Online Carbide

For contemporary machining, the process of making threaded connections is critical. Threading pieces enables for a solid bolted connection between components. Threading components required the use of specialist tap and die cutting instruments for decades. Thread milling with solid carbide tools may now accomplish the same outcomes as these older tools in a fraction of the time, thanks to advancements in milling technology.

Thread milling cutters are divided into two categories. The single pitch thread mill is the first and most versatile option. The cutting head on these instruments is fashioned like a tiny disc and is designed to cut the entire length of the thread. Because the cutter must pass through the entire threaded surface, this operation takes longer. These tools are particularly ideal for delicate work because they have a smaller cutting surface that creates less friction while in use.

Full form thread mills are available in addition to single pitch end mills. These tools resemble thread cutting taps, but instead of being placed helically, the teeth along the cutter are arranged in parallel rows. In order to make a thread, the tool is shifted one thread pitch while cutting. This results in a helical pattern in which each row of teeth finishes the cut that the row below them started. As a result, full form thread mills are the quickest way to complete any thread milling work. Although a single tool is limited to cutting threads with a uniform pitch, these cutters can be quite versatile.

Thread milling with solid carbide thread mills are the best choice for getting the most out of your milling machine. End mills are made from a variety of materials, including alloys like high-speed steel. Unfortunately, these tools can't compete with carbide's edge retention, density, or hardness. Carbide tools are manufactured by mixing powdered carbide ceramics with a binding metal like cobalt. This results in a material that is far more than the sum of its components. The strength and endurance of a metal tool are combined with the hardness and edge retention of a ceramic in a carbide thread mill.

Many manufacturers coat their end mills with protective coatings like titanium aluminum nitride to make them live even longer. This coating aids in the formation of a protective layer that deflects heat away from the cutter, extending the tool's lifespan. TiAlN coatings have the unusual ability of increasing their thermal insulating effect as the end mill gets hotter.

So if you are looking to start thread milling with solid carbide thread mills, visit www.Onlinecarbide.com. Online Carbide is an American manufacturer of high quality milling cutters and drill bits. Their single pitch and full form thread mills are made using high quality carbide stock and they are treated with TiAlN to offer the maximum lifespan. If you have any questions about the tools they offer, you can contact a member of the Online Carbide team by calling 630-238-1424 or sending an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com.

Spot drills are little pieces of milling equipment that are often overlooked, yet they are essential in any machine shop. These small cutting tools are necessary for drilling holes with exceptional precision, which is a difficult operation when milling.

Spot drills are small drill bits with only a drill point and few or no flutes beyond that point. They are significantly more stable than longer twist bits due to their incredibly low length. Instead of drilling holes, these tools are meant to start drilling to generate a cone-shaped indentation on the workpiece's surface.

The tendency for drill bits to deflect off of hard objects is what makes drilling such a risky machining operation. Drill bits are long in comparison to other milling cutters, and this length has disadvantages. Long tools, particularly those made of steel alloys like high-speed steel, will wobble naturally as they spin. This can cause them to miss the correct angle for striking a workpiece's surface, deflecting the drill bit's point and ruining the cut.

This might cause major issues because milling is normally an extremely precise machining operation. Because end mills and other cutting tools have a higher width to length ratio, this issue is virtually exclusively limited to jobber length drill bits with a lengthy flute length. Due to their increased stiffness, carbide drill bits can assist to mitigate this issue, but spot drills are another excellent option to achieve accurate results.

This depression in the material aids in the marking of the hole that you wish to drill with your larger twist bit. The point of your longer bit will be guided into the dimple generated by the spot drill, rather than bouncing or deflecting off of the surface. The spotting method will improve the accuracy of your holes significantly, which can be extremely crucial for some parts.

You should think about a few things regarding your gear when spotting to achieve the greatest results. You can still risk the bit deflecting on contact if the point angle of your spot drill is not equal to or greater than that of your longer bit. When operators utilize a center drill instead of a spot drill, this is a regular problem. You should also think about the materials used in your tools. When drilling with steel drill bits, spotting is recommended, although it may not be essential when drilling with carbide drill bits, especially those with shorter lengths.

Check out Online Carbide if you need some spot drills or carbide drill bits for your milling machine. They are a solid carbide cutting tool company based in the United States. Manufacturer direct prices on goods such as jobber drills, stub drills, spot drills, drill mills, and many types of end mills may be found at www.onlinecarbide.com. If you have any queries about Online Carbide's tools, you can contact a member of their staff by sending an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com.

Spot drills are little pieces of milling equipment that are often overlooked, yet they are essential in any machine shop. These small cutting tools are necessary for drilling holes with exceptional precision, which is a difficult operation when milling.

