MILLING MACHINE

1. What is milling?

• Milling is the process of removing material by feeding the workpiece past a rotating
multiple-tooth cutter.
• The cutter has many teeth, allowing high-speed material removal.

2. What are milling cutters?

• Milling cutters are revolving cutters used in milling machines.

• They have equally spaced peripheral teeth for uniform cutting.

3. What shapes can a milling machine produce?

• Flat surfaces
• Curved shapes

4. How does the milling machine operate?

• The cutter rotates at high speed, removing metal efficiently.

• Can hold multiple cutters at the same time for faster production.
• The table holding the workpiece moves in three directions:
o Longitudinal movement (left/right)
o Crosswise movement (front/back)
o Vertical movement (up/down)

5. Why is the milling machine important?

• Used for production work due to its versatility.

• Essential for machining tool room components effectively.

CLASSIFICATION OF MILLING MACHINES

Type Subtypes
Column & Knee Hand milling, Horizontal milling, Vertical milling, Universal milling,
Type Omniversal milling
Fixed Bed Type Simplex milling, Duplex milling, Triplex milling
Planer Type –
Special Types Rotary table milling, Drum milling, Planetary milling
 Hand Vertical Universal Horizontal Omniversal
Feature Milling Milling Milling Milling Milling
Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine
Mechanical or Mechanical or Mechanical or
Manual hand Mechanical or
Control CNC- CNC- CNC-
control CNC-controlled
controlled controlled controlled
Spindle Horizontal, but
Horizontal Vertical Horizontal Horizontal
Orientation table swivels
Yes (Table
Swivel Yes (Spindle Yes (Table Yes (Table
No swivels
Capability head swivels) swivels 45°) swivels 45°)
vertically)
Additional Swivel
Vertical Knee swivel
Movement Basic linear table housing
spindle for enables spiral
Capability movement movement for enables helical
angular cuts grooving
angles cuts
Various cutters Helical Advanced cutters
Cutting Tools End mills,
Basic cutters for complex cutters, gear for precision
Used face cutters
milling cutters machining
Machining Gear cutting, Helical Spiral groove
Light/simple
Applications grooves, slots, tool & die milling for machining, bevel
milling jobs
flat surfaces production tools/gears gears
More Highly
Designed for Highly
advanced due versatile for
Complexity Simplest type heavy-duty specialized,
to vertical complex
cutting precision cutting
spindle milling
Dividing head, Advanced
Special Special rotary
None Limited rotary, slotting customization
Attachments attachments
attachments attachments
Helical
Milling No No Yes Yes Yes
Support

1. What are the two main principles of milling?

• Up Milling
• Down Milling

2. What is Up Milling?

• Cutting starts with zero depth of cut and zero chip thickness.
• Produces less shock load, making it suitable for rough machining.

3. What is Down Milling?

 • Requires lower clamping force for workpiece stability.
• Provides good surface finish and better dimensional accuracy.

COMPARISON TABLE – UP MILLING VS DOWN MILLING

Feature Up Milling Down Milling

Starting Cut Depth Zero Defined
Shock Load Less More
Chip Thickness Starts at zero, increases gradually Starts thick, decreases gradually
Surface Finish Rough Smooth
Clamping Force Higher Lower
Preferred Use For rough cutting For precision machining

PARTS OF A MILLING MACHINE

Part Name Function

Base Provides foundation and stability for the machine.
Column Houses the spindle and supports other components.
Knee Allows vertical movement of the workpiece.
Saddle Supports and guides the table for crosswise movement.
Table Holds the workpiece and allows longitudinal movement.
Spindle Rotates the cutting tool at high speed for material removal.

1. What are Plain Milling Cutters?

• Widely used in milling operations.

• Made from high-speed steel with teeth cut on the periphery of a cylindrical shape.
• Primarily used for producing flat surfaces.
• Comes in several types:
o Light-duty
o Light-duty helical
o Heavy-duty
o High-helix

2. What are Light-Duty Plain Milling Cutters?

• Less than ¾ inch wide, with straight teeth.

