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Standing in front of your CNC Machine with your calibration specifications, production speed, and feed calculations, you may be tempted to follow the old adage of “more flutes, more feed.” Unfortunately, this common advice is misguided and can often be detrimental to your machine, tolerances, and output. The high precision of CNC machines requires matching your flute count and coating to the material you’ll be working with. Selecting the correct flute count relies on geometry and a strong understanding of the material you’re working with.
Flutes are the grooves or channels cut into the body of the tool and allow milling chips to escape from the cutting zone. The number of flutes directly impacts a tool’s cutting properties, the materials it can work with without damaging the tool or product, and the feed rate, which affects your productivity.
Regardless of size, every flute has a sharp leading edge that cuts through the material you’re working with. The larger the end mill or core, the stronger the tool and the more room for a greater number of flutes. However, the larger core also means less space for chip evacuation, and counterintuitively, a lower flute count may be a better option. In fact, depending on the material it’s cutting, machines with high flute counts may quickly become overloaded. The solution is to back off on speed, but in some cases, the required speed reduction is so significant it makes a lower flute count the more efficient choice.
What your CNC machine will carve out plays a critical role in choosing flute count. Traditionally, 2-flute and 4-flute were the standard choices. 2-flutes were for softer materials like aluminum, while 4-flutes made quick work of harder materials.
CNC machines often favor different setups to maximize productivity. For example, softer materials now see mill ends with 3 flutes, and harder materials use 5, 6, or even 7 flutes. These specialized tools for specialized materials provide a longer tool life, decreased wear on the machine, less deflection, and tighter tolerances.
An additional consideration is the operation the machine is performing. For rough application, fewer flutes allow material to be moved out of the way faster. Finishing steps requiring smaller amounts of material removal can withstand much higher flute counts for precision accuracy and a more attractive appearance of the finished product.
Using a tool with too few or too many flutes can lead to premature tool failure and poor-quality products. Each tool is designed with an optimum speed to match specific materials, and running it too fast can cause damage and downtime. Running it too slowly when it is capable of higher speeds can unnecessarily impact productivity. Improper tool selection or poor tool use can also negatively impact performance, as can selecting the wrong number of flutes for the length of cut you want to achieve.
With CNC machines, it’s important to remember that the geometry of those flutes is directly related to the amount of material that can be moved away from the cutting area. The faster the milled chips can be evacuated without compromising the accuracy of your cut or the longevity of your tool, the higher the level of productivity you can achieve.
Mill ends are frequently coated to reduce friction and provide thermal protection. While there are many coating options to select from, the primary purpose is to increase a tool’s working life and offer a longer-lasting cutting edge.
However, coatings must be matched to the right material, machining operation, cutting parameters, and cooling conditions. While grabbing the hardest coating possible may seem like a good idea, it can damage some materials. Other coatings may react with the metal you’re using, causing it to stick to the tool and generating significant downtime.
Partnering with a CNC service and repair company can save you time and money. Contact Accurate Machine Tool Services today for expert guidance on optimizing your CNC machine’s performance.