Carbide end mills for complex machining applications

High-performance machining (HPM) is the type of high-tech manufacturing in which everything is fine tuned to maximise the output, finishing of every operation as quickly as possible. Failure to match that output with precision and reliability, however, will not garner the desired result. This is a difficult balance to strike, and high-volume contract manufacturers in Asia need their tooling partner to get it right.

HPM is typically applied in professional, round-the-clock production environments by companies that focus on machining as their core business. “They are often suppliers to the automotive and aerospace industries, competitive markets where late delivery is not an option,” says Ruud Zanders, JABRO? Product Manager.

Seco has recently added two new solid carbide end mills to its JABRO?-HPM range: JHP951 and JHP993 for steels and cast irons. Both can be used for roughing applications, such as full slotting with axial cutting lengths up to – and in some cases above – 1.5xDc. Finishing applications with side milling is another possibility. In addition, there is the JHP770 for titanium with more milling options to choose from.

While the tools in the JABRO-HPM range are specially designed for their respective purposes, they still have a few things in common. The most important is a significantly higher metal removal rate (MRR) than general-purpose solid carbide end mills; sometimes more than the double (see graphics). Another similarity is their ability to minimise vibrations and chatter for improved precision and reliability. A third is controlled flank wear with minimum risk of chipping or breakage, allowing these tools to be reconditioned up to two times, depending on type and application.

“That saves a lot of money since the cost for reconditioning is about one third of that for a new tool,” says Teun van Asten, Engineer Marketing Services at Seco Jabro.

The JHP951 is designed for roughing and side finishing under stable operating conditions in steels and cast irons. It has a maximum cutting depth of 1.5xDc, but in certain applications that can be pushed up to 2xDc. With data from SecNike Air Max