• Used for light milling operations.
• Cutters wider than ¾ inch have a helix angle of 25°, but too many teeth reduce chip
clearance.

3. What are Heavy-Duty Plain Milling Cutters?

 • Fewer teeth than light-duty cutters, allowing better chip clearance.
• Helix angle varies up to 45°, offering a smoother surface finish due to shearing
action.
• Requires less power compared to light-duty cutters.

4. What are High-Helix Plain Milling Cutters?

• Helix angles range from 45° to over 60°.

• Suitable for milling wide and intermittent surfaces in contour and profile milling.
• Sometimes shank-mounted with a pilot end, making them ideal for milling elongated
slots.

COMPARISON TABLE – TYPES OF PLAIN MILLING CUTTERS

Light-Duty Plain
Feature Heavy-Duty Plain Cutter High-Helix Plain Cutter
Cutter
Width Less than ¾ inch Wider, fewer teeth Wide with steep helix angle
Fewer teeth, better chip
Teeth Style Straight Steep helix angle (45°–60°)
clearance
Chip Clearance Limited Better than light-duty Excellent chip clearance
Smoother finish due to
Surface Finish Basic finish High-quality finish
shearing action
Power More power
Less power required Medium power consumption
Requirement needed
Best Contour/profile milling & slot
Light milling jobs Heavy-duty cutting
Applications machining

1. What are the different types of milling cutter operations?

• Plain Milling – Produces flat surfaces.

• Face Milling – Cuts at the surface of the workpiece using a face cutter.
• Side Milling – Cuts along the side of a workpiece using a side cutter.
• Straddle Milling – Two side cutters are mounted on the same arbor for simultaneous
cutting on opposite sides.
• Angular Milling – Cuts angled surfaces using an angular cutter.

SELECTION OF CUTTING SPEED – FACTORS AFFECTING IT

Factor Impact on Cutting Speed

Material Properties Harder materials require slower speeds.
Cutter Diameter & Life Larger cutters run slower; wear affects speed.
Number of Cutter Teeth More teeth lead to smoother cuts at higher speeds.
Feed Rate Higher feed rates may require lower speeds to avoid overheating.
 Factor Impact on Cutting Speed
Depth & Width of Cut Deeper/wider cuts need lower speeds for stability.
Coolant Usage Helps maintain speed by reducing heat buildup.

CUTTING SPEED, FEED, AND DEPTH OF CUT FORMULAS

1. Cutting Speed Formula:

Vc=πDN1000V_c = \frac{\pi D N}{1000}

Where:

• Vc = Cutting speed (peripheral speed of the cutter)

• D = Cutter diameter (mm)
• N = Cutter speed (rpm)

2. Feed Rate Methods:

Feed can be expressed in three ways:

• Feed per tooth (mm/tooth) – Distance moved per tooth cut.

• Feed per revolution (mm/revolution) – Distance moved in one spindle rotation.
• Feed per minute (mm/min) – Distance moved per unit time.

1. What is a dividing or indexing head?

• A key attachment for milling machines.

• Used for dividing the circumference of a workpiece into equal parts for milling gears,
splines, squares, and hexagons.
• Rotates the workpiece at a predetermined ratio to the table feed rate for precision
cutting.
• Enables cutting of bolt heads, gear teeth, and ratchets.
• Used for machining helical gears and flutes in drills, reamers, and other tools when
connected to the lead screw of the milling machine.

2. Types of Dividing Heads

Type Function & Usage

Plain Dividing Head Basic type, allows indexing but lacks angular movement.
Universal Dividing Head Can be tilted and rotated for machining helical gears.
Optical Dividing Head Uses optical measurement for high-precision indexing.

3. Indexing Plate Holes

Plate No Hole Divisions
Plate 1 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Plate 2 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 33
Plate 3 37, 39, 41, 43, 47, 49

4. Methods of Indexing

Indexing Method Description

Rapid or Direct Indexing Quick positioning using indexing plate holes.
Simple or Plain Indexing Uses worm gear mechanism for equal divisions.
Compound Indexing Allows division into complex fractional numbers.
Differential Indexing Used for irregular divisions through gear adjustments.
Angular Indexing Used when cutting parts at specific angles.

