise parts cutting. With a 3,545 ipm rapid traverse rate and an 1,181 ipm actual cutting feed rate provided by linear motor technology, the LX-1 is well-suited for small die and mold work for plastic injections, EDM electrodes and forging parts. The acc/dec rate is 1.5G. The 18-pocket tool changer is expandable to 30 tools.

Comparable strides in technology were demonstrated by Methods EDM Division. Although EDM has enjoyed great gains over the years, there still are conditions that can bog down even the most advanced wire EDM machine, says Charlie Quillen, EDM Division product manager. Most common is wire breakage due to changes in workpiece thickness, which can cause the machine to supply an excess of cutting current, creating an unstable discharge.
Most current-generation EDM controls adjust the cutting current to match the thick part of the workpiece about to be cut, often resulting in wire breakage in thinner areas during the cutting operation. While automatic wire re-threading may keep the operation going, this condition makes it impossible to achieve the most efficient cutting speed for the project, Mr. Quillen explains.

The solution on display was an adaptive control function developed by Fanuc Ltd. for its line of submerged wire EDM machines. This feature allows for Carbide Aluminum Inserts great improvements in accuracy even when the workpiece thickness varies or an interrupted cut creates an unstable discharge. With the adaptive control, the thickness of the workpiece is monitored in real-time, and the discharge current density can be controlled at a constant level. The most suitable cutting current with the best efficiency is supplied in each thickness automatically. This allows for a higher cutting speed, energy savings, and constant kerf width that produces more accurate parts.

This feature is available on Fanuc’s recently introduced “I” series of submerged wire EDM machines.

How to Optimise Designs For Metal Fabrication Projects

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Posted on August 28th, 2020 | By WayKen Rapid Manufacturing

If you’ve ever ordered parts from CNC milling services, you may know that custom machining costs a considerable sum of money. Upon looking at the total quote, some of the clients gasp and have a lot of questions DCMT Insert regarding the pricing of the milling shops. Well, this article’s aim is to explain what a?CNC milling job price consists of.

What Is CNC Milling?

CNC milling ( computer numerical control milling ) is a machining process through controlling computers and rotating multipoint cutting tools that can quickly remove the material from the workpiece and create custom-designed parts or products.

Through the CNC milling process, we can machine various materials such as metal, plastic, glass, wood, and produce a variety of custom-designed parts and products.

The?Advantages?of?CNC?Milling

WayKen can offer cost-effective milling solutions whether you need a single part, small batch of prototypes, or full productions.

Can produce complex partsCost-effective for prototypingShort-run CCMT Insert productionHigh dimensional tolerancesSmooth finishes CNC machining servicesVarious materials availableLow cost100% qualityFast deliveryExcellent After-sales Get a quote

The Importance of Cost Calculation for Milling Services

First of all, it is important to speak about why an accurate estimate of the machining cost is important. After all, there are a lot of different elements that contribute to the overall cost of a CNC milled part. The importance of consistent quoting by the CNC milling services ensures trust between the client and the manufacturer, makes it possible to understand where the minimum price is (when you don’t get any profit margin but are able to work and pay your employees salary), allows the manufacturer to control the profits and estimate the necessary resources for each job.

Stock Material

Stock material is the most basic cost. You need something to mill from, right? With CNC milling, choosing the right stock is usually easy. You look at the geometry of the final part (mostly, the form and the maximum dimensions), choose a standard stock type (most often a block or a plate for milling operations), and add a couple of centimeters in thickness to the maximum dimensions of the final part. Some milling services make it possible to upload your model of the final part and a milling cost estimation program will find a suitable stock for you.

Tooling

The tooling consists of all the jigs and fixtures, loading mechanisms, tool holders, and of their similar elements that are required to fix the base elements of the milling manufacturing system. These costs are highly individual and cannot be estimated automatically. The good news is that the majority of tooling in CNC milling shops is flexible and will fit 80% of the parts that come through this shop but there are always 20%. Since the cost of tooling is high, it is recommended to change the design of the part a little bit so it can be manufactured without the extra purchases.

Cutting Tools

Cutting tools, as well as cooling liquids, are consumables. Cooling liquid is recycled by the modern milling centers so its cost is negligible. But the percentage of cutting tools in the total of the milling price can be quite costly. Why is that? The answer is simple. This depends on the material. For example, tools for CNC milling acrylic or other soft plastics will be usable for a lot of operations because those materials are soft and do not damage the tool insert. However, harder materials, titanium alloys being on the top of that list, will wear the tools faster.

Apart from that, some CNC operations require specialized tools. For example, diamond machining inserts are much more expensive than carbide ones. CNC milling services usually have a set of recommended tool inserts for each material and will include those in the total.

