Milling cutters perform a wide variety of different functions and shops that rely on their milling machines know how important it is to have quality cutters. Finding the best end mills for sale can make a huge difference in milling machine performance. Reliable tools will be able to run faster for longer, preventing the downtime caused by dull tools and the headache of needing frequent replacements.
One of the most important parts of choosing end mills for sale is knowing what kind of jobs that you have to tackle. Almost all end mills are designed to perform specific tasks. Standard square and ball nose mills are definitely known for their versatility in terms of side milling, but other tools like chamfer mills and thread mills are designed specifically for their respective tasks. When you are shopping for end mills, it is important to know the kind of tools you need and what sizes your shop uses.
It is also important to look at how your tools are constructed. A lot of tools are made using various stainless steel alloys. Cobalt steel and high speed steel are both popular options because they are affordable and hard enough to cut a wide range of materials. High speed steel or HSS tools are also able to operate at higher speeds that would not be possible with traditional steel tools. This is because steel is a tempered metal, which basically means that it can lose its hardness if it rises above a certain temperature.
One way to completely avoid this issue is to use carbide cutting tools. While carbide tools may look metallic, they are actually made from a composite material. The actual “carbide” in carbide tools is tungsten carbide, a ceramic material that is extremely hard and dense. In its natural form, carbide is a dull grey powder which is a great abrasive material, but not naturally suited to cutting tasks. In order to create carbide tools, this ceramic powder is sintered together using a metal binding agent like cobalt.
The resulting material gets its cutting power from the embedded carbide, giving carbide end mills incredible cutting power. Because ceramics are able to handle extreme temperatures, carbide tools can run at higher speeds and feeds than any metallic tools. Another advantage of using carbide tools is that they last much longer than steel tools and hold their edges remarkably well, which means less sharpening and maintenance for operators.
The material used to make an end mill is not the only factor that impacts performance. In addition to the main body of the tool, you also need to consider the tool’s coating. Using methods like physical vapor deposition makes it easy for manufacturers to coat their tools with extremely thin coatings that bind almost perfectly to the tools surface.
These coatings typically add extra hardness, heat protection, and lower the tool’s coefficient of friction. All of these properties can increase the lifespan of your cutting tools. When browsing end mills for sale, tools with TiAlN coatings are great for general use while gold colored ZrN tools are a great choice for machining aluminum.
If you need to find some high performance end mills for sale, Online Carbide is the perfect place to look. At www.onlinecarbide.com, you will find a great selection of solid carbide milling tools for sale. This includes various end mills and drill bits that are all available at manufacturer direct prices. If you have any questions about any of the tools that they offer, you can reach out to a member of their team by sending an email to sales@onlinecarbide.com.
