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Chip Formation: You're Not Cutting Chips, You're Separating Metal from Itself

8/14/2023

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by Bernard Martin
Contrary to popular terminology, metal is not “cut” as much as it is a “forced separation from itself.” To understand this, think of how molecules bond together.  Molecules resemble our solar system with the nucleus represented by our Sun (or a carbon atom in the image) and the electrons represent by the various planets. 

When one molecule “bonds” with another it is as if two solar systems’ planets became intertwined into each others orbits with both solar systems sharing certain planets and making the whole larger than the sum if it’s parts. 
​

When we use a cutting tool we are inducing these bonds to break apart. ​​

The “machinability” of a particular metal partially defines how easily the material separates from itself.  ​

Picture
The basic mechanics of forming a chip are the same regardless of the base material. As the cutting tool engages the workpiece, the material directly ahead of the tool is sheared and deformed under tremendous pressure. The deformed material then seeks to relieve its stressed condition by fracturing and flowing into the space above the tool in the form of a chip. 

The important difference is how the chip typically forms in various materials.
 
Regardless of the tool being used or the metal being cut, the chip forming process occurs by a mechanism called plastic deformation. This deformation can be visualized as shearing. That is when a metal is subjected to a load exceeding its elastic limit.

​The crystals of the metal elongate through an action of slipping or shearing, which takes place within the crystals and between adjacent crystals.

Type 1: Discontinuous Chip

Cast Iron, Hard Brass and other materials that produce a Powdery chip.
 
“Discontinuous Chip - Discontinuous or segmented chips are produced when brittle metal such as cast iron and hard bronze are cut or when some ductile metals are cut under poor cutting conditions.
discontinuous-chip
As the point of the cutting tool contacts the metal, some compression occurs, and the chip begins flowing along the chip-tool interface. As more stress is applied to brittle metal by the cutting action, the metal compresses until it reaches a point where rupture occurs and the chip separates from the unmachined portion. 

This cycle is repeated indefinitely during the cutting operation, with the rupture of each segment occurring on the shear angle or plane. Generally, as a result of these successive ruptures, a poor surface is produced on the workpiece.”  

Notice how the chips deform and begin to break up at a considerable distance in front of the cutting edge. Chip control is usually not a problem when machining these materials. Harder, more heat and wear resistant Carbide Grades can be used in these applications. Edge strength becomes less of a factor vs. machining Steel or Stainless or other materials that make long chips.  

Type 1 Discontinuous Chipping materials are where most of our competitors have focused their attention.

Type 2: Continuous Chip

Medium to High carbon and alloy Steels – Long Chipping Materials
 
“Continuous Chip - Continuous chips are a continuous ribbon produced when the flow of metal next to the tool face is not greatly restricted by a built-up edge or friction at the chip tool interface. The continuous ribbon chip is considered ideal for efficient cutting action because it results in better finishes. Unlike the Type 1 chip, fractures or ruptures do not occur here, because of the ductile nature of the metal.”
discontinuous-chip
Carbon and Alloy Steels such as 1030, 1035, 1045, 1144, 4130, 4140, 4340 contain at least .3% carbon that allows them to be hardened by heating and quenching. They produce long continuous chips.
 
When machining these metals with Carbide Inserts the material in front of the cutting edge deforms resulting in high temperatures which softens the metal and consequently lowers it's strength and hardness making it easier to machine.

The chips weaken and begin to break in front the cutting edge; the tool acts much in the same way that a wedge does when splitting wood. In some cases, air, oil or coolant quenches the hot chips, hardening them and making them brittle and easier to break.

The chips produced when cutting these metals contact the face of the tool behind the cutting edge creating a zone of high heat that can result in cratering. Coatings usually eliminate this problem. 

Type 2: Continuous chip materials are the other area where many of our competitors have focused their attention.

Type 3: Sheared Chips

Low carbon Steels, Stainless Steels, Nickel Alloys, Titanium, Copper, Aluminum and other soft, “gummy’ Materials.
 
Sheared Chips or as some refer to it “Continuous Chip with a Built-up Edge (BUE). The metal ahead of the cutting tool is compressed and forms a chip which begins to flow along the chip-tool interface.
sheared Chip
As a result of the high temperature, the high pressure, and the high frictional resistance against the flow of the chip along the chip-tool interface, small particles of metal begin adhering to the edge of the cutting tool while the chip shears away.