Machinist Salary

This part of the machining costs is the most understandable. The work is carried out by an employee who has a per hour rate to his CNC services. If your part is large, additional loading and unloading rates may be added to the quote. It should be noted that the machinist is paid for preparation time as well since he sets up the fixtures, tunes up the cutting tools, and so on.

Machine Costs

Machine tools, especially 5-axis CNC milling centers use quite a lot of power and some are mounted with pneumatic systems additionally, which further enhances the use of electricity. Apart from that, companies have to take depreciation costs into account. All of that comprises the rate of a machine tool per hour. Naturally, if the part has to be processed on multiple machine tools (milling and turning both, for instance) then all the rates are added and multiplied by the processing time.

Quality Costs

Different parts have various quality demands. The better the precision and surface finish of the part, the more complex features it has, the more it will cost. So, some CNC shops add a tolerance coefficient when online quoting the jobs. That makes clients more careful when choosing the quality of their parts, saves time, and increases overall business efficiency. In addition, when a batch of parts is ordered, you can insert a percentage of faulty parts. The lower the percentage, the more often the machinist will have to check each corresponding part and the more expensive the whole job will be.

Shipping

We are living in a global world and it is often that a client from Europe orders CNC milling china services. Despite having a lot of different transport companies, shipping still costs money. Usually, machine shop managers let you choose from multiple methods of shipping with different price ranges, you have to include the weight and dimensions of the final part, of course, because shipping a small 0,5 kg shaft is different from shipping a whole set of injection molding dyes. If the shipping is free, then its price is just hidden into the profit margin of the total but the majority of CNC milling shops specify how much you’ll pay for shipping. Some companies can even offer to send your order to a side shipping company that you trust.

Profit Margin

Profit margin is never shown to the client but its coefficients are included in each part of the whole price. If the profit margin is zero (for shops where the business is hard), it means that all the money from the milling goes to cover the expenses and pay the salary. Basically, the business has worked, pays its people, and gets just enough to make ends meet but it doesn’t grow or develop. On the other hand, with a large profit margin, the milling shop gets a lot of extra money for each order but the demand is definitely lower since fewer people are ready to pay more money.

How WayKen Can Help You

CNC mills is a kind of flexible machining method that can manufacture parts in various shapes from soft metals like aluminum, harder metals like steel, and plastics such as acetal.

At Wayken, we can offer fast and cost-effective milling solutions no matter what you need a single part, a small batch of prototypes, or full production order. If you are interested in our CNC milling services, please don’t hesitate to contact us: [e-mail].

Survey Report on China Top 5 Carbide CNC Inserts Brand

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Posted on:? Aug 10, 2018, | By WayKen Marketing Manager

Metal machining and specifically milling are widespread in modern prototyping techniques. Prototype manufacturers tend to maximize their equipment capabilities in regards to technology. One of the methods that have become popular in recent years is helical milling. Let’s try to clear up what helical milling is about, its pros and cons and how you can use this knowledge while designing your prototype to lower its manufacturing costs.

What Is Helical Milling?

Helical milling is an alternative hole-making process. This process involves an endmill that follows a helical trajectory to achieve a high-quality bore. It offers a lot of advantages compared to conventional drilling and it can downright replace boring machines, which is always advantageous for prototyping shops as they really want to avoid buying lots of equipment.? (Ha, not saying that they are dull, they are quite sharp actually, wait… they are boring and sharp at the same time. This wordplay is killing me). Helical milling can be used to create bores of practically any form, the cutting force is lower, tool wear as well and the achievable quality can be quite high.

Why not drilling?

The main alternative to helical milling is conventional drilling. It is a very widespread method of making holes. Statistically, drilling takes up to 25% of cycle time and 33% of the total number of machining operations when manufacturing a metal part. But why should you consider milling? Despite the fact that obviously, the kinematics are much simpler, drilling has a range of cons that justify using a more complicated milling technique.

For example, Drilling speed differs with the diameter. It is highest at its outer point and is practically zero in the center of the drill ( where the axis is). It means that the machining process near the revolution axis is not actually cutting but plastic deformation. This increases the thrust force of the tool and the tool wears drastically.

Because of the axial thrust force, the drill, especially a worn one, will bend a thin layer of metal as it exits the stock. The resulting leftover material protrudes around the hole and needs to be removed manually. Using a mill instead drastically lowers the leftover material.

Drilling provides awful chip removal conditions.?The processed material can only be removed through the drill flutes. Chip removal influences the surface finish of the hole and the cutting temperature. As the bits of metal move from the cutting zone through the flutes to the surface, they scrape the sides of the hole and lower the surface finish.? It has been proven that the chips carry up to 80% of cutting warmth, so removal problems increase the temperature of the drill. It wears down faster because of that. In order to increase chip removal rate, operators use discrete drilling methods. The drill processes a part of the whole length after which it is removed. This is a good strategy but the drilling time increases.

