Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Milling and Grinding Machines.

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Milling is a machining process in which the metal cutting takes place with the help of a
rotating multi-point cutter called milling cutter. Here the job is held stationary and fed
against a rotating tool. The cutter has multiple cutting edges and it rotates at high speed.
The machining takes place at a much faster rate and generally a good surface finish is
obtained.
The machine tools employed for various milling operations are called milling machines.
Milling machines are quite versatile and can do several operations like making flat
surfaces, grooving, thread and gear cutting.

Working Principle of Milling Machine

The milling cutter is attached to a horizontal rotating shaft known as arbor. The work
piece which clamped on the table is fed in the direction opposite to the milling cutter(up
milling) or in the same direction of the milling cutter (down milling) The metal is
removed by advancing the workpiece during each revolution of the rotating cutter in the
form of chips. The milling operation is extensively used in machining flat surfaces
contoured surfaces external & internal threads, helical surfaces of various cross sections.
Depending upon relative feed direction of worktable and rotation of cutter two different
methods of milling is possible
1. Conventional milling or Up milling
2. Climb milling or Down milling

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

1. Conventional milling or Up milling

The milling cutter is attached to a horizontal rotating shaft known as arbor. The work
piece which clamped on the table is fed in the opposite direction of the milling cutter. The
metal is removed by advancing the workpiece during each revolution of the rotating
cutter in the form of chips.
In up-milling, the chip thickness varies from a minimum at the tooth entrance to a
maximum at the tooth exit. The forces produced by the cutting tool tend lift the work
piece up from the table. Hence conventional milling process requires heavy work holding
devices. Up milling leads to poor surface finish, due to vibrations developed by cutting
forces of the cutter.

Down Milling

In down milling, the metal is removed by the rotating cutter fed in the direction of
movement of the workpiece In down milling, the chip thickness varies from a maximum
near the tooth entrance to a minimum near the tooth exit. Thus the cutting tooth is
subjected to a maximum load from the very beginning. The cutting forces in down
milling tend to act downwards, forcing the workpiece into the fixture or the vice. Hence
the down milling process doesn't require heavier work holding devices This type of
milling produces higher surface finish compared to up milling.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Classification of Milling Machines

On the basis of the type of construction the milling machines may be classified as:
1. Column and Knee-Type Milling Machine: It is a general-purpose milling machine. The
worktable is mounted on a knee which slides in the guide ways of the column.
2. Vertical Milling Machine: The spindle of this machine is held in the vertical position.
Universal Milling Machine: This a kind of horizontal milling machine in which the table
can be swiveled on a horizontal plane.
3. Bed-Type Milling Machine: This is used as a production machine.
4. CNC Milling Machines: They are computer numerical controlled, here all the
movements of tool and work are controlled by the computer program entered by the
operator/ engineer.
5. Special-Purpose Milling Machines: They are manufactured for performing some
specific type of machining operation.

1. Column and Knee-Type (Horizontal) Milling Machine:

It is a general-purpose milling machine. The worktable is mounted on a knee which

slides in the guide ways of the column. It can be adjusted to a desired height. Figure
above shows the block diagram of a column and knee-type milling machine with
horizontal arbor.
Following are its principal parts:
Column with base: It is the main structural body of the milling machine to support other
parts.
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Arbor: It holds and provides rotary motion to the cutter.
Ram: It is also known as over arm. It supports the arbor and can be adjusted to
accommodate different arbor lengths.
Machine table: The job and its holding devices are mounted on the machine table. It can
move longitudinally to provide the feed motions to the job.
Power drive with gear boxes: It provides power and motions to the tool and work.
Bed: It moves vertically upward and downward and accommodates the various drive
mechanisms.

Working
Work piece is mounted directly on table using machine vice.
Cutter of required shape and size are mounted over the arbor which is
driven by spindle.
Feed in all 3 axes can be given by using knee elevating handle, cross slide
handle, table movement handle.

Vertical Milling Machine

In vertical milling machine, the axis of the spindle is perpendicular to the work table.
The work piece can be moved both in vertical and horizontal plane.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

The spindle head can be moved up and down over the guide ways. The saddle is mounted
on a knee which can be moved up and down over the guide ways provided on the column
face. The worktable mounted on the saddle can be moved longitudinally over the guide
ways provided on the top of the saddle. The machine is used to machine grooves, slots
and flat surfaces.
Base and column base is the foundation for the machine and column is the
vertical part houses motor, transmission system.
Spindle head mounted on front face of the column at the top. It has a vertical
spindle run by motor to which milling tool is fitted to end.

Working
Work piece is mounted on table and cutter is mounted on vertical spindle.
Feed is given by movement of knee, saddle and table and also vertical
movement of tool.