Spot drills are small drill bits with only a drill point and few or no flutes beyond that point. They are significantly more stable than longer twist bits due to their incredibly low length. Instead of drilling holes, these tools are meant to start drilling to generate a cone-shaped indentation on the workpiece's surface.

The tendency for drill bits to deflect off of hard objects is what makes drilling such a risky machining operation. Drill bits are long in comparison to other milling cutters, and this length has disadvantages. Long tools, particularly those made of steel alloys like high-speed steel, will wobble naturally as they spin. This can cause them to miss the correct angle for striking a workpiece's surface, deflecting the drill bit's point and ruining the cut.

This might cause major issues because milling is normally an extremely precise machining operation. Because end mills and other cutting tools have a higher width to length ratio, this issue is virtually exclusively limited to jobber length drill bits with a lengthy flute length. Due to their increased stiffness, carbide drill bits can assist to mitigate this issue, but spot drills are another excellent option to achieve accurate results.

This depression in the material aids in the marking of the hole that you wish to drill with your larger twist bit. The point of your longer bit will be guided into the dimple generated by the spot drill, rather than bouncing or deflecting off of the surface. The spotting method will improve the accuracy of your holes significantly, which can be extremely crucial for some parts.

You should think about a few things regarding your gear when spotting to achieve the greatest results. You can still risk the bit deflecting on contact if the point angle of your spot drill is not equal to or greater than that of your longer bit. When operators utilize a center drill instead of a spot drill, this is a regular problem. You should also think about the materials used in your tools. When drilling with steel drill bits, spotting is recommended, although it may not be essential when drilling with carbide drill bits, especially those with shorter lengths.

Check out Online Carbide if you need some spot drills or carbide drill bits for your milling machine. They are a solid carbide cutting tool company based in the United States. Manufacturer direct prices on goods such as jobber drills, stub drills, spot drills, drill mills, and many types of end mills may be found at www.onlinecarbide.com. If you have any queries about Online Carbide's tools, you can contact a member of their staff by sending an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com.

Tap and die tools or lathe threading machines have traditionally been used to create interlocking threads. While these techniques are still used today, an increase in thread milling has resulted from the increased use of CN technology in production environments. Using the right end mills and settings, you can thread mill pipe threads in seconds. This is a terrific technique for machine companies to maintain their work on the CNC rather than moving it to another machine for threading. Thread mills are preferred over traditional threading equipment like taps and dies for a variety of reasons. The most important consideration is time; these machines work at tremendous speeds and may complete a thread in seconds. Because tap and die tools must be pushed back and forth to remove chips from threads, they can take a long time. Thread mills are also less prone to break in use because of their method of operation. They can also cut many thread sizes with the same equipment while allowing the cutting left and right-handed threads back to back. You can also complete two perpendicular threads without needing to alter the workpiece because CNC routers can easily move the axis they're cutting on. The advantages of moving to thread milling are evident for all of these reasons. Thread milling cutters will be required if your shop wants to begin milling threads. The single pitch thread mill and the full form thread mill are the two most common types of these cutters. Single pitch mills have a small cutting head at the mill's end that is designed to cut each thread separately. They're great for low-power thread milling and threading thin or unstable sections of a workpiece that couldn't sustain the huge cutting pressures of a larger end mill because they're so small. Single pitch mills may also cut several thread pitches with the same tool, making them ideal for mixed-production environments. Full form thread mills are available if speed is a priority. These cutters have a bigger cutting head with many "teeth" that resemble the rows of single pitch mills' cutting heads. Instead of cutting each thread individually, these tools allow you to thread mill pipe threads in a single 360-degree spin. Instead of cutting a series of circular notches, the teeth cut flawless threads by dropping the tool by the thread pitch distance during the cut. These tools are great for cutting threads at fast rates and can cut a variety of thread sizes as long as the thread pitch remains consistent. They can also be used as a single tool to cut and chamfer. Visit Online Carbide if you're ready to thread mill pipe threads in your shop. Thread mills, classic end mills, drill bits, and other tools are available, all of which are made in the United States from high-quality carbide stock. You can reach their team at 630-238-1424 or sales@onlinecarbide.com if you have any questions about their thread mills or any of the other carbide cutting instruments they sell.

When working with tougher materials, selecting the correct cutting tools for the job might be difficult. Roughing out a cavity in a hard piece of hardened steel can take a long time and cause significant tool fatigue. While many machinists begin with a rough mill, there are other options for getting your milling project off to a great start like variable end mills. End mills with variable helix and variable flutes are a fantastic way to mill efficiently without sacrificing the lifespan of your tools.

