I. Common Types of Milling Cutters
Carbide Milling Cutters
Advantages: Due to titanium alloy's low elastic modulus, high friction between the tool's rear face and the workpiece, and high cutting temperatures, it is necessary to choose tool materials with good wear resistance and high temperature tolerance. Carbide milling cutters possess high hardness and wear resistance, meeting these requirements.
Recommended Brands: Fine-grained and ultrafine-grained YG-type carbide alloys containing TaC or NbC, such as YG6x, YG813, YS2, YG643, YD15, etc. Among them, YG8 offers the best performance, and YG6X carbide alloy is also effective for finish milling.
PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond) and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) Tools
Advantages: PCD and CVD tools exhibit higher hardness and wear resistance, suitable for high-speed and dry cutting, enhancing cutting efficiency and tool durability.
Cutting Conditions: For wet cutting, PCD and CVD tools can achieve a linear speed of up to 200m/min; for dry cutting, a linear speed of around 100m/min is optimal.
II. Suggestions for Milling Cutter Selection
Based on Processing Stages
- Rough or Semi-Finish Machining: Choose insert-type flat milling cutters, solid-welded tools, insert-type corn milling cutters, plunge milling cutters, etc.
- Finish Machining: Select solid carbide end mills, such as multi-tooth mills, variable helix mills, variable tooth angle mills, variable flute depth mills, etc. These tools provide better processing quality and tool durability during the finish machining stage.
Consideration of Tool Materials
The cutting of titanium alloy demands high requirements for tool materials, necessitating the selection of materials with high hardness, high wear resistance, and good thermal stability.
Attention to Tool Geometry Parameters
To reduce cutting forces and temperatures, increase tool durability, it is necessary to decrease the rake angle and increase the relief angle during titanium alloy cutting.
Additionally, attention should be paid to the design of the tool's transition edge or nose radius to minimize vibration and impact during cutting.
III. Cutting Parameters Recommendations
Cutting Speed: The optimal cutting temperature for carbide milling cutters is between 650°C and 750°C, corresponding to a linear speed of 15 to 54m/min.
Feed Rate: Select an appropriate feed rate based on specific processing conditions and tool materials to ensure cutting efficiency and processing quality.
In summary, when machining titanium alloy, it is advisable to choose titanium alloy-specific milling cutters, considering factors such as processing stages, tool materials, and cutting parameters. Additionally, attention should be paid to cooling and lubrication during the cutting process to reduce cutting forces and temperatures, enhancing tool durability and processing quality.
