MAPAL Die & Mould  /  Technology & Solutions  /  From the unmachined to the finished part  /  Helix Milling 

Helix milling application

A major focus in milling operations is on reducing the machining time. With specific tool geometries for machining closed, round pockets, it is often possible to eliminate the pre-drilling process. With helix milling, milling paths are programmed with helical entrances that are suitable for pocket dimensions.
On a rendered example component, an operation is highlighted.
Tool overview for the following machining steps:
  1. Roughing
  2. Residual material roughing
  3. Pre-finishing
  4. Finishing​​​​​​​

Roughing

Roughing operations are responsible for most of the chip removal capacity. Special milling strategies such as high-feed machining or trochoidal milling can reduce machining time and thus increase profitability. In addition to tools with indexable inserts and solid carbide milling cutters, high-performance milling cutters with special roughing geometry are used.

  • OptiMill®-3D-CR

    Solid carbide corner radius milling cutter
    • Finishing of 3D moulds with a high-precision corner radius
    • High precision corner radius with high level of radius accuracy
    • Wide selection for hard and soft machining of steel
    • Different numbers of teeth available
    • Available in cylindrical and conical forms

  • OptiMill®-3D-HF

    Solid carbide high-feed milling cutter
    • Perfect for high-feed machining with a high material removal rate and high process reliability
    • Innovative face geometry
    • Extremely quiet running
    • Different numbers of teeth available

  • OptiMill® roughing cutter

    Solid carbide roughing cutter
    • OptiMill®-Uni-HPC-Plus for universal steel machining
    • OptiMill®-Hardened for roughing of parts with a hardness from 45 HRC
    • Excellent tool life 
    • Wear-resistant coating
    • Different corner radii available

  • OptiMill®-Uni-Wave

    Solid carbide roughing cutter
    • Five-edged cord roughing cutter for roughing at high feed rates
    • Highly cost-effective thanks to higher feed rates
    • Optimum chip removal thanks to short, tightly rolled chips
    • Few vibrations, therefore very quiet running

  • OptiMill®-Uni-HPC-Pocket

    Solid carbide universal milling cutter
    • Economical production of pockets and bores
    • Three-edged milling cutter with integrated drill tip
    • Inclined plunging up to 45°
    • Full helix milling and grooving
    • High material removal rate up to 2xD

  • NeoMill®-HiFeed90

    90° corner/high-feed milling cutter
    • Universal tool system to ensure maximum productivity
    • Tool body with indexable inserts for high-feed and shoulder milling
    • Maximum rate of removal due to very high feed rates and large cutting depths
    • Double-edged and four-edged indexable inserts available
    • Large selection of corner radii available

  • NeoMill®-ISO-360

    Round-insert milling cutters
    • Roughing and pre-finishing of 3D contours
    • Optimum contours due to the indexable inserts being installed in a neutral position
    • Soft cutting behaviour for low vibration machining
    • Offered as shell type, shank and screw-in milling cutters in the diameter range 10-160 mm

Residual material roughing

After roughing, in a second machining step, users machine the residual material, especially in corners and cavities, removing material as constantly as possible. Usually tools with corner radius or high-feed milling cutters are used. In some cases a ball cutter can be used to remove the residual material in corners.

  • OptiMill®-3D-HF

    Solid carbide high-feed milling cutter
    • Perfect for high-feed machining with a high material removal rate and high process reliability
    • Innovative face geometry
    • Extremely quiet running
    • Different numbers of teeth available

Pre-finishing

If there are high demands on dimensional accuracy and surface finish, semi-finishing is recommended before finishing. With pre-finishing, machining approaches the final mould profile. The aim is to obtain a residual material that is as constant as possible in order to enable fast finishing with high demands on the surface quality. The stock removal after roughing is approx. 0.5-1 mm for hardened materials and 0.03-0.5 mm for soft materials. After pre-finishing, the constant stock removal is 0.05-0.1 mm for hardened materials or 0.1-0.3 mm for soft materials.

  • OptiMill®-3D-CR

    Solid carbide corner radius milling cutter
    • Finishing of 3D moulds with a high-precision corner radius
    • High precision corner radius with high level of radius accuracy
    • Wide selection for hard and soft machining of steel
    • Different numbers of teeth available
    • Available in cylindrical and conical forms

  • OptiMill®-3D-CS

    Solid carbide shoulder radius milling cutter
    • Milling with a large operating radius
    • Finishing of complex free-form surfaces and complicated workpiece geometries
    • Short machining time due to large line interlacing
    • High surface quality

  • OptiMill®-Uni-HPC-Pocket

    Solid carbide universal milling cutter
    • Economical production of pockets and bores
    • Three-edged milling cutter with integrated drill tip
    • Inclined plunging up to 45°
    • Full helix milling and grooving
    • High material removal rate up to 2xD

  • NeoMill®-ISO-360

    Round-insert milling cutters
    • Roughing and pre-finishing of 3D contours
    • Optimum contours due to the indexable inserts being installed in a neutral position
    • Soft cutting behaviour for low vibration machining
    • Offered as shell type, shank and screw-in milling cutters in the diameter range 10-160 mm

  • NeoMill®-3D-Torus

    Toric end milling cutter
    • For the highest requirements regarding precision and process reliability
    • Special tool body for toric plates with additional stabilisation of the cutting edge
    • Precise rotational tolerances
    • Different corner radii available

Finishing

The finishing process removes the remaining material in order to achieve the final shape. After pre-finishing, stock removal is 0.05-0.1 mm for hardened materials or 0.1-0.3 mm for soft materials. Ball and/or corner radius milling cutters are the tools of choice, regardless of the final contours of the workpiece.

  • OptiMill®-3D-BN

    Solid carbide ball cutter
    • High precision machining of 3D contours
    • High precision milling cutters with a high level of radius accuracy
    • Wide selection for hard and soft machining of steel
    • Variants z=2 und z=4, with and without working depth
    • Available in cylindrical and conical forms

  • OptiMill®-3D-CR

    Solid carbide corner radius milling cutter
    • Finishing of 3D moulds with a high-precision corner radius
    • High precision corner radius with high level of radius accuracy
    • Wide selection for hard and soft machining of steel
    • Different numbers of teeth available
    • Available in cylindrical and conical forms

  • OptiMill®-3D-CS

    Solid carbide shoulder radius milling cutter
    • Milling with a large operating radius
    • Finishing of complex free-form surfaces and complicated workpiece geometries
    • Short machining time due to large line interlacing
    • High surface quality

  • NeoMill®-3D-Torus

    Toric end milling cutter
    • For the highest requirements regarding precision and process reliability
    • Special tool body for toric plates with additional stabilisation of the cutting edge
    • Precise rotational tolerances
    • Different corner radii available

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