What distinguishes these end mills from others? The twist of the flutes is referred to as the helix of your end mill. The helix angle of your end mill is calculated by measuring the angle between a tangent along the mill's cutting edge and the center tool line. You may make an end mill with variable cutting angles for each flute by altering the angle of the helix across each flute. Cutting at a variety of angles decreases vibration and improves tool performance along the mill's length.

This means that the angle of attack and resulting force from each cut is slightly different. This results in a variety of vibration patterns rather than uniform vibrations across the whole end mill when the tool is designed traditionally. Because of the irregularity of these vibrations, the mill is less likely to chatter owing to mechanical resonance.

The fact that these unique geometries reduce chatter means that the surface finish of your machined components will be unaffected. As a result, machinists can run these tools at higher rates without reducing the end mill's life. In comparison to a regular roughing mill, the flute design allows for a greater chip size while preserving the improved chip removal rate of a standard end mill.

The best variable end mills will be manufactured from solid carbide. This material is able to resist high temperatures and have incredible wear resistance. This makes them ideal for high-speed machining. One amazing American manufacturer of high performance solid carbide tools is Online Carbide. They offer a wide range of variable end mills in their online store.

The following diameters are available when looking at Online Carbide's variable end mills: 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4". A titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coating is applied to each of these variable end mills. TiAlN is good for end mills that have to cut at high temperatures because it creates a hard coating of aluminum oxide as it heats up. This coating has a low thermal conductivity, which insulates the mill's body while dissipating heat through the chips. This enables you to work at higher speeds while lessening the impact of heat fatigue, extending the life of your end mill.

If you've never used a variable flute end mill before, you should give it a try to see what a difference they can make. The speeds and feeds they can accomplish will astound you. If you have any questions about the tools available at www.onlinecarbide.com, their team is always happy to help. Just send an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com to reach on of their tool experts.

High-efficiency milling has been on the news for quite some time, and for all the good reasons. Right now, roughing cycle times using chamfer end mills can be reduced by as much as 80% when using strengthened tools and methods such as solid carbide and enhanced tool paths. Newer software and CAM systems even provide faster feed rates and deeper depths, while keeping temperature and chatter under control. However, we still encounter limitations when machining part features and areas that force us to be more conservative when it comes to cycle reduction.

Remember that the whole point of high-efficiency machining is to reduce cycle times and improve tool life. These mentioned obstacles can really hinder our ability to increase productivity, but there are ways to circumvent them.

Keep Chip Thickness Constant
Changing force loads on your cutter is one of the main causes of tool deterioration. Abrupt changes in material engagement cause sudden shocks and vibrations that increase tool fatigue. Part features, like pocket corners, tend to produce these sudden shocks and force us to be much more modest in our goals.

To solve this problem, you need to be able to dynamically calculate varying feed rates for crucial points of your toolpath so you can get close to keeping a constant cutting force for your tool and spindle. It sounds like a ton of work but newer CAMs provide incredible toolpath generation options that will help you take care of your carbide chamfer end mills.

Do Not Disengage
The same principle applies here. The longer you keep your tool engaged, the longer its lifespan. However, some parts will present features that create extensive areas of “air cutting”, such as bosses or islands, that will traditionally negate fluid toolpath engagement. The trick to achieving the highest percentage of cutter engagement time is to create trochoidal paths around these features to incorporate them into larger patterns on your piece.

Carbide Cutters
Carbide is the to-go material when you want to achieve high efficiency. It is harder than steel and can withstand extreme temperatures without losing material integrity. However, carbide is also very rigid and brittle. It can stand up to incredible compressive forces, yet be very sensitive to tensile forces. It means that carbide is not as flexible as steel and that the sharp edges of your carbide chamfer end mill can withstand elevated performance levels as long as it does not see tensile forces that can cause microchipping. This allows you to run the tool to its full depth of cut and spread the forces out over the whole area instead of localized points of your tip.

However, your carbide tools must be of the highest quality if you expect them to resist the full force of a full-depth cut at high feed rates. Online Carbide is a trusted all-American carbide tools supplier committed to providing the best tools for high-performance machining. Visit them today and take advantage of their direct manufacturing prices.

When you need to cut straight, tapered, or double-angle tapered threads on a cylindrical surface, such as a pipe thread, the best way to create them is by using a thread-cutting process. Threads are created by forming an involute curve with a precise profile of angles and included angles that engage each other to form the thread. Threads are never just straight cuts, even though they can appear to be so.

