Endmills are those tools which have cutting teeth at one end, as well as on the sides. They are usually made from high speed steel or carbide, and have one or more flutes. They are the most common tool used in a vertical mill. An endmill is a type of milling cutter, a cutting tool used in industrial milling applications. The endmill cutters can generally cut in all directions, though some of the endmill cutters cannot cut axially. Endmills are used in milling applications such as profile milling, tracer milling, face milling, and plunging.

End mills are the primary cutting tools used in a vertical mill. they come in a wide variety of styles and quality levels. The most common ones you will need for getting started are 2-flute and 4-flute end mils. 2-Flute mills are generally used for cutting slots or grooves, while 4-flute mills are more often used for surface milling, using the end of the mill. It is found that 4-flute mills will do most of what of a 2-flute mill can do, but not vice-versa.

When endmills performs milling operation, the workpiece is moved around the stationary cutting tool, the tool is moved across the stationary material, or some combination of the two. End mills have two or more cutting edges and a corresponding number of flutes. It runs parallel with the cutting edge and serves as a path for shavings to exit the work area. The most common material for end mills is high speed steel (HSS), although carbide tooling is becoming more and more popular because of longer cutter life and superior performance.

The various types of endmills used are discussed here. Solid end mills, are the most common type of mill cutter used in the small shop. The most common type of end mills have either two or four flutes though it is possible to have more. The number of flutes on an end mill strongly effect it's usage. Ball end mills, the end of a ball end mill is hemispherical, the radius of the hemisphere equal to the radius of the end mill body. Ball end mills are used for cutting half round channels as well as in die making to produce complex internal curves. Ball end mills are usually solid and two fluted.

Tapered end mills, it resemble standard end mills except that the tool itself is tapered (thicker at the top than at the bottom). Tapered end mills are also used in die making when a particular angled edge cut is desired. Roughing end mills, as their name implies, are used for roughing, or removing large amounts of material quickly. Roughing end mills resemble a standard end mill that has had threads cut on its cutting edges. Roughing end mills are usually of the four flute variety.

Shell end mills, are so named because they are look like a solid end mill that has had it's center removed, leaving only a shell. Shell end mills are usually much larger than solid end mills and therefore designed for much larger jobs. Shell end mills also have more teeth than their solid counterparts and as such produce a cleaner finish with less chatter.

For more information about Read cutting tools and also read about broaches & gear cutters

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