What is milling?

• Milling is the process of cutting material by feeding the workpiece past a rotating
multiple-tooth cutter.
• The cutter rotates at high speed, allowing rapid metal removal.
• Multiple cutters can be used simultaneously for efficient machining.

2. What movements does the milling machine support?

• Longitudinal movement – Moves left/right.

• Crosswise movement – Moves forward/backward.
• Vertical movement – Moves up/down.

3. Why are milling machines important?

• Used for production work.

• Essential for machining tool room components with precision.

APPLICATIONS OF MILLING MACHINE

Feature Application
Multiple Cutters One or several milling cutters can be mounted simultaneously.
High-Speed
Multiple cutters increase cutting speed and efficiency.
Cutting
Surface Machining Several surfaces can be machined at once.
Suitable for matching single parts and mass-producing interchangeable
Versatile Cutting
parts.
MILLING CUTTER MATERIALS – NOTES IN Q&A FORMAT

1. What are the characteristics of milling cutters?

• Harder than the metal being machined.

• Strong enough to withstand cutting pressures.
• Tough to resist shock during machining.
• Resistant to heat and abrasion for durability.
• Available in various sizes and shapes for different applications.

2. Types of Milling Cutter Materials

Material Type Composition & Features Best Applications

High-Speed Iron alloy with Carbon, Tungsten, Molybdenum, Used for most solid
Steel Chromium, Vanadium milling cutters
Cemented Different carbide compositions for speed & Allows 3–10x faster
Carbide durability production

3. Different Cemented Carbide Types

Carbide Type Best Materials to Cut

Straight Tungsten Carbide Cast iron, plastics
Tantalum Carbide Low/medium-carbon steel
Tungsten-Titanium Carbide High-carbon steel

4. What are Metal-Slitting Saws?

• Thin plain milling cutters with relieved or dished sides to prevent rubbing or
binding.
• Width ranges from 1/32 to 3/16 inch.
• Operates at ¼ to ⅛ of the feed per tooth used in other cutters.
• Not advisable to key saw to milling arbor.
• Backlash eliminator should be engaged for precision.

5. Milling Operations

Milling Operation Type Purpose

Plain or Slab Milling Producing flat surfaces
Face Milling Cutting at surface of the workpiece
Angular Milling Machining angled surfaces
Form Milling Creating curved & complex profiles

1. Advantages of Climb Milling

 Advantage Description
Extends tool life up to 50%, as chips pile up behind or to the left of
Increased Tool Life
the cutter.
Less Costly Fixtures Forces the workpiece down, requiring simpler holding devices.
Chips are less likely to be carried into the workpiece, ensuring
Improved Surface Finish
smoother cuts.
Chip thickness reduces near the workpiece edge, minimizing
Less Edge Breakout
breakage.
Easier Chip Removal Chips fall behind the cutter, preventing clogging.
Lower Power
High rake angle cutters reduce power use by approximately 20%.
Requirements

2. Disadvantages of Climb Milling

Disadvantage Description
Requires Backlash Cannot be used unless the machine has backlash eliminator and
Eliminator tightened table gibs.
Not Suitable for Certain Cannot machine castings or hot-rolled steel, as the hard outer
Materials scale damages the cutter.

MILLING – FUNDAMENTALS & METHODS

3. What is Milling?

• Machining process where a rotating tool with multiple cutting edges removes material.
• Tool axis is perpendicular to feed direction.
• Creates a planar surface, but complex shapes are possible via cutter path or cutter
shape.
• Uses milling cutters (cutting edges = "teeth") on a milling machine.

4. Two Forms of Milling

Milling Type Cutter Axis Orientation Cutting Edge Position

Peripheral
Parallel to the surface On the outer periphery of the cutter.
Milling
Perpendicular to the On the ends and outside periphery of the
Face Milling
surface cutter.

5. Specialized Milling Methods

Method Description
Slab Milling Basic form of peripheral milling, cutter width extends beyond the workpiece.
 Method Description
Slotting Cutter width is less than workpiece width, creating a slot.