Thread mills made of tungsten carbide are used for many general machining operations because their sharp teeth don't wear out or chip readily. Thread mills can be used on a variety of metals and other materials and require minimal setup before they're put into operation.

How Are Threads Measured?
Threads are measured by the number of threads per inch, which is indicated in TPI (Threads Per Inch). Threads can be full form or single pitch. Threads with 15 to 40 TPI are most common for general machining operations. Thread mills come in different sizes, each of which is designed to mill a specific thread per inch (TPI).

Thread engagement is the axial distance that the thread flank contacts the thread root in one complete revolution of the thread.

Thread Rolling And Thread Forming
Thread Rolling is when threading is performed on a rotating or stationary workpiece, resulting in cylindrical thread forms in the shape of an Archimedes screw thread. Thread Rolling creates threads with less sharp thread flanks than thread milling by rolling the thread over a shape at least twice its size.

Thread forming is when thread milling operations are performed on workpieces that have an Archimedes screw thread or external thread profile to create cylindrical thread forms that have exact thread profiles and thread features. Thread forming produces threads with sharp thread flanks, while thread rolling does not.

What Are Thread Roots And Pitch?
The thread root is the bottom of a thread profile where it connects to its mating thread follower. The thread external diameter is the diameter of the thread root circle or torus at its widest point in relation to the borehole or mating thread that it fits into. The root radial face angle measures how far from perpendicular a plane containing the tool axis intersects a plane containing a segment of a helix on an external screw thread profile.

The term "thread pitch" refers to the distance between the peaks of two adjacent threads. The threads on a fastener that connect two components together are known collectively as threaded fasteners or threaded studs.

As you can see, the art of creating threads requires a lot more knowledge than average machining operations if you expect to create watertight seals. Tooling greatly affects the quality of the work and the final product; it is easy to tell carbide thread mill pipe threads from other finishes as they tend to be sharper and more defined. They also prevent material compaction typical of tapers and blind holes. Make sure you use the best carbide tools by buying directly from reputable manufacturers. Visit Online Carbide and get high-performance carbide thread mills today.

While tapping continues to be widely used in operations that require threads, thread milling has been gaining ground during the last few years, especially in shops that routinely deal with exotic materials or are moving towards high-performance machining.

Threading tends to be one of the final operations when machining a part. So any problem during this phase can have catastrophic results, especially if you are machining expensive workpiece materials.

The problem with tapping is that, when your tap is engaged with the workpiece, the cutting edges have problems cooling down. This is true even when using coolant as it generally has a hard time reaching cutting edges already engaged. High-temperature alloys tend to resist heat instead of absorbing it, which means there is a lot of heat transferred into the tap.

We have had our fair share of tools breaking off in the whole, often forcing a long rework operation to save the piece, or even resulting in a total piece scrap.

Solid carbide thread mills are increasing in popularity as helical interpolation tool paths are becoming a standard feature in most new CNC machine tools.

What are the advantages of thread milling over tapping?
Higher hole quality: While most solid carbide thread mills have three teeth, the bulk of the thread-cutting is performed by the first teeth. This is done to reduce the cutting pressure on the tool, reducing deflection and allowing the cutting edges to cool down. However, the most important effect is that the other two teeth are used for cleaning up the threads, increasing the overall quality of the hole.

Minimized Risk of Scrapping: Solid carbide thread mills are smaller than the hole diameter. In case of tool failure, you can safely remove the tool from the workpiece without sacrificing any precious material.

More Software Available: The most effective technique when machining threads is performing climb milling. Spinning the tool counterclockwise, while moving it helically down the hole tends to require writing complicated thread milling routines or adapting them to every new project. However, newer software suites come with packages specially created for thread milling.

Increased Durability: As we mentioned before, tapping requires going hard on your tools, especially when threading high-temperature alloys and metals. Solid carbide thread mills are more heat resistant and accurate, but also allow the cutting edges to cool down and reduce the risk of failure.

One Tool, Many Jobs: Tapping requires tool changes every time there is a variation in hole diameter. This, of course, increases downtime and changes cycles, reducing productivity. Threading mills are a lot more versatile, allowing the machinist to create threads in different hole sizes without having to change the tool. You can even perform internal and external threads with just one tool.

Overall, solid carbide thread mills offer more tool durability, flexibility, and safety when machining high-temperature alloys. However, you need to find the best carbide tools for the job. Online Carbide is an American carbide tool manufacturer that crafts high-quality thread mills for machine shops that require durable and reliable tools. Visit their website or contact them by email at sales@onlinecarbide.com, to get personalized attention from their tool experts.