As you can see, RCMX Insert drilling has some significant drawbacks so, in the tendency to increase machining efficiency and thus the efficiency of prototyping shops, manufacturers employ helical milling

Some helical milling specifics

Let’s review some of the processes that happen in helical milling.

Firstly, the end mill moves along a helical path. It means that the milling center must combine the vertical z-axis movement and the horizontal x-y axis. This makes the NC program very complex to write manually, however, a lot of CAM-systems have adopted helical milling as one of the strategies.

The geometry of the chip consists of two zones: the blue one that is created by the side of the end-mill and the red zone that is created by the face of the mill. It has been proved that the ratio between the two zones VCMT Insert is determined only by the tool and bore diameters.

With the increase of the tool diameter, increases the blue zone. It provides worse milling in regards to vibration as the blue chip is discontinuous, unlike the red one. So, the surface finish will be worse.? In addition, with the increase of the volume removed by the side of the mill, radial cutting forces grow (red Fr at the picture) and they bend the tool inside of the hole, so the tolerance decreases.?The negative effect is decreased to some degree by the fact that larger tools have more rigidity.

If the tool is smaller, the red zone prevails, so the radial force is small, as well as vibration, however, the decrease in tool diameter is limited by the system rigidity.

I’d say that using a larger tool at first is better and changing it to a smaller one for a final cut with low depth and feed will result in a great surface finish.

Reasons to use helical milling

As you can see, helical milling is a promising process that offers a number of advantages.

You can achieve any diameter with better precision and surface quality without changing the tool.? If you’ve ever drilled a whole bigger than 35 mm, you’ll know that doing it with only one drill is a bad decision. It’s usually done with a range of smaller drills, For example, the initial whole will be 10 mm, then it will be drilled to 20 mm with a bigger drill and only then to 35 mm. Afterward, if you need more precision or surface finish, you ream or countersink the hole. That’s like 4-6 tool changes to get a whole did. Well, with helical milling you’ll just need to use one endmill to cut out the hole and then use a smaller feed to achieve desired tolerance and quality. You can achieve up to IT7 with Ra 1,25 without changing the tools.

You have a lower cutting temperature and better chip removal. The endmill does not take up the whole space of the bore. That’s the main advantage. You don’t have to extract the tool after plunging every 30 mm or so. Just spray the coolant into the hole and it will delete the chip and lower the temperature of the machining.

You can predict tool wear and make trajectory modifications. One of the main problems in drilling is that when the drill is worn, you can mostly see it once it is completely broken when machining hard materials, it can even get stuck in the bore. With helical milling, you are basically just milling. So, you can predict tool wear by using standard calculation methods or using tool life specified by the manufacturer. You can even take those changes into account during the process. So, you can change the trajectory a bit to preserve the diameter dimension. You can’t really do that with drilling though. Oh, by the way, the tool life is determined by the face wear of the tool (red zone chip).

Conclusions

Of course, helical milling is an innovative process and it has its cons. For example, its chip removal rate isn’t as fast and its parameters are not that well researched yet. However, this technique lowers the number of setups, machining, and tooling, while retaining the quality of the bores. That is a?considerable advantage for prototyping manufacturers who want to minimize the amount of tooling and equipment required.

Using AI to Predict CNC Machine Spindle Issues Before They Are Issues

In addition to an innovative wire changer, the Robofil 2030SI-TW offers a Surface Integrity feature that minimizes the recast layer. This feature is said to be especially suitable for machining carbide.

GFAGIECHilles' dual-wire machine can switch automatically between EDM wires of two different diameters. This close-up shows the machine's twin wire feeding mechanism, its "automatic tool changer," so to speak.

This diagram of a multi-cavity die with various minimum radii and surface finish requirements Cemented Carbide Inserts shows how cutting with two wires reduces overall production time.

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The development of automatic "tool" changing for wire EDM (electrical discharge machining) promises to revise the process strategies applied to many wirecut workpieces. This trend is already apparent following the introduction of dual-wire machines by Agie Charmilles Technologies (Lincolnshire, Illinois). These models, the Robofil 2030SI-TW and the Robofil 4030SI-TW (the TW designation stands for twin wire) are reportedly the first wire machines with the capability to change from one size wire to another automatically. "Slugless" machining, for example, becomes a more attractive option.

An EDM wire of a larger diameter (0.010 inch would be typical) is used to remove all of the material in an opening as a kind Cutting Tool Inserts of roughing operation, where the wire follows a path similar to a pocketing routine in milling. This roughing procedure does not produce the slug usually created when the wire follows only the outline of the portion to be removed. After roughing out the opening, a finishing operation follows with a wire of a smaller diameter (0.004 inch perhaps). The smaller wire is used to produce sharper corners, reach a tighter dimensional accuracy and achieve a finer surface finish with additional skim cuts.