As the cutting process continues, more particles adhere to the cutting tool and a larger build-up results, which affects the cutting action. The built-up edge increases in size and becomes more unstable. Eventually a point is reached where fragments are torn off. Portions of these fragments break off and stick to both the chip and the workpiece.

The build-up and breakdown of the built-up edge occur rapidly during a cutting action and cover the machined surface with a multitude of built-up fragments. These fragments adhere to and score the machined surface, resulting in a poor surface finish.
These metals readily deform in front of the cutting edge and have to be "sheared" by the tool. What the above paragraph doesn’t tell you is that these materials require tools with sharper cutting edges than those used for machining cast Iron or higher carbon content Steels. The chips tend to compress onto the face of the tool which can result in built-up edge. 

The chips formed when cutting these metals are thicker than those produced by Medium Carbon or Alloy Steels at the same Feed Rates and Depths of Cut. These thicker chips are stronger and harder to break. Destiny Tool, through a combination of rake face geometry, carbide substrate and concentricity tolerance is able to enable the chip to more readily "separate from itself" which not only improves MRR, but also reduced heat into the end mill and thereby extends tool life as the feed rate increases.

​High strength metals such as Stainless Steel, Nickel Alloys and Titanium generate high heat and high cutting pressures in the area of the cutting edge. This results in reduced tool life compared to easier to machine materials. 
  • This article was originally written in 2001
  • Portions of this have been edited from http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/tooling/archives/0101/0101bk.asp
  • Plastic Deformation image by Jutka Czirok, Design Technology and ICT Teacher
  • Special thanks to Charles Colerich, who created these drawings for me in 1994.
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Choosing the Right Insert Dapra Grade & Geometry for Your Application

7/12/2023

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Choosing the right insert geometry and grade for an application can easily make or break a job. Making the right choice requires educating yourself on what types of cutting edge and carbide grades are best suited to the machining conditions present.
​
Typical considerations include:
  • Material being machined
  • Workholding rigidity
  • Machine tool rigidity (40 or 50 taper, box or linear ways
  • Tool holder used
  • Tool length / diameter ratio
  • Coolant vs. dry machining
  • Machining parameters (DOC, WOC, speed & feed)
​Other factors can come into play, but those listed above are almost always the important issues when determining what geometry and grade to select. Following are some brief suggestions for geometry and grade selection, according to the variables above.

Keep in mind that these are typical scenarios and this selection process will in most cases result in the correct choice. However, combinations of the above factors can create unique situations that call for unusual grade/geometry selections. The best course of action is to 
contact your Dapra Applications Specialist for technical support. We are here to help!
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Grade Selection

Dapra uses an easy-to-understand system that separates grades by toughness/hardness. The same coatings are available for each carbide substrate, so choosing the grade begins with the toughness of the substrate desired and ends with the coating of choice.

For abusive applications, use of the toughest grade is recommended. These would be identified as the following: interrupted cuts; long tool lengths; poor chip evacuation; stainless steels; high-temperature alloys; poor workpiece or machine rigidity; coolant use or very heavy cut depths.
​
These abusive applications require a cutting tool with high shock resistance and toughness to reduce the chance of insert chipping. Use of these grades will provide excellent toughness at the cost of some wear resistance properties.

Dapra's toughest (most shock-resistant) Square Shoulder insert grades are:
  • DMP35 (uncoated substrate – toughest grade)
  • DMP35-GLH (medium to high temperatures in steels and irons)
  • DMP35-HM (high temperatures in tough stainless steels, high-temp. alloys, titanium)
  • DMK35 (uncoated substrate – tough grade – XPET only)
  • DMK35-HM (high temperatures in tough stainless steels)
  • DMK35-IN (premium high-temperature coating for high-temp. alloys, tough stainless steel, Inconel)
Dapra End and Face Mills
For stable, steel and ductile iron applications, Dapra recommends our medium toughness/hardness carbide. Examples of some good applications include: uninterrupted steel cuts; good workholding / machine rigidity; short tool / diameter ratios; lighter depths of cut; good chip evacuation; alloys; low and high carbon steels; ductile (long-chipping) irons; and dry machining.
​
Dapra's mid grade provides high performance and increased tool life over the toughest grade, due to increased hardness of the carbide substrate. This allows higher speed and improved wear resistance, but at a slightly higher risk of insert chipping.