The first time we try carbide tools is different for everyone. Not everybody starts with the same tools or jumps into a composite for the same reasons. Some of us hear carbide is better for hardwoods and we want to put that to the test. Others want to switch from high-speed steel because they want to see how hard their machines can go. And there are some, like me, who just want to increase their shop´s efficiency and increase the stack of finished parts at the end of the day.

Regardless of your reason, you need to start somewhere. Maybe you heard of a certain tool that is good for a very specific task, say a carbide spotter or a chamfer mill. However, going for a single mill or bit will only give you a small taste of what these amazing tools can make. Even if the bulk of your projects require you only drive holes, you will want to try out a carbide end mill set that allows you to do some countersinking with various angles.

Getting a full carbide end mill set will allow you to try different approaches to your project and discover how differently they behave when compared to the much slower High-Speed steel tools.

Drills or Mills?
Drills are mostly used to plunge into the material, especially for punching holes. End mills are traditionally used for horizontal cutting, deburring, beveling, chamfering, slotting, contouring, and reaming. However, it is not unusual to see carbide end mills being used for punching holes. This is because carbide is especially good at withstanding compressive stresses and rigid enough to provide increased accuracy and prevent walk-off movements caused by deflection. A pointed end mill produces a nicely angled countersunk hole that can later be followed by a drill of your choice without fear of driving a misaligned hole. So a carbide end mill set offers you a better start.

Which End Mills Should I Get?
Well, in this industry, “one of each” is never a good thing. That would be the best way to end up with a bunch of tools that will never see any use. That's why getting pre-packed carbide end mill sets from big stores is never a good idea. They tend to lump together fairly useful mills with low-demand mills so you get stuck with bits nobody wants. You should instead put your own set together so you are sure your money is not going into something that will end up in the back of the last drawer.

Your best bet is to directly contact a carbide tools manufacturer that can help you put a carbide end mill set together according to your current needs, but also offers manufacturer-direct prices. I have dealt with Online Carbide in the past and they always offer reliable guidance and incredible deals when I´m looking for something exotic. They are located here in the U.S. and offer free shipping for orders over $250, making them my go-to supplier for carbide tools. Contact them today and find out how their tools will change the way you machine.

Many shops today are still hesitant about changing their cutting tools. After all, traditional tools made of high-speed steel have proven to be extremely sharp and reliable for many machining tasks. Moreover, they tend to cost a lot less and can be easily sharpened or replaced if anything goes wrong. So carbide tools are seen as an unnecessary expense in many shops.

However, as the world of machining becomes more and more competitive, and average machining speeds increase, the shortcomings of metal tools are now more apparent than ever. This is evidently true for all types of tools, from spot drills to chamfer mills.

Steel´s flexibility is what gives it its cutting power as it can be molded and ground to extremely sharp edges without it losing structural integrity. However, this flexibility causes a lot of problems too. Their incredible sharpness is usually short-lived, and steel tools must be replaced often as they become dull quickly, especially when going through other metals or strong composites.

One other problem with steel tools is that they tend to wobble pretty hard when you are pushing the machine into fast RPMs. This wobbling makes it very difficult to produce accurate cuts and often causes the tool to walk off target. I have seen my fair share of scrapped parts because of misaligned holes.

Heat is another steel killer. HSS works pretty well under normal circumstances, however, it loses its hardness when it reaches temperatures close to 600°. In order to increase feed rates, you have to heavily depend on coolant fluids and lighter toolpaths, making high-speed steel actually kind of slow for many tasks. It is better to leave steel bits, end mills, and chamfer mills for low-volume applications.

Carbide cutting tools provide longer tool life, faster cut data, and increased rigidity. Carbide´s refractory properties allow machinists to increase speeds and feed rates without the risk of overheating the tool. Carbide chamfer mills can go through a lot of material without a problem, even when closing to the 1k degrees mark.

Carbide tools are not flexible at all. In fact, it is very brittle so it does not handle horizontal tensile forces too well. However, its rigidity gives carbide tools greater accuracy, giving your machine increased chances of staying true to the print.

While spot drills and chamfer mills made of carbide are not as sharp as high-speed steel tools, they do retain their cutting capabilities longer. This means that you don't have to be constantly cycling through tools, which considerably reduces downtime. Their enhanced cutting data and resistance allows for longer, deeper cuts, drastically increasing part production times and accuracy in the long run, more than making up for their higher price tag.

However, you should only trust carbide tools from trusted manufacturers with a proven track record in the industry. Online Carbide is today one of the most trusted carbide tool suppliers. They produce high-quality carbide tools made in America and offer unbeatable manufacturer-direct prices for shops and hobbyists across the country.