According to GFAGIECHilles, implementing this strategy on its dual-wire machines typically saves from 30 to 50 percent of the time normally taken, depending on the application.

Without automatic wire changing, openings could be cut with the large-diameter wire, then recut with the small wire after a manual wire change. For workpieces with numerous openings such as a lead frame die or multi-cavity mold component, manual wire change time adds up to a significant part of total process time. Another possibility is to cut all of the openings with the smaller wire. This approach minimizes loss of precision during manual wire changing and re-alignment. However, cutting speed is proportional to wire diameter, so the cutting time for the fine wire is considerably longer and the operator must be prepared for timely slug removal. Either of these scenarios rules out prolonged unattended operation, the mode in which EDM operates most economically. Both scenarios are also likely to keep the workpiece in water longer than the dual wire approach, increasing the risk of corrosion.

The dual-wire machines are equipped with two separate wire circuits located side by side on the front panel to bring the two wires down to the upper head guiding zone. Changeover from one wire to the other takes about 45 seconds and occurs without operator intervention. Each machine's on-board CT-Expert system automatically generates the machining parameters and tool paths for both wires, selecting the correct wire and wire settings for each programmed wire switch.

The Robofil 2030SI-TW handles workpieces as large as 1,130 by 510 by 260 mm (44.4 by 20.0 by 10.2 inches) and weighing as much as 500 kg (1,100 pounds). The Robofil 4030SI-TW handles workpieces as large as 1,150 by 725 by 360 mm (49.2 by 28.7 by 14.2 inches and weighing as much as 800 kg (1,765 pounds). Both machines can accept wire spools weighing as much as 55 pounds.

Adaptive control in CNC – what is it, and what are its benefits ？

Posted on June.21th, 2023, | By Kenzi, WayKen Project Manager

Jewelry manufacturing is one of the oldest trades of the world, however, it is early to say that everything that could be useful for manufacturing jewels has already been invented. Progress moves on and CNC Rapid Prototyping of Jewelry can be improved with metal rapid prototyping services as well as laser and water jet cutting. You will be able to know how by reading this article.

The Conventional Process of Manufacturing Jewelry

Jewelry has been traditionally manufactured by casting. That is so because precious metals have good casting properties and the mold can be made with very low surface finishes. The casting process is fast and has good repeatability. However, it requires a master model. The overall quality of the mold and the cast part is highly dependent upon the quality of the master model? So, how were they manufactured originally?

Master models are conventionally made from wax. That usually meant them being carved from a piece of wax by the jeweler. The process was time-consuming and required a lot of skill from the manufacturer.

Once the master model is complete, it is encased in a special substance similar to concrete. You heat up the substance once it has solidified and the wax is evaporated from the concrete. Then you pour molten metal and break the concrete mold to get the jewel out. So, you have to make the master model for each piece from scratch.?Modern industry and the consumer simply doesn’t provide enough time to manufacture jewels commercially this way. If you manufacture each master-model manually, you won’t produce enough products at the required rate and your competitors will overcome you. This is where CNC rapid prototyping comes in handy.

How to Speed up Your Jewelry Business with CNC Machining Services

CNC Machining Services

There is a number of good options CNC prototyping can offer to increase your jewelry business competitiveness. At WayKen, not only CNC metal machining is useful but wax machining and laser and waterjet cutting can be a successful addition in the jewelry business as well.

CNC Jewelry Master-Models

The first thing that comes to mind is implementing CNC machining to manufacture wax master models. And it really is an efficient way implemented in a lot of modern plants. However, you can’t use any simple CNC machining equipment and cutting parameters as the wax is easily bent and melts under high temperatures. In addition, since it’s very soft, you’ll need extremely high spindle speeds ( up to 70,000 rpm). Overall, you will be able to manufacture wax master models at a terrific rate. Additionally, laser and water-jet cutting techniques are highly useful for this type of work as well. They generate little heat and can be further cooled down with special coolants.

Manufacturing Metal Molds

Another efficient way to manufacture cast rings or bracelets is to make reusable molds through metal machining. That way, you won’t even need the master model. You can just create a 3D model of the jewel and make a cavity from it by using specific Boolean operations present in all CAD systems. Then, just add elements necessary for the mold halves to be joined and you can manufacture. The result is a durable mold that will serve you for tens of thousands of jewel pieces. One thing though, it is vital to manufacturing mold halves to match as close as possible. Otherwise, you’ll have a stepover and you’ll have to do a lot of postprocessing afterward.

CNC Machining of Jewelry

Jewels are usually quite small themselves and their ornaments and features are smaller still but if your machine tool and cutter are small enough, It is always possible to make jewels straight on the CNC machine. Machining silver and gold is not unheard of though they are quite soft so the clamping devices must be of similar hardness and with more contact area. The spindle speeds must be very high as well, otherwise, the metal will stick to the tool and it will be more pushed rather than cut resulting in unwanted deformations. In addition, CNC machining has some limits. Basically, it can’t cut where there is no space for the tool to operate. However, it can create intricate patterns and it can offer a very good surface finish, which will drastically cut polishing time.