​Available grades include:
  • DMP30 (uncoated substrate – for most steels and ductile irons)
  • DMP30-GLH (high temperatures – general alloy and mold steels)
  • DMP30-HM (high temperatures in tool steels)
  • DMK30 (uncoated substrate – for tough stainless steels, high-temp. alloys, irons)
  • DMK30-GLH (medium to high temperatures)
  • DMK30-HM (high temperatures in tough stainless steels)
Dapra Insert Face Mill End Mill heavy
For very stable, high-wear applications in cast iron and nonferrous materials, as well as hard milling of heat-treated materials, Dapra recommends the use of our hardest grades. Application examples include: gray cast irons; aluminum and copper alloys; plastics; light, smooth cuts in any material; and heat-treated steels (typically over 48 Rc).

Dapra's hardest grades provide optimum wear resistance, with the longest tool life possible. However, insert chipping is a more common occurrence when shock is encountered.

​
Dapra's hardest grades are:
  • DMK25 (uncoated substrate)
  • DMK25-GLH (medium to high temperatures and hardness)
  • DMK25-HM (highest temperatures & hardness – suitable for hardened steels and the best wear resistance in cast iron)
Dapra Copy Milling-

Geometry Selection

Dapra offers three different cutting edges for the Square Shoulder milling line:
  • APET – Strong reinforced cutting edge for optimum wear and chip resistance. This geometry will provide the strongest edge, but at increased spindle load and usually higher decibel levels.
  • XPET – Sharper edge for cutting gummier materials such as low carbon steel, stainless steel and high-temperature alloys. Light hone provides some reinforcement and reduces cutting forces and noise. More susceptible to edge chipping.
  • XPET-ALU – Sharpest edge. Ideal for aluminums and plastics where high-shear cutting is needed. Creates the lowest spindle load and least noise, but most susceptible to edge chipping.

General Recommendations

Material Being Machined
Use stronger, T-land cutting edges for steels and cast irons. Use sharper honed edges for stainless steels and high-temperature alloys. For aluminum and plastics, use sharp, un-honed cutting edges.

Workholding / Machine Tool Rigidity
Use the recommended grades and geometries for rigid setups and machines. In cases where rigidity is lacking (light-duty machine, poor workholding, etc.), use tougher grades and stronger geometries. The exception to this rule is when the use of the sharper geometry (XPET) actually stops or reduces the vibration created by the poor rigidity. These situations typically present a "trial and error” scenario.
​
Material
Geometry Recommendation
Low carbon steels
XPET
Medium carbon, alloy steels
APET
Hardened steels
APET
Stainless steels
XPET
Cast irons
APET
Aluminums
XPET-ALU
Copper alloys
XPET
High-temperature alloys
XPET
Titanium
XPET
Plastics
XPET-ALU
Long Toolholder / Length to Diameter Ratio 
This situation closely resembles the previous rigidity issue. Long tool lengths (including longer tool holders) decrease tool rigidity, creating the potential for chatter and vibration. This can typically be combated with stronger cutting edges, but can also sometimes be corrected with a sharper, free cutting edge. Use the APET unless the results prohibit the use of such a strong edge. The XPET may reduce vibration enough to quiet the operation. Again, use of the toughest grades is typically recommended in long reach applications where chatter or vibration is present.

Coolant vs. Dry Machining
Most applications using Dapra cutting tools are best performed using dry air blast. Exceptions to this rule include: high-temperature alloys, aluminum and some exceptionally tough stainless steels. When dry machining, use the grades and geometries suggested previously. When using coolants, Dapra recommends using the tougher grades, but with sharper cutting edges (XPET). This allows the heat generated in the cutting zone to be minimized, delaying the effects of thermal shock.

Machining Parameters 
For heavier cuts, tougher substrates should be used, due to the increased pressure and potential vibration created. In lighter cuts, the harder grades provide better performance (speed) and longer tool life.

The minimum FPT (feed per tooth) for the APET geometry should be .006". This is to get the chip thickness past the T-land edge preparation, allowing the insert to cut, not rub. The minimum FPT for the XPET insert should be .003". Consequently, lighter cuts (FPT) should not be taken with the APET unless other conditions exist that necessitate the use of the stronger edge.
​
The selection procedure described here will require your careful consideration of several application conditions and insert characteristics. This may take some time, but the cutting results will be well worth your effort.
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The Fullerton 3116 TiMill End Mill Made for Titanium

2/14/2023

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by Bernard Martin
Fullerton 3116 TiMill milling titanium hi temp alloys Browne co agent regional manager
Looking for an end mill with unsurpassed performance in high-efficiency milling of Titanium? The new Fullerton 3116 TiMill end mill may be just what you need.