We love machining aluminum. Its gummy texture and unique properties make it a pleasure for those in the aerospace and medical industries who need the strength, flexibility, and lightweightness of aluminum. All those are good things, but they are making aluminum machining extremely competitive and shops around the country are trying hard to keep up.

We all know that spindle speeds can totally change the rules as they affect what you can or can't do when machining hard materials such as metal. But this is especially true when it comes to aluminum.

 

For example, when machining hard alloys, such as Steel or Inconel, high speeds are often combined with lighter depths of cut, allowing you to keep the fundamentals of the process virtually unchanged. Here, the spindle and the cutting tool, carbide end mills, are still the main factors that determine the limits of removal rates.

But when changing to aluminum, this logic is almost turned upside down. Higher spindle speeds go hand in hand with heavier and deeper cuts. Inevitably, tool chatter enters the equation and becomes an important factor that affects your process. The unique harmonic properties of aluminum set different ground rules for high-performance machining.

 

Chatter usually happens at high speeds in other materials, hence the need for solid carbide tools that are rigid enough to minimize its effects and increase feed rates. However, when machining aluminum, your maximum speed is no longer the ideal speed. To achieve higher removal rates in aluminum, you need to find its “sweet spot” to prevent chatter and expand overall tool life.

 

Aluminum harmonics make the material work as a bell, with a specific dynamic vibration or “tone”. When your spindle and tool match this vibration in terms of hertz or hits per minute, they resonate with the material and start vibrating causing uncontrollable chatter. What some researchers found is that you want to keep your cutter strikes between 500 and 800 strikes per second when cutting aluminum in order to match its natural frequency.

 

If you´re doing your math, that would give you an idea of the ideal flute count and speed for reaching this harmonic sweet spot. We found that the best end mills for aluminum are three-flute carbide end mills with a steep helix angle. Carbide provides increased stiffness that keeps chatter under control, making it easier to find that speed sweet spot without encountering wild variations due to tool wobbling. This super material offers better chip evacuation properties that help keep temperatures under control. Carbide also provides longer life, sharply decreasing downtime cycles.

 

If the bulk of your work depends on machining aluminum, and you want to stay competitive, get the best end mills for aluminum from real carbide tooling experts. Visit www.onlinecarbide.com today, and find incredible deals on carbide tools specifically designed for high-performance aluminum machining. Check out their special offers for orders above $250 in premium tools, and find the lowest prices to cover your tooling needs.

Aluminum is becoming increasingly more popular among machinists due to its unique properties. Its “gumminess” makes it a pleasure to machine, especially with heavy cuts and high feed rates. Moreover, there is a point, right around the 15.000 RPM mark, where chatter seems to disappear completely, allowing the machine to attack the material and find purchase without a problem or fear of bouncing.

However, these speeds can only be reached when using robust carbide tools that can spin without wobbling or losing their sharpness, especially when going full rapid. There are three elements solid carbide end mill manufacturers recommend keeping an eye on when working with aluminum.

Coating
You need a coated tool to make sure it retains its hardness, especially when running at high speeds. Titanium aluminum nitride coatings are incredibly rigid and work extremely well at high speeds. When pushed to high temperatures, the composite forms a thin layer of aluminum oxide that reforms continuously, protecting the bit from wear, even when dry milling. These properties would make TiAlN mills great candidates for high-speed machining. However, using aluminum on aluminum can cause a few problems, namely chip buildup or welding on the flutes, causing problems on the surface finish. The problem can be prevented by keeping the coolant flow in check.

Zirconium Nitride composite coatings work best for cutting aluminum at higher speeds. By decreasing friction and increasing lubricity, ZrN provides better chip evacuation which is vital when working with softer or gummier aluminum. ZrN prevents tool clogging and produces better chip curls that nest nicely away from the workpiece.

Flute Count
Flute count is extremely important when milling aluminum as chip curls can easily clog tight flutes. However, it is hard to hit aluminum fast enough to reach the desired 500-800 strikes per minute with a 2-flute mill. That's why 3-flute tools are the way to go for aluminum. They provide enough space for efficient chip evacuation and guarantee enough strikes per second to prevent chatter.

Geometry
Geometry is also extremely important when choosing the right tool for aluminum work. You need a tool with a steep helix angle that allows you to easily calculate optimal harmonic conditions when running at high speeds. 37° degrees will keep pull forces from relaxing preload forces on your spindle bearing, especially if it is spring-loaded. This is important if you want to stay true to your testing calculations.
When pushing your shop towards high-speed or high-performance machining, these seemingly small factors can make the difference between running an efficient machining process and a tool demolition operation.