Milling Operations Various milling operations can be performed on a milling machine

to produce flat, vertical, inclined surfaces, grooves, slots, keyways, gear teeth etc. Some
of the most commonly operations are, plain or slab milling, angular milling, face milling,
form milling, slot milling, and straddle milling.
1. Plain or slab Milling:

This milling process is employed for machining a flat surface parallel to the axis of cutter
by using a slab milling cutter.
Process used to mill flat surfaces of the work piece.
Milling cutter axis is parallel to the surface that is being milled.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

2. End milling:

This milling process is employed for machining a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of
cutter by using a face end milling cutter. The cutting comes from the combined action of
cutting edges located at the face of the cutting tool as well as the edges on the periphery.
Process of milling that is used to mill slots, pockets and keyways.
Axis of milling cutter is perpendicular to the surface of the work piece.
3. Slot Milling:

A large variety of slots can be machined using end-milling cutters. Following are some of
the common types of slots for which slot milling is used:
Plain slot;
T-slot;
dovetail slot;
V groove.
Cutter tool slot drill
Axis of spindle is horizontal or parallel to surface of work.
To produce rectangular slots, T-slots, dovetail slots.
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

4. Angular millng

To produce angular surfaces like dovetail, grooves and chamfers.

Surface is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the milling cutter axis.

5.

Form Milling:

It is used to produce curved profiles of any desired shape using specially designed form
milling cutters. This process is generally employed for machining different types of gears.
This is a process used to machine special forms / contours consisting of curves.
form milling cutter is the cutting tool which is shaped exactly to the contour to
be milled.
6. 5. Straddle Milling:

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

This method is employed for producing two parallel vertical surfaces simultaneously by
using a pair of side-milling cutters.
Used to machine two parallel vertical surfaces at a single time.
It has two cutters mounted parallel on the arbor separated by a calculated spacing.
Also used to mill sides of hexagon.
6. Gang Milling:

When more than two milling cutters are mounted on the same arbor for machining
horizontal and vertical surfaces simultaneously, the process is called gang milling.
Similar to straddle milling but machining is done with several types of milling
cutters according to shape of desired work.
7. Angular Milling:

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

In this method, one or more angular-milling cutters are used for machining inclined
surfaces or grooves.
8. Keyway Milling: This process is employed for machining keyways and splines in the
shafts using side and face-milling cutters or end-milling cutters.

Specification of Milling Machines.

Milling machines are specified by the following basis
1. Table size (l*b)
2. Traverse for the job (Longitudinal, Vertical, Cross)
3. Spindle Speed .Rpm
4. Power of motor or capacity of machine .KW

GRINDING
Grinding is a machining process in which the material is removed in the form of fine
chips by the mechanical action of abrasive particles. The abrasive particles are bonded
together means of bonding materials. The abrasive particles after bonding take the shape
of a wheel.

Principle of Grinding

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

The material is removed from the workpiece when it is fed against rotating abrasive
wheel. The material removed is due to the mechanical action of abrasive particles.
Thickness of the chips removed during grinding ranges between 0.25 to 0.50 microns.
(0.00025-0.0005 mm)
Purpose of grinding
Grinding operation is done for the following purposes.
1. To obtain better surface finish.
2. To remove small amount of metal from the workpiece so as to bring its
dimensions within close tolerances of the order of 0.000025mm.
3. To machine sliding parts to avoid friction
4. To machine hardened surfaces
5. To sharpen the cutting tools
Abrasives
The grinding wheels are made of abrasive particles The Abrasives are mineral crystals
with hardness much higher than that of the workpiece, bonded together by means of
suitable bonding materials.
Abrasives used for grinding wheels are basically two types.
1. Natural Abrasives
These are readily available in nature. They include sandstone or solid quartz, emery,
diamond and garnets.
2. Artificial (Man made) Abrasives
These are manufactured artificially and are not available in nature. Ex, Silicon carbide
and aluminum oxide, etc.
Depending on their strengths and composition of base metal artificial abrasives are
broadly classified as follows.
a. Silicon Carbide Abrasives
Silicon carbide stands second in the order of hardness after diamond. e.g Carborundum,
crystolon, carbolon etc. Silicon carbides are used to grind low tensile materials.
b. Aluminium oxide Abrasives
Aluminium oxide is tough and hence it is used to grind high tensile materials like' carbon
steels e.g. Aloxite, alundum, borolon etc.
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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Bonding Materials
Bonding material is a substance employed to hold abrasive grains together in the form of
grinding wheels. Different bonding processes are vitrified process, silicate process, shell
or resinoid process, rubber process and oxychloride bonding process.
1. Vitrified process
In the vitrified process clay and water are mixed with the abrasive grains. The' mixture is
moulded and allowed to dry. The dry mould is trimmed to the required size and shape, the
mould is heated in kiln till the clay vitrifies, fuses and forms a porcelain or glass like
substance.
A vitrified bonding wheel is denoted by the letter V'.
2. Silicate Process
In the silicate process, abrasive grains are mixed with silicate of soda or water glass. The
mixture is poured in moulds to required shape and size and allowed to dry. The mouded
shapes are baked in a furnace at a temperature of 260 deg C for several days. The silicate
bonded wheels are used to grind edged tools. They are also used in other operations
where heat generation rate during machining should be confined to a minimum.
A silicate bond wheel is denoted by the letter S.
3. Shellac Process or Elastic Process
In the shellac process, abrasive grains are mixed with shellac and then rolled or pressed
into heated moulds. The moulded shapes are baked for a few hours at a temperature of
about 150 deg C.
Very thin wheels can be manufactured by this process which can be used to grind thin
sections.
They are also used for finishing iron and steel rolls,alluminium pistons,cams and shafts.
A shellac bond wheel is denoted by the letter 't".
4. Resinoid Process
In this process. abrasive grains are mixed with synthetic resins and other compounds. The
mixture is moulded into required shape and finally heated a temperature of about 200 deg
Celsius .
The synthetic resin may be bakelite and redmanol. The wheels are useful for grinding
cams and steel rolls which require very high surface finish. A resinoid bond wheel is
denoted by the letter 'B'.