Titanium is half the weight of steel and twice the strength of aluminum: It's a high strength, light weight material with excellent fatigue performance, super durable in high stress environments and corrosion resistant.

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As a result of titanium's material properties it's making it become evermore popular in the aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, medical adn dental industries. It's also what makes it considered a "more difficult to machine" material.  Let's dig into that a bit more. 

Generally, titanium grades 1 through 4 are considered commercially pure titanium with varying requirements on ultimate tensile strength while Grade 5 is what is most often seen in the machining industry. It's often alloyed with 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium.  This is what is commonly known as 6Al4V or Ti 6-4. Also quite common is 4Al4V or Ti 4-4.

Why difficult?  Well, first it has low Young’s modulus meaning that is more elastic than other materails: It's "gummy" which often causes spring back and chatter during machining and can readily generate long stringy chips if you don't have the correct edge prep. On top that,  it's also prone to work hardening and galling super easily. You've got to keep the cutter in-the-cut: Insert cutters just aren't as good as solid endmills at doing this.  

Next, titanium does not have good thermal conduction properties like aluminum.  Instead of heat being evacuated in the chips or transferred to the base material, heat tends to be transferred to the cutting tool which reduces it's tool life. Heat kills. Tool life declines. The right coating helps. 

The final icing on the cake is that titanium is prone to work hardening. During uniaxial loading, the initial rate of hardening is higher in compression so if you come back for another pass you need to get under the work hardened layer, that is, leave enough material for a finish pass to get under the layer or your tool life will suffer and your part finishes will decline with it. Ideally, finish to size in the final pass if you can. 

The trick to machining titanium has always been to keep consistent coolant flow to evacuate the chips and maintain a consistent chip load.  Again, rough to your finish size.  Don't let it work harden.  

That's what we've learned about titanium over the past couple of decades.  There has been a ton of research on titanium's properties and that research has led to further refinement of the cutting tool geometry at Fullerton. 

The design of Fullerton's 3116 TiMill is based upon over a decade of aerospace testing and development and addresses many of the machining issues that Titanium presents.  It's a 6-flute tool built with a 38°helix.  The increased number of flutes allows for the tools to remain "in the cut" longer and more consistently. It doesn't induce as much heat as a lower number of flutes tends to do.  instead, it's consistent.  The 38°helix evacuates the chip at a more optimum angle than a 35°, 37.5° or 40° helix that predecessors made by competitors have tried.

3116 TiMill End Mill Specs

  • End Style: Radius, Square
  • Number Of Flutes: 6 Flutes
  • Lengths: Stub, Standard
  • Coating: FC-13
  • Single/Double End: Single End
  • Cutting Type: Center
  • Spiral Direction: Right Hand
  • Helix Angle: 38°
  • Dimension Type: Imperial, Metric
  • Shank Tolerance: h6
  • Cutting Tolerance: +.0000"/-.002" | +0.00mm/-0.05mm
The 3116 TiMill also has a pretty beefy core diameter that increases the strength and stability in-cut which is ideal for a material like titanium with plastic deformation properties makes it want to spring back and push the cutting tool.

The edge prep on the 3116 TiMill is consistent and quite strong, so it naturally resists fatigue and micro-chipping.   This means that you can bump up your SFM for higher speeds with longer times in-cut and the tool will produce improved surface finishes and therefore higher quality parts.

Fullerton has put their FC-13 coating on the tool. It's a nanocomposite: Nanocrystalline grains embedded into Si3N4matrix binder. It has an extremely high hardness, toughness and heat resistance which makes it ideally suited to keep the heat out of the core cutting tool in titanium applications.  

The 3116 TiMill 6-flute high-performance 38°helix end mill is stocked with FC-13 coating.

Speeds and Feeds are Critical 

Fullerton Speed Feed RPM SFM Titanium 6Al4V 4Al4V
* IT'S MADE FOR TITANIUM! So that means it is NOT Recommended for High Si Aluminum (>10%), Low Si Aluminum (<10%), Composites, Plastics, Brass & Copper, or Graphite. NOT Recommended!