Engraving Jewelry with CNC Machining

Even if you consider new rapid prototyping methods Cermet Inserts of creating jewelry unnecessary and prefer to use conventional methods. They are great as well since each jewel is hand-made. However, even if you prefer the old ways, you could still use CNC Rapid Prototyping for Jewelry. How? Well, a lot of bracelets, pendants, and rings are engraved with an intricate pattern that is hard to produce manually and CNC machining centers can be mounted with engraving tools and create perfect patterns with a tolerance less than 0,05 mm.

Cutting Diamonds with CNC

Last but not least is using CNC metal prototyping equipment with abrasive tools to create multifaceted beautiful diamonds from raw uncut stones. As you well know, raw diamonds are not those gorgeous sparkling crystals seen on our rings. They are actually quite plain. It’s the masters that make them shine. They cut off bits creating facet by facet to point Cutting Inserts out the stones’ beauty. This is a tense and time-consuming task. However, it can be done and at a considerably faster rate by implementing CNC grinding. The wheel is programmed to grind off facet to facet with a precision unreachable even by the best masters.

Conclusions

Having analyzed the main uses of CNC rapid prototyping for Jewelry, we can make a few conclusions. First, using rapid prototyping significantly decreases Jewelry production cost despite?CNC prototyping cost per hour being larger than that of manual labor. The advantage in time is so large that the overall price of the jewel made using CNC machining is smaller than paying the master for his work that he does much longer. Secondly, the quality of modern CNC machine tools is so great that no master can achieve as much. And lastly, CNC Rapid Prototyping can be implemented at almost any stage of the jewelry manufacturing process

Quality Assurance 3E Rapid Prototyping Company

Jack Burley, VP of Sales and Engineering at BIG KAISER shared his knowledge to?Fabricating & Metalworking?magazine for options targeted to make positive impacts on vibration without breaking the bank.

As all machinists know, vibration is the sworn enemy of high quality and efficient metal working operations. The effects of vibration impede speeds & feeds, reduces tool life and wreaks havoc on the products finish. Typical culprits of vibrations are;

• Carbide Aluminum Inserts Abrupt changes in direction; stops & starts
• Instability in part processing
• Inconsistent forces during operations

Important information inside regarding unlicensed BIG-PLUS? tool holders – download now!

A leading countermeasure for vibration is our original Dual-Contact spindle system?BIG-PLUS?. Many machine tool builders depend on simultaneous taper and flange contact for improved rigidity and vibration reduction. At BIG KAISER, we are obsessed with precision so,?Buyer Beware; not all dual contact systems are created equally. BIG-PLUS is?THE ONLY?true dual contact system for 7:24 taper systems. So, choose wisely grasshopper and don’t discount the value of this technology and only purchase it through licensed producers. If you still don’t believe us, let us prove it with our GUARANTEE. APKT Insert Check it out –?https://us.bigkaiser.com/about-us/.

Another important concept dealing with vibration, is using the largest possible diameter and the minimum possible length. This is an ideal situation however, we all know ideal does not apply in many machining operations. This is where you want to invest in BIG KAISER Smart Damper system for your tough finish boring and milling applications. Smart Damper incorporates passive damping mechanism that functions as a counter action by way of high resonance friction action. This patent-pending system’s damping capability minimizes effects of high frequency oscillations, absorbing vibrations and allowing higher machining accuracy. Keep in mind this system is a modular design allowing customers to customize and manage setups.

While the latest machine tool technology may go a long way towards eliminating vibration and chatter, adding a new machine may not be realistic. Luckily, there are less financially limiting options that will make positive impacts on your vibration problems without breaking the bank.

Please read more details of Jack’s article?here.

Fashion Business？ From Tungsten Cube To “Land of Hope”

“Don’t be pushed around by fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” — Roy T. Bennett

End Mill Troubleshooting Guide

End mill tools eventually wear out due to frequent use. Modern engineering, improved materials, and advanced cutting tools have helped extend end mills' lifespan despite Milling inserts the workload they are exposed to. Outstanding manufacturers train their operators to handle cutting tools and common causes of frequent tool malfunction.

Although reliable end mills tools suppliers like SCTools provide a troubleshooting guide, machinists should be aware of the most frequent causes of premature carbide end mills failure. They should also acquire the skills to recognize and correct minor problems. Today, we will discuss common causes and solutions to carbide end mills' problems.

Running the End Mill Too Fast or Too Slow

Inexperienced machinists can have a challenge matching the right machine speed to the end mill types available. They need to internalize the ideal speeds required because running a tool too fast causes suboptimal chipping or tool failure. On the other hand, running it too CNMG Insert slowly can cause deflection, decreased metal removal rates, and poor finish—as indicated in the SCTools end mill troubleshooting guide.