If you are looking for tools specifically designed for maximum efficiency, you need tools from the best solid carbide end mill manufacturers. Online Carbide offers reliable ZrN coated carbide tools at the best prices. Visit their website or call 630.238.1424 to speak to a professional sales representative that will help you find the right tools for your needs.

Machining complex pieces that have interlocking components can be a real challenge. The most common way to do it is by cutting threads. However, these need to be extremely accurate if you want to produce a leak-resistant seal.

Now, there are many methods to create perfect threads no matter your chosen standard or pitch. Many use tapping tools, which is a more traditional method. Introduce your roll-tap into the perfectly matching hole and the tool will create the thread in a single pass. However, there are many problems with tapping pipe threads that make it an inefficient process.

First of all, taps must be of the exact size of the hole so it engages the material and creates a tight thread. This usually does not leave enough room for the chips to come out, which is a big problem when working on blind holes. Chips get trapped in the bottom of the hole and do not allow the tool to complete the pass.

A second problem is that, when working with hard materials such as titanium, you run the risk of having your tool break into the piece. This can cause a huge disruption in your production schedule and, believe me, you don't want to have to go fishing for that broken head which by now might already be an integral part of the piece.

To avoid these problems and get a perfect fit every time, you want to thread mill pipe threads. Carbide thread mills are usually thinner than the ID of the hole. So you can program your CNC to use a single pitch thread mill to create different pitches depending on the project without a problem. While they can be a bit slower, they have their advantages. You are not limited to a single thread pitch per tool. Instead, you can program your z-axis on your machine to achieve the desired pitch. You can even create threads with varied diameters inside the same hole, something impossible with tapping as you need a different size tap when you change hole sizes.

If a lot of your work focuses on specific pipe thread sizes or standards, you should get a full-form carbide thread mill of the appropriate size. These allow you to create complete threads in one pass, thread mill pipe threads have a better thread quality and a smoother surface when compared to tapped threads. Solid carbide tools also allow you to machine smaller threaded holes and can produce left and right-handed threads.

One big advantage thread mills bring to the table is that they can create both male and female pipe threads, without the need of changing tools.

If you are serious about thread mill pipe threading, you need the best quality tools for your shop. Visit Online Carbide and check their wide range of solid carbide single pitch and full form thread mills for those who want extremely precise results. Send an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com and find out more about their tools and incredible prices.

More shops and businesses are embracing the high-performance machining mindset every year. They are taking advantage of newer technology and tools that allow them to yield increased product outputs while production costs tend to go down.

There are many reasons for this phenomenon. Of course, the pursuit of profit is an ever-present factor. However, the real drive behind the transformation of the industry seems to have a lot more to do with a sense of accomplishment many shop owners experience as they can provide better products for their customers.

I remember when high-speed machining was something that was fun to watch, and only a few shops could afford it as it required a complete shop overhaul that was not cost-effective as it didn´t yield significant bottom-line improvements. Today, there are CAM software solutions that can push the productivity of your old machine to new levels with enhanced toolpath strategies. They take your shop one step closer to high-performance machining standards without having to invest heavily in a newer CNC.

Carbide drill manufacturers took note, and now offer extremely reliable cutting tools with geometries that revolve around these improvements. However, if you expect your shop to take full advantage of carbide-grade tools, you need to be ready to pump up speeds and feed rates.

Carbide tools do provide enhanced tool lifespan and reduce machine downtime when compared to steel tools, and that alone can increase overall productivity and ROI. However, they work best when pushed to the max.

Carbide tools are a lot harder than their steel counterparts and can withstand higher temperatures than high-speed steel tools. Carbide retains its hardness even at 1000 °C and goes 4-7 times faster than steel. So you need a fast machine, and tough workholders, to get the most out of your carbide tools and produce more parts per hour.

Technology now allows machinists to approach materials from multiple axes, using high spindle rotation speeds to make short and sweet cuts but higher removal rates that effectively reduce cycle time. These faster machines with five or seven axes really shine when using carbide cutting tools as they keep cutting without missing a beat.

But should carbide only be used with newer machines?
Not really. Carbide tools are better at retaining sharpness, have better chip removal rates, and can withstand higher temperatures without having to constantly baby your machine when going through tough materials. They also go easy on the grain when machining hardwoods, leaving a smooth finish on every surface.

Carbide drill manufacturers, like Online Carbide, offer many options for shops that want to take their process to the next level by reducing cycle times and increasing part count. Switching to high-quality carbide tools is often the first step down the road to increasing your shop's performance. Contact Online Carbide today if you have any questions on how carbide tools can positively impact your bottom line and product quality.

