Types of End Mills : A Beginner’s Guide
Type and Geometry
| Type | Shape | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Flute | Ordinary Flute | Regular flute geometry commonly used for roughing and finishing of side milling, slotting, and shoulder milling. |
| Tapered Flute | Tapered Flute | Used for special applications such as mold drafts and applying taper angles after conventional straight-edged milling. |
| Roughing Flute | Roughing Flute | Features a wave-like edge for breaking material into small chips, reducing cutting resistance, and enabling high feed rates during roughing. |
| Formed Flute | Formed Flute | Used for producing corner radii on components. Various geometries can be manufactured with this style of cutter. |
End Cutting Edge
| Type | Shape | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Square End (With Centre Hole) | Square End (With Centre Hole) | Typically used for side milling, slotting, and shoulder milling. Not suitable for plunge cutting due to the center hole. |
| Square End (Centre Cut) | Square End (Centre Cut) | Allows plunge cutting with high efficiency, especially with fewer flutes. Can be reground on the flank face. |
| Ball End | Ball End | Designed for curved surface milling. Limited chip evacuation at the extreme end point. |
| Corner Radius End | Corner Radius End | Used for radius profiling and corner radius milling, ideal for pick-feed milling. |
Shank and Neck Parts
| Type | Shape | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (Straight Shank) | Standard (Straight Shank) | Most widely used type. |
| Long Shank | Long Shank | Suitable for deep pocket and shoulder applications. |
| Long Neck | Long Neck | Ideal for deep slotting and boring operations. |
| Taper Neck | Taper Neck | Best for deep slotting and mold draft applications. |
Understanding the Different Types of End Mills
End mills are an essential part of milling operations, available in various shapes and sizes to suit specific applications. Here are some of the most common types:
- Square End Mills: Used for creating flat surfaces, slots, and square-bottomed pockets.
- Ball End Mills: Ideal for curved surface milling and 3D shapes.
- Corner Radius End Mills: Designed for rounded edges and fillet creation.
- Chamfer End Mills: Perfect for beveled edges and chamfering operations.
- Roughing End Mills: Efficient at material removal with serrated edges.
- Tapered End Mills: Used for conical shapes and taper milling.
- Drill Mills: Combine drilling and flat surface milling in one tool.
What is a Milling Cutter?
A milling cutter is a cutting tool used in industrial applications to machine workpiece surfaces or molds. High-speed milling cutters are widely used in industries such as automotive, aerospace, precision molds, and medical applications.
Types of End Mills
End mills can be categorized into various types, including:
- Flat End Mills (Square End Mills): For side milling, slotting, and cavity processing.
- Ball End Mills: Used for contour milling and grooving.
- Corner Radius End Mills: Designed for tough materials and longer tool life.
- Router End Mills: Ideal for composite machining.
- Rib Processing End Mills: Precision tools for deep ribs and molds.
- Chamfering End Mills: Used for creating beveled edges and chamfers
