XavierKey Considerations for High Speed Machining
High speed machining is the process of removing material at high feed rates and spindle speeds without compromising part quality and precision. The main benefits of HSM are short cycle times and long tool life.
The main features of HSM are as follows:
- High productivity & low cost
- Excellent dimensional precision and accuracy
- Capable of machining high precision 3D complex parts
- Eliminate unnecessary steps like polishing and assembly
1.What is High Speed Machining (HSM)?
High speed machining is a process that allows for light cutting with high metal removal rates (MRR), high feed rates and spindle speeds.
It is a combination of fast motion and well-planned application to achieve accurate locations and optimal results.
For high speed machining and CNC services, some of the main factors you must consider are:
- Tool selection and balance
- Chip thinning
- Machine requirements
- Workpiece and tool rigidity
- Materials and machining strategies
- CAM programming
- Tool selection
2.Technologies used in high speed machining
High speed machining is a complex process for manufacturing parts and you must know how to perform HSM. If the process is performed by an inexperienced person with the right tools, it will not be successful.
HSM is a mixture of several technologies that can be used for a variety of applications. This collection of technologies is very user-friendly and very useful for any operation.
Some of the best techniques for high speed machining include:
1) Plunge Roughing
It is a CAM toolpath that is programmed manually. You can say it is a life-saving secret weapon.
The two main characteristics of plunge roughing are:
- You get a more rigid cut by converting the forces from the XY plane to the axial Z up and down forces.
- You can remove more material with its twisted drill compared to an end mill.
Plunge milling is the best choice for deep slotting when the side slots cause large tool deflection. Plunge milling allows you to perform roughing on older machines in your shop.
Some of the disadvantages of plunge milling are:
- Center cutting and traditional twist drills
- 2D vs. 3D plunge roughing
- Scalloped edges
2) Trochoidal machining/milling
This CNC milling method can be used to mill deep slots, confined cavities, and grooves. Trochoidal machining is an excellent solution for slotting special hard materials such as titanium and Inconel.
The biggest advantages of trochoidal machining are:
- Reduced cycle time
- Ability to operate multi-groove tools
- More material can be removed
- Improved tool life
- Chip thinning effect
- Reduced number of axial passes
- High-speed capability
- Maintains continuous feed rates
3) Side stepping
These connections effectively transition adjacent tool paths during high feed rates. It tends to produce sharp step moves at the end of the pass. Simple circular moves can be sharper at high feeds. Parallel scanline surface machining has been used for finishing multi-surface models for the past decade.
At moderate feed rates, a suitable solution is to use simple cycle toolpaths as an alternative to sharp turns between sweep passes.
3.Machines for High Speed Machining
Before starting HSM operation, it is crucial to check the machine, torque diagram/power tool. The machine should be able to handle all requirements. A high speed machine suitable for 300-M may not be suitable for other materials like titanium. Therefore, a proper HSM operation strategy should be adopted to obtain high quality, accurate parts.
Many machines have high speed machining capabilities. It may be a 5-axis milling machine or a 3-axis milling machine. Some of the machines that can be used for high speed machining are as follows:
1) Mikron Mill-S-400- U
Mikron Mill-S-400-U is designed for high speed machining to achieve high quality surface finish and high precision parts. The unique feature of intelligent temperature management system ensures that the machine maintains accuracy and high speed milling while in operation.
Mikron high speed machining milling centers are 10 times faster than other conventional machines. The compact structure allows you to easily access all areas of the machine for maintenance.
The power components and machine bed of HSM are optimally cooled, which improves thermal stability in the production environment.
2) Matsuura LX-160
This is an advanced linear machine with short cycle time. The optimized rigidity of LX-160 ensures high precision and stable machining platform. LX-160 shortens cycle time, and all axes of Matsuura LX-160 are driven by motors. Therefore, you can achieve fast acceleration and high speed.
Rare functions and intelligent protection systems make LX-160 user-friendly and optimal implementation of HSM feed operations and technologies.