Solution

• Use the correct speed
• Slow down on the first bite to prevent progressive chipping
• Cut less amount per pass if you are using the right speed, and chipping occurs

Feeding the End Mill Too Little or Too Much

Another critical aspect related to speed is the feed rate. If you run your carbide end mill tool with a slow feed rate, you are likely to recut chips, accelerating tool wear. If the feeding rate is too fast, you can cause tool fracture. The best feed rate for any job depends on the end mill types and the material being worked on.

Solution

• Use the proper speed
• Adjust to a small cutting amount per tooth if a fracture occurs while using the correct speed
• Regrind in the earlier stages to reduce wear

Poor Machine to Tool Connection

Improper tool holding can cause tool pullout, tool runout, and scrapped parts. The more firm the tool holder's contact with the tool's shank, the better the connection. Shrink fit tools, and hydraulic tool holders offer superior performance over mechanical tightening methods and some shank modifications.

Solution

• Check the overall condition of your tools, machines, and attachment
• Repair machine or holder
• Replace worn-out tools with durable end mills?

Operating with a Long Length of Cut

A long length of cut (LOC) reduces the strength and rigidity of cutting tools. Sometimes it is unavailable to use LOC because it is necessary for finishing some operations. Generally, a tool's LOC should be the exact length required to ensure your tools retain their original substrate. A longer than necessary tool is more susceptible to deflection, decreasing its lifespan and increasing the likelihood of a tool fracture.?

Solution

• Use proper tool length
• Hold shank deeper if you use the correct tool length
• Stock various end mill types to prevent using the wrong tool length

Selecting the Wrong Flute Count

A tool's flute count significantly impacts your output performance and running parameters. A tool with a low flute count of two to three has a smaller core and larger flute valley. This variable causes the tool to weaken and become less rigid if used on the wrong material. Low flute counts are ideal for aluminum and non-ferrous materials because they help reduce chip recutting. End mills with a high flute count of five or more have a larger core which is great for working on harder and ferrous materials.

Solution

• Use end mill with more or less flute count depending on the material
• Regrind at earlier stages if you are using the correct flute count?
• Add margin if you are getting a rough finish while using proper flute count

Picking the Wrong End Mill Coat

The best tool to use is one with a coating optimized for your workpiece material. End mills sourced from a reputable cutting tools company increase lubricity, slowing down natural tool wear. Other available coatings increase hardness and abrasion resistance. Which coating should you choose?

Contact us today and receive a professional answer from cutting tools experts who will help you choose the perfect carbide end mills coating to optimize your production and extend your end mills tool life.

If you have any questions about carbide?cutting tools, end mills, drills, etc. be sure to reach out to us @?sctools.co/Home?or call us at [phone].?We help you machine better!?

Publication Shares Some of Our Tips for Deep Hole Drilling

This automated storage and retrieval system used in Modula’s own Franklin, Ohio, facility is 52 feet tall and includes 100 trays for storage.

What is the most labor-intensive task manufacturing employees perform? Even in sophisticated manufacturing facilities using a high degree of automation, the answer might be this: look for stuff. That is, seek and obtain the items they need to do their work.

Here is one tray within the 100-tray system. Storing many different types of objects is an important benefit, but controlling and tracking this inventory is equally important.

Storage unintentionally creates drains on time and effort. The best thing to do with bulky resources that are not required immediately for production is to get them out of the way, and the most natural way to do this is to store them on shelves. But then, when the resource is again needed — whether the resource is a tool, raw material, a set of fasteners or other supplies — the one who needs it will have to go to the shelves to get it; search the shelves to find it; and likely enlist the aid of someone with a towmotor in order to retrieve it.

Increased recognition of this drain on capacity is spurring the adoption of automated storage and retrieval systems, says Antonio Pagano, CEO of Modula USA, a provider of vertical storage systems manufactured to order for industrial facilities (tailored, for example, to the extent of a facility’s available ceiling height). Shelves, as companies are coming to see, represent an important opportunity for automation.

How the storage system is used in Modula's production: An automated storage unit near a press brake stores and organizes press brake tooling.

This is a distinctly North American insight. “In Europe, we had a leg up because of floorspace limitations,” he says. Modula was founded in Italy. Among their earliest adopters, the company’s systems made sense as a solution for using plant space more efficiently. But in North America, floorspace is more available; preserving it is less of a concern. Yet there is a growing premium on employee attention and labor hours. “In the U.S., we started to make inroads once we realized floorspace is not the issue — we have an automation solution instead.”