Choose your Size

Fullerton Boeing Speed Feed RPM SFM Titanium 6Al4V 4Al4V
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All The Metals We Mined

10/21/2022

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Picture
From: Visual Capitalist

​The world produced roughly 2.8 billion tons of metal in 2021. This chart represents the metals we mined, visualized on the same scale. 

This was originally posted on Elements.


“If you can’t grow it, you have to mine it” is a famous saying that encapsulates the importance of minerals and metals in the modern world.

From every building we enter to every device we use, virtually everything around us contains some amount of metal.
​
The above infographic visualizes all 2.8 billion tonnes of metals mined in 2021 and highlights each metal’s largest end-use using data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

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Drilling Ferrous vs. Non-Ferrous Metals

7/19/2022

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This article is courtesy of Regal Cutting Tools.
Different tool engineering, composition, and design affect the way they perform and which workpieces they will cut most effectively. Several factors determine which drill bits work best on various steels and alloys, copper, zinc, aluminum, tin, etc., owing to the properties of ferrous vs. nonferrous metals.
Regal Cutting Tools. Drill Basics

Properties of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals, of course, are those that contain iron. These include stainless, carbon, and alloy steel, and cast and wrought iron. Ferrous metals generally possess more tensile strength than their non-iron-based counterparts. That makes them ideal for use in building materials, structural and ornamental designs, and heavy industrial products such as shipping containers, tools, and appliances. Tool manufacturers must consider hardness and strength when designing and engineering drills made for cutting ferrous metals.

Non-ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals - especially copper, lead, zinc, and tin also occupy important niches in the construction and manufacturing industries. Because they contain no iron, these metals are valued for their use in applications where they come into contact with moisture that would rust ferrous metals. They also are malleable, ductile, and easily manipulated into various shapes for components, housings, etc.  They are non-magnetic, making them quite useful in electronic components.
 
Hardness is the primary consideration when choosing a drill to cut metal.

​Drills incorporate various design elements in order to cope with these different challenges

Points and Angles

Drill bit points can be altered to provide more precise hole-starting, centering, and quality, as well as conduciveness to varying feeds and speeds. The standard 118-degree point is used because it offers a “good enough” fit for most applications.

​Standard points can be used for most “softer” steels and non-ferrous metals. Standard 135-degree split-point drills can cut these materials, as well as harder steel alloys. In these harder materials, the split-point offers the advantage of working at lower feed pressure and centering of the hole with minimal walking. Learn more about how to find the right drill point angle for your application

Flutes

The grooves cut into drill bits (called flutes) serve two purposes:
  1. To remove material sheared by the cutting edge from the inside of holes.
  2. To allow coolant or oil to reach the cutting surface to cool the cutting edge.
As we might expect, the harder the material being drilled, the harder the tool must be to get the job done. Carbon steels are too soft for cutting metal; only high-speed steel (HSS), carbide-tipped, and solid carbide bits should be used in cutting metal, no matter how soft. HSS is common because of its low cost and ability to drill softer carbon steels as well as zinc, copper, aluminum, and other non-ferrous metals.

Alloying HSS with 5 to 8% cobalt adds  “red” hardness which allows the tool to maintain the sharp cutting edge longer and allows for slightly faster speeds, making these drills suitable for working in heat-treated steel, cast iron, and even some titanium alloys.

For exponential increases in speed and wear resistance, nothing beats using a carbide tool. It withstands extremely high temperatures, resists wear, and maintains rigidity better that HSS. It costs much more, but is the only long term, high volume option when the work piece is stainless steel or alloyed steel. Carbide-tipped HSS saves some costs and is a viable option for nonferrous metals such as copper, bronze, and other materials that are highly abrasive.
 
Drills made of cobalt-alloy High Speed Steel (HSS-E) or even drill bits with a thin film coating are needed for stainless steel. These are more expensive than normal HSS drill bits, but they enable drilling in special steel without a high level of drill bit wear.

Thin film coated drill bits are high-speed steel drill bits (HSS) that have any of a variety of coating blends typically with a titanium base. TiN (Titanium Nitride), TiALN (Titanium Aluminum Nitride) and TiCN (Titanium Carbonitride) are examples of thin film coaing typically used on drill bits. They are very hard, and corrosion-resistant and reduce the co-efficient of friction allowing for better lubrication of the tool. They last much longer than regular HSS drill bits, and they are good for cutting through any metal, including metal sheeting.