4.High-speed machining tools
HSM requires advanced machining tools. There are different types of high-speed machining tools for different applications. The requirements of each industry are different, for example, in the automotive industry, horizontal machining tools are used for mass production.
On the other hand, in the mold industry, surface finish, accuracy and precision parts are very important, and a different set of high-speed tools are required.
The choice of tools depends on many factors. It depends on
- Characteristics of the HSM part
- High speed, high precision
- Size and fast feed rate
- Material cost
These factors determine the best tool for high speed aluminum machining. The most important thing is a tool with good stability and balance. Otherwise, vibration may occur and lead to a shortened tool life.
The selection of HSM tools starts and ends with the workpiece. Tool balancing is very important and indirectly affects tool life and spindle. Some steps of tool balancing are as follows:
- Balancing machine and cutting tool cleanliness
- Cutting tool position on spindle
- Measuring and zeroing the imbalance of the machine
The right tool with tight tolerances and speeds must be selected. The success of HSM operation depends on many factors such as:
- Machine program
- Tool use and strategy
- Tool and proper strategy
HSM tools should be designed for high speed machining and some rules of thumb for high speed machining can be applied. A smaller percentage engagement of the tool diameter will be effective for chip thinning effect. It also increases speed.
5.High Speed CNC Machining Materials
Many industries use HSM such as aerospace, medical, aviation. There are many types of materials for HSM, depending on the requirements of the specific operation of the HSM. Some common material types include:
1) Alumina
It is one of the basic cutting tool materials for high-speed aluminum machining. It is widely used because of its chemical stability at high temperatures and excellent hardness. It has low fracture resistance.
2) Ceramic Cutting Tools
Ceramics have strong wear resistance and high temperature resistance. They belong to non-metallic materials and are divided into two categories:
- Silicon nitride-based ceramics
- Alumina-based ceramics
3) Diamond
It has high hardness, excellent chemical stability and thermal conductivity. The most expensive tool material is natural diamond because of its sharp blade. Natural diamond is mainly used for:
- Micromechanical parts
- Retroreflectors
- Hard disk chips
- Ultra-precision machining
- Navigation gyroscopes
There are four types of diamonds we can use in high-speed CNC machining and high-speed aluminum machining.
6.Applications of High-Speed Machining
High-speed machining can be used for cutting tools for direct production of prototypes, small batch components, and engine parts manufacturing. The main goal of HSM is to reduce production costs by increasing productivity.
Another goal of HSM is to improve overall competitiveness by reducing delivery time and lead time.
1) Aviation Industry
The aviation industry requires high durability and reliability, and there are many restrictions involved in the aircraft design manufacturing and design process. Aviation is one of the most complex technologies, and HSM technology is mainly used in the aviation industry. In order to implement the latest processes and technologies, the use of high-strength aluminum alloys is also increasing.
The main reasons for choosing HSM for aviation and aircraft design are:
- Depth of cutting layer
- Fast cutting speed and high processing efficiency
- Feed speed and precision mechanical surface
- Selection of cutting parameters
These factors make HSM a better choice for the aviation industry than other milling technologies and methods.
2) Medical Industry
Medical devices, tools, and parts require higher precision and accuracy, and you can achieve this high precision through high-speed CNC machining. It can be used for orthopedic implants, joint implants, molds, or surgical instruments. Material requirements may vary due to high quality standards.
Many CNC service provider companies serve the medical industry and have gained deep knowledge in high-speed CNC machining and high-speed machining feeds.
Medical parts manufacturers are becoming more efficient but without compromising on quality.
3) High Speed Machining in the Automotive Industry
High speed machining offers a wide range of products and uses for a variety of applications. In recent years, the automotive industry has increased high speed aluminum machining to reduce weight and reduce costs.
It is mainly used for small batch production, complex parts and mold manufacturing. The automotive industry requires high speed milling and high volume part production, and HSM is a good choice to meet these requirements.
The main focus of the automotive industry is to produce fast and cheap cars, and the high investment requires the implementation of different methods.
Auto parts are manufactured using high speed machining, and many companies that provide CNC services can be a good choice for your automotive parts manufacturing.