In fact, an automated storage and retrieval system is a foundation for widespread automation throughout the facility. Each system consists of a vertical set of moving trays (in vertical increments of 200 mm, but variable for objects of different heights), with each shelf delivered as needed to a fixed retrieval area at human level near the base of the system. Delivering every stored object to the Carbide Inserts same location creates a natural fit with other automation systems. Example: A robot could retrieve an item from the vertical system and place it on an automatic guided vehicle for delivery where it is needed.

But as much as it is a foundation for plant-wide automation, the automated storage and retrieval system is also a foundation for Industry 4.0. As Pagano notes, data from the unit provide both greater control over, and greater insight into, the production process.

Knowing when each tool is retrieved from the system provides an automatic way to track tool use and flag tools for replacement as they near the end of their expected life.

“You can restrict particular employees to particular trays,” he says. “You can also track how many times a given object is retrieved.” An example of Cemented Carbide Inserts this is in use in Modula’s production facility in Franklin, Ohio. An automated storage and retrieval system holds tooling for a nearby press brake. Tracking the retrieval for each press brake die allows the engineering team to know precisely when each tool is nearing the end of its expected life.

This last point might prove to be the ultimate reason why the automated systems are adopted, Pagano says. Floorspace is valuable. Labor is more valuable still. But in an environment of increasingly more tightly controlled production of increasingly valuable products, the knowledge of how a shop’s resources are being deployed might be the most valuable benefit of all.

Analyze the development and application of high

The strength of metals is one of the most important mechanical attributes necessary in classifying metal applications and usage. Some metals may be suitable to be used in the construction industry but not in the aerospace industry. This is a critical determinant used by scientists, manufacturers, CCMT Insert and engineers in assuring the functionality and practicality of metal on any of their projects.

In the materials industry, strength is defined by a material’s ability to withstand an applied load without exhibiting failure and plastic deformation.

Types of Strengths

Materials exhibit different types of strength depending on how a load is applied. These strengths are used as parameters to be considered when choosing a material for certain applications. Below are the different types of metal strength:

Yield strength- This is the maximum strength a metal can withstand before it exhibits permanent plastic deformation in a tensile test. Engineers use this value to determine the maximum load that a component can carry.This is used as a criterion for defining failure in many engineering Indexable Inserts codes.

Ultimate tensile strength or just called tensile strength- This is defined by the maximum stress the material can withstand during a tensile test. In simpler terms, this is the maximum load a metal can resist before fracturing or being pulled apart.

Compressive strength- This is the maximum strength wherein a material can withstand failure during a compression test. In this type of strength, the load is applied on the top and bottom of the specimen.

Impact Strength- This is a metal’s ability to resist sudden sharp loads without failure. It is the maximum energy a metal can absorb before exhibiting breakage or fracture.

Why Do We Need To Learn About Metal Strength?

You probably have grasped a bit of the importance of learning about mental strength now that you have been oriented on its fundamental types. To explain it further below is a comprehensive discussion on why metal strength is important in various industries:

Mechanical/ Structural Design

When it comes to mechanical and structural elements, engineers need to be aware of the strength of the parts they design. They use this to identify at what point may a material potentially break or fail. In this way, they’ll be able to set the limits and define necessary constraints for certain parts they design.

Material selection

Metal strength is a very relevant criterion in choosing materials that are capable of withstanding the demands or requirements of different applications in the industry. Different metals exhibit different strength ratings. There are certain metals suitable for high-stress applications and there are also some that are more appropriate for low-stress applications. For example, a metal with high tensile strength is preferred for making parts needed for hoisting or pulling.

Safety

It all boils down to safety. Metal strength sets various limits to help avoid failure in any application. Knowing the strength rating of metal allows for a foolproof and safe design of parts that are capable of supporting their intended loads without causing harm to its users.

Strongest Metals Used in Metals Fabrication

In the industry, there will be the strongest ones that may be preferred depending on the application and design requirements. Below are the strongest metals commonly used in various industries:

1.? Titanium

This naturally occurring metal possesses a high tensile strength given its less dense structure than that of the common metals. Titanium is popular for its low strength to weight ratio and high corrosion resistance which make it perfect for aerospace, automotive, and medical applications. Aside from its pure state, titanium is commonly alloyed with other metals to enhance its strength further. An example is the titanium aluminide in which the alloying elements are aluminum and vanadium

2.? Chromium

Chromium has made the list of the strongest metals as it is considered the hardest metal on earth. Chromium might not be commonly used by itself, but it does wonder when it is alloyed to other metals. One popular application where chromium is the key ingredient in the manufacturing of stainless steel, one of the most in-demand metals used in any industry.

3.? Tungsten

This is hailed as the strongest and toughest naturally occurring metal for its ultimate tensile strength of 250,000 psi or 1725 MPa. To compensate for its brittleness, this metal is commonly alloyed with other elements. The most popular alloy is the tungsten carbide. The strength of tungsten has been very useful for various applications in the military, aerospace, mining, and other metalworking industries.