For those who are getting used to carbide tools, machining a piece with a spindle loaded with a high-speed steel drill mill feels like watching paint dry. Not to say that HSS does not have its uses. But today´s performance standards require manufacturers to churn out as many finished pieces as humanly possible.

Carbide end mills do offer outstanding performance, especially when combined with advanced toolpath strategies that newer CAM software now brings to the table. However, some tools require you to push them to the limit to get the best out of them.

TiAlN coated end mills, or titanium aluminum nitride tools can increase service life up to ten times longer than regular tools. The coating provides the tool with a protective shield against heat and oxidation. You can say that these tools are made for working at extremely high cutting speeds, and they excel at cutting hardened materials such as stainless steel and titanium alloys, even if you go dry on the material.

TiAlN coated end mills are incredibly hard, even more rigid than carbide. But the most interesting part is that the coating properties kick in when the tool runs hot. When it reaches certain temperatures, say from friction, a protective surface layer of Al2O3 or aluminum oxide ceramic is formed around the tool. The layer wears out and then reforms again in a continuous cycle, prolonging the life of the tool. It means that the tool performs best in high temperatures.

It is important to note that TiAlN coated high-speed steel tools do not hold well when operating for long periods. If you run a coated HSS twist drill on a stainless steel piece, the heat will eventually cause the tool to fail. Remember that while the coating is heat resistant, the core should also be able to withstand external conditions.

That is why it is better to use coated solid carbide cores when going through a lot of material if you want to avoid unnecessary downtime caused by tool failure. This is especially true when machining superalloys that push your tools through high cutting forces, abrasiveness, long chipping, and extreme temperatures. TiAlN coated end mills with a carbide core should be your go-to tools if you´re aiming at increased production and reduced downtime. Carbide holds better tolerances than steel tools, allowing you t5o take full advantage of your TiAlN coated end mills.

High-Performance machining has opened new opportunities for many shops to drastically increase their throughput levels several times above what was considered normal a few years ago. Of course, this would not be possible without enhanced machines and CAM software. But without modern cutting tools, advanced tooling strategies would have remained in the realm of theories.

A word about tool quality. While there has been an increased number of cutting tools manufacturers who offer carbide and coated drills and bits, not all of them offer a quality that allows you to accurately predict tool performance. If you want high-performance tools that comply with the highest quality standards, visit www.onlinecarbide.com.

Drilling holes can be a challenge. Long twist drills used to drive deep holes tend to be flexible and wobble as they spin at high speeds. This makes the process of centering your holes accurately very difficult as the bit tip tends to walk off target. That's why you must start your holes by creating a small notch on the surface of your part before plunging your drill. Starting your holes before drilling is the only way to make sure your part is as close as possible to the blueprint.

However, there are two tools machinists often use for this job. Carbide spot drills and carbide center drills. Both tools do an incredible job at starting holes. However, there are substantial differences between them. Let's go over the most glaring ones.

Center Drills: Their name still confuses a lot of enthusiasts as they want to create perfectly centered holes. The price makes them attractive as well, as you can find these almost a dime a dozen at your local hardware store. However, their intended use is to create holes that secure a part in a lathe.

The tool shape should give its function away. The pilot is not robust enough, so it tends to break often when your operation requires a lot of spotting. Plus, the countersink angle is too narrow, so your dimples will cause your jobber to hit one side and deflect, which is the perfect way to end up with misaligned holes or busted tips.

Spot Drills: These are robust tools with a chunky shank that provides stability and accuracy. Carbide spot drills and carbide cutting tools give your twist drills the perfect anchorage when plunging into your part. Spot drills typically come with wide-angled points that help your jobbers easily find purchase and engage the material more effectively.

When you need to drill a lot of holes into your part, carbide spot drills will provide the accuracy and efficiency you need for your shop to achieve top performance. You can increase revolutions and temperatures without compromising tool lifespan. They drastically reduce tool change downtime, allowing you to finish your shift with a larger stash of finished parts.

However, carbide spot drills and carbide cutting tools are not a staple in big box stores. Moreover, the process of creating carbide tools must go through very strict quality standards and environmental protocols if you want consistent results. Some big brands know this and put a steep price tag on their tools, which makes it impossible for shops to reap any real benefits for going high-performance.

The best way to guarantee your shop has top-quality carbide spot drills and carbide cutting tools is to get directly in touch with a US company that follows strict quality protocols and environmentally friendly manufacturing standards. Keep your costs down with manufacturer direct prices and free shipping on orders over $250. Visit onlinecarbide.com and learn more about their premium carbide cutting tools specifically designed for shops that embrace the high-performance machining philosophy.