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allows considerable increases in feeds and
speeds per tooth (fz) due to the effect of
chip thinning.
This advantageous geometry minimizes the radial
effect of the cutting force and maximizes its axial
influence, resulting in forces that act towards the
spindle axis, i.e. the direction of maximum machine
tool rigidity. The result - improved milling stability,
reduced vibrations, prolonged tool life, reduced
power consumption and increased productivity.
Although FF strategies began in the area of
indexable milling, it soon extended to solid
carbide endmills and became popular in the
global die and mold making industry due to its
efficiency when machining complicated shapes
and cavities, especially of small sizes.
Due to diverse and frequent changing working
programs, their fast low-power machining
centers and advanced CAD/CAM software,
die and mold producers quickly saw the value
of the new strategy.
Although carbide endmills were the most
commonly used cutting tool, FF milling cutters
of relatively small diameters were also very
popular prior to the introduction of the new
strategy. Subsequently, the FF approach came
into fast feed facing (“triple F”) and opened the
way to the development of various indexable
face milling cutters. Now, given the amount of
face milling that takes place in this major global
area, general engineering is the main consumer
of these tools.
Fast Feed Milling Cutters
These milling cutters are a key factor in fast
feed milling techniques. The cutter geometry,
designed for efficient chip thinning, needs to
ensure correct distribution of the cutting force
components. There are two principal geometrical
approaches. The first design requires the cutting
edge of an FF milling cutter to be an arc of a
great circle. Another concept is based on using
one or two straight edges that are chords of the
arc. In both cases, the small cutting edge angle
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