Fundamental Concepts To Learn About Milling Aluminum 10-06-2021

Fundamental Concepts To Learn About Milling Aluminum (2)

Factors That Affect Aluminum Milling

Aluminum Grade

Many issues are arising in the machining of each grade of aluminum alloy. Machinable types of aluminum are classified based on their alloying element. These alloys have a significant effect on the aluminum property -it will either improve its hardness, ductility, or corrosion resistance. These alloys have different mechanical properties that affect the machinability of the material and the milling process as a whole. Different grades respond to other parameters and will result in different finishes on the work part.

Clamping Rigidity

One of the things that needed to be secured during aluminum milling is the clamping. If not done right, this will cause undesired shifts in the work part while milling. The rigid clamping of the work parts will help ensure a smooth and consistent milling process throughout. The reasons are as follows:

-It reduces vibration on the work part.

-It maintains dimensional accuracy.

-It prevents chances of tooling deflection due to vibration.

-It reduces the chance of any chatter during the process.

Machining Parameters

Different parameters are one of the main factors that should be considered from the beginning of the milling process. Cutting speeds and feeds have diverse effects on aluminum milling. Setting the parameters at the right pace will prevent issues like poor surface finish, tool breakage, and sometimes chatter.

Tooling Geometry

The cutting tools in milling are subdivided based on their cutting tool geometry. The geometries usually taken into account are the helix angle, rake angle, land width, number of flutes, flute length, corner radius, and many more.

There is specific tooling geometry suited for every subcategory of milling processes. For example, for rough milling, the surface finish is not as important as the clearance for chip evacuation, so the proper tool is an end mill with a relatively larger corner radius and lesser flute (chip clearance). When choosing a tool for finishing wherein to optimize the surface finish, the case will change. Choose a tool with a finer number of flutes with the final required corner radius.