Used to baby my end mills, now I just let them rip

For years I ran everything at conservative feeds and slow speeds (like 20 IPM on aluminum) because I was scared of breaking tools. Then I watched a Haas video where a guy pushed a 1/2 inch end mill at 150 IPM in 6061 and it came out perfect. Switched my approach last month and now I cut cycle times by 40% with way less tool wear. Anyone else find that feeding harder actually makes tools last longer?

3 comments

3 Comments

willow_anderson8519d ago

Exactly 150 IPM with a 3/8 inch three flute in 7075 changed everything for me. I was running at maybe 30 IPM before, and the tool would load up with chips and chatter like crazy. Now I'm full width slotting at 0.5 depth and the chips fly off clean, tool comes out cold. Ngl, the sound scared me at first but once I saw the finish I was sold. Tbh I think most people baby their tools because they're scared of the noise, not the actual cutting.

noraj7919d ago

@willow_anderson85 I get the logic but 150 IPM in 7075 with a 3/8 tool sounds like a recipe for a broken endmill if your machine isn't perfectly rigid or your setup has any flex. Most guys running hobby or older machines will just get chatter and a ruined part trying to push that fast. That screaming noise is usually your spindle bearings saying they're not happy, not a sign of good cutting.

benw8719d ago

Did you catch that Haas video too? I swear, watching a modern machine rip through aluminum at those speeds completely changed my mindset. I read a study a while back that showed chip thinning actually reduces heat buildup in the tool, so running faster keeps the edge cooler. Now I run my 3/8 end mills at 120 IPM in 6061 and yeah, the sound is terrifying at first but the parts come out way cleaner.