Thin film coated drill bits have a surface that is harder than cobalt. However, because they are coated, they lose the coating protection at the cutting edge when they are re-sharpened and subsequent tool life will be reduced. Uncoated drill bits are made of cobalt or HSS steel, and they can be sharpened without any loss in ​performance or tool life.
The type of metal being drilled determines width, and shape of flutes. Harder ferrous materials can be cut only by stronger, harder bits operating at a slower feed rate when compared to non-ferrous materials.

​Drills designed for harder materials tend to have a flutes with slower spiral as the chip material may not be very flexible. The slower spiral adds rigidity to the tool and additionally results in a lower rake angle at the cutting edge, providing edge strength while cutting these tougher materials. As a result, steel and iron chips are smaller and can be evacuated easily, using narrower flutes.

Softer, nonferrous metal can be drilled at faster speeds, as there is little danger of breaking the bit. The material comes off in ribbons and strings rather than chips.

This necessitates wider flutes designed with a higher spiral angle to prevent clogging and create a “pulling” action on the non-ferrous chips.

​The higher spiral creates a higher rake angle at the cutting edge allowing the softer non-ferrous material to be sheared from the workpiece.
​
Drilling Ferrous vs. Non-Ferrous Metals

Construction

Ferrous vs. Non-Ferrous Metals

Understanding the characteristics of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and what twist drill is ideal for each material is key to high quality production and extending tool life. If you are still unsure of exactly which drill is right for your job, contact a Browne & Co. Sales Rep and we would be happy to assist you.
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Meet The Threadmills That Tame The Exotics

10/1/2020

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If you deal with exotic alloys like Inconel, titanium, Hastelloy, etc., this article is written especially for you. Wise operators always select the correct tool for the job, avoiding the problems others face when they try to apply a general-purpose tool to a unique situation. In this article, we give you the information you need to select the proper tools for machining exotics. It will make your shop stand out from the competition since you will produce better results at a reduced cost.

The Hard Stuff
Exotic alloys are specifically designed for high-temperature applications (think aerospace), performance in corrosive environments (think underground), or to have the highest available strength to weight ratios (think earth-moving applications). The machinability of these materials is NOT the first consideration. As much as it would be nice from the machinist’s viewpoint to have an aluminum firewall in a helicopter, as the pilot or passenger you want a material that is strong and heat retardant.
​
Unique Challenges
When you’re working with exotics, it’s not just another day at the shop. On the positive side, their unique elemental compositions make them suitable for applications where traditional materials like alloyed steels or aluminum, would fail.

On the other hand, some of these materials exhibit undesirable (to say the least) behaviors like igniting spontaneously when machined and exposed to the atmosphere.

Also, these alloys are typically more expensive than traditional steels machined in most shops, so scrapped pieces are going to cost you big time.

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The Answer
One day a new job order comes in and you are faced with threading these kinds of alloys. What’s an operator to do? Fortunately for you, North American Tool manufactures application-specific thread mills right here in the USA.

These tools are made from solid carbide and have been specially designed with exotic materials in mind. The results are longer more consistent tool life and the elimination of scrap due to tap failures in your parts.

Uniquely Crafted
North American Tool thread mills for exotic alloys are designed with only three teeth. This places less stress on the tool than a conventional thread mill with six, eight, or ten teeth engaged in the workpiece at the same time. Carbide thread mills nickel-based alloys are also made with left-hand helix and left hand-cut, which permit an operator to run from the top of the hole to the bottom and climb mill the threads.

​This will create a right-hand thread on the part. The threads are milled, rather than cut, typically producing a better quality thread in the part.

The thread mills are coated with AlCrN to give them greater heat and wear resistance in the high heat, higher abrasive applications that typically confront an operator when machining exotic alloys.


Exotic Material Experts
As well as thread mills, we are the industry leader in designing and manufacturing special taps for exotic materials as well. Thread mills are a good alternative tool to the special taps we design every day provided of course, you have a 3-axis CNC capable of the interpolation tool path needed for thread mills.


If you are working with exotic materials and need a thread mill or special tap, please contact us for a quote. We’d be happy to help.
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Browne & Co., Inc.
9605 Tanager Drive
Chardon, Ohio 44024
Phone 440.285.8655
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