4.? Steel

Generally, steel is one of the strongest metals and the most important engineering and construction material. This metal is made by alloying iron, carbon, and some other elements depending on the type of steel produced. The ultimate stress of steel depends on its other alloying compounds. Below are some types of steel commonly seen:

• Stainless steel- and alloy of steel, chromium, and manganese. This metal is known for its excellent corrosion-resistant properties. It has a yield strength of 1560 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of up to 1600 Mpa
• Steel – Iron – Nickel alloys- Generally, alloying nickel to carbon steel increases its ultimate strength to up to 1450 MPa. Different manufacturers have made their own variations of this alloy.
• Tool Steel- This type of steel alloy is made by mixing in the right proportions of cobalt and tungsten. Its strength and hardness make it a perfect material used in manufacturing CNC cutting tools and even axes.

5.? Inconel

Another alloy that made it to the list is Inconel. This is an alloy of austenitic nickel and chromium. These superalloys are extremely strong and corrosion-resistant which makes them perfect for applications with extreme environments and conditions. These are commonly used for manufacturing turbines, turbocharger rotors, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and many more.

Processes That Enhance Metal Strength

1.? Solid Solution Strengthening and alloying

This is the method used for the alloyed metals mentioned previously where it is used to improve the strength of pure metal. Solid solution strengthening involves forming a “solid solution” by adding atoms of an alloying element to the crystal lattice structure of the base metal .

2.? Heat treating

This special process may be done at any point in manufacturing a metal part to enhance its properties. During the heating process, the metal’s microstructure is altered which makes a metal or alloy stronger, tougher, and more durable. Below are the common methods of heat treatment:

• Annealing- Metals like copper, silver, aluminum, steel, and brass are heated to lessen their chances of fracturing while being worked on. In annealing, there are three phenomena that happen, recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth.
• Tempering- tempering involves heating the metal to a temperature just below its hardening temperature and holding it at a specified period. This process is done to reduce the brittleness of metal while still retaining its hardness and strength.
• Normalization- This process is done to make steel tougher and ductile.
• Hardening- In this process, the metal is heated at a sufficient temperature that is high enough to dissolve solute-rich precipitates. This process then increases the metal’s hardness and strength. The downside to this however is that the metal has already lost its ductility, making it brittle.

3.? Strain Hardening or cold working

This method involves strengthening metal by inducing plastic deformation to increase its hardness, yield strength, and tensile strength. The dislocations made during this process result in entanglement in the grain dislocation. This entanglement then prevents further deformation in the grains affected, hence increasing the mental strength. Strain hardening is commonly seen in cold working and forming processes such as squeezing, shearing and bending.

The Difference Between Strength And Hardness

Strength and hardness may have a close relationship to each other but it is important to take note that these properties are measured differently. Strength is defined as a material’s ability to resist deformation caused by an external load, while hardness is the ability of a material to resist penetration or scratching.

As mentioned, these two have completely different ways of testing. Metal strength is determined through a tensile or compressive test in a universal testing machine, while hardness test may be done through several methods including Rockwell hardness test, Brinell hardness test, Vicker hardness test, and Shore stereoscope.

These two are both important in the design and engineering industry as they are one of the major parameters being considered. Strength sets the limits on what are the maximum allowable load on the parts being made. This is vital in avoiding failures on structures and machinery. On the other hand, the hardness is a very good indicator of a metal’s resistance to mechanical wear. Harder metals are preferred for making parts that are required to have an excellent resistance to wear.

Metal Strength Chart

When your project requires metal parts, there are some important parameters you need to know about common metals. For example, the yield strength of steel, the tensile strength of steel, density, hardness, etc. There is a metal chart. You can compare and refer to the properties of different metals.

Types of Metals	Tensile Strength (PSI)	Yield strength (PSI)	Hardness Rockwell (B-Scale)	Density (Kg/m3)
Stainless steel 304	90,000	40,000	88	8000
Aluminum 6061-T6	45,000	40,000	60	2720
Aluminum 5052-H32	33,000	28,000	?	2680
Aluminum 3003	22,000	21,000	20 to 25	2730
Steel A36	58-80,000	36,000	?	7800
Steel Grade 50	65,000	50,000	?	7800
Yellow Brass	?	40,000	55	8470
Red Brass	?	49,000	65	8746
Copper	?	28,000	10	8940
Phosphor Bronze	?	55,000	78	8900
Aluminum Bronze	?	27,000	77	7700-8700
Titanium	63,000	37,000	80	4500

Conclusion

It is very important to consider and select the right metal for your projects. You can refer to the metal strength chart and choose a suitable metal material according to the characteristics, functions, application of your projects.? Of course, if you think this is complicated, you can contact WayKen, which has rich experience in metal machining and can always provide professional suggestions for your project.