5. Rubber Process
In this process, abrasive grains are mixed with pure rubber and sulphur. The mixture is
rolled into sheets and pressed out using a punch press and finally vulcanized.
The process is used to manufacture very thin wheels which are strong and tough. The
wheels are used to cut narrow slots and grooves.
A rubber bond wheel is denoted by the letter 'R'.
6. Oxychloride Process
In this process, abrasive grains are mixed with oxides and chlorides or magnesium and
the mixture is moulded and allowed to dry. The dry mould is trimmed to the required
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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

shape and baked in a kiln. The wheels produced are extensively used in disc-grinding
operations without employing coolants.
An oxychloride bond wheel is denoted by the letter '0'.

METHODS OF GRINDING
Grinding can be done by using different methods. They are
Bench grinding
Surface grinding
Cylindrical grinding
Centre less grinding.
Internal grinding
Special grinding machine.
Surface Grinding

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Surface grinding machines are mainly used to finish plane or flat surfaces. They are also
employed to grind irregular, curved, tapered, convex and concave surfaces. Fig shows a
horizontal spindle reciprocating table type surface grinding machine. The wok piece held
in a Magnetic chuck is brought in contact with the grinding wheel gradually so as to
produce a fine finish to the surface of the work piece.

It is machine basically used to grind flat surface.

Job is mounted to a table which moves longitudinally as well as in transverse
direction.
Manual feed or power feed.
Work piece can clamped in two ways
Manual clamps.
Magnetic chuck.
Internal pump and piping arrangement for coolant.
Protective guard for safety.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

2. Cylindrical Grinding

Cylindrical grinding machines are mainly used to grind plain cylindrical parts and also
grinding contoured cylinders tapered surfaces shoulders. The work piece is mounted
between tailstock and headstock centers. For precision grinding, both the tail stock and
headstock centers are stationary work piece is made to revolve between the stationary
centers and the grinding wheel rotating in the opposite direction is brought into contact
with the workpiece.

It is a process of grinding curved surfaces.

Surface may be straight or tapered.
Work piece is mounted on two centers, one is tailstock centre and the other is
headstock centre.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Head stock center may or may not revolve.

3. Centre less Grinding

Centre less grinding is used to grind exterior cylindrical, tapered surfaces on work pieces
that can not be held and rotated between the centers (head and tail stocks). In centre less
grinding, the work piece rests on a work rest blade and gets support from a back up wheel
called regulating wheel. The workpiece mounted on the work rest is fed forward along
with the regulating wheel, forcing the workpiece against the grinding wheel. The
regulating wheel rotates in the same direction as the grinding wheel and provides support
to the workpiece. The axial movement of the workpiece is obtained by tilting the
regulating wheel slightly at an angle to the horizontal.

It is used to grind curved surface work piece which are long and slender.
Work piece rests on a work-rest blade and is backed by a second wheel called as
regulating wheel.

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Srinivas School of Engineering.

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Unit 6- Milling and Grinding Machines.

Grinding wheel pushes the work piece down the work-rest blade against the
regulating wheel.

Center less grinding machine

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