IPE 331: Production Processes

Lecture sheet-5

MILLING & RELATED OPERATIONS

Introduction
Milling machine is one of the most versatile conventional machine tools with a wide range
of metal cutting capability. Milling is capable of producing simple two dimensional flat
shapes to complex three dimensional surface configurations. The following figure shows
some milling products.

Fig. Typical parts and shapes produced by Various Milling processes

The Process:
Typically uses a multi-tooth cutter
Work is fed into the rotating cutter
Capable of high MRR
Well suited for mass production applications
Cutting tools for this process are called milling
cutters

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Milling Machines
Milling machines are among the most versatile and useful machine tools due to their
capabilities to perform a variety of operations. They can be broadly classified into the
following types:
Column and Knee type milling machines: Used for general purpose milling operations,
column and knee type milling machines are the most common milling machines. The
spindle to which the milling cutter is may be
Horizontal Milling Machine
Vertical Milling Machine.

Horizontal Milling Machine

Column: The column houses the spindle, the bearings, the gearbox, the clutches, the
shafts, the pumps, and the shifting mechanisms for transmitting power from the
electric motor to the spindle at a selected speed.
Knee: The knee mounted in front of the column is for supporting the table and to
provide an up or down motion along the Z axis.

Saddle: The saddle consists of two slideways, one on the top and one at the bottom
located at 90 to each other, for providing motions in the X or Y axes by means of
lead screws.
Table: The table is mounted on top of the saddle and can be moved along the X axis.
On top of the table are some T-slots for the mounting of workpiece or clamping
fixtures.
Arbor: The arbor is an extension of the spindle for mounting cutters. Usually, the
thread end of an arbor is of left hand helix.

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Vertical Milling Machine

Column: The column houses the spindle, the bearings, the gearbox, the clutches, the
shafts, the pumps, and the shifting mechanisms for transmitting power from the
electric motor to the spindle at a selected speed.
Knee: The knee mounted in front of the column is for supporting the table and to
provide an up or down motion along the Z axis.

Saddle: The saddle consists of two slideways, one on the top and one at the bottom
located at 90 to each other, for providing motions in the X or Y axes by means of
lead screws.
Table: The table is mounted on top of the saddle and can be moved along the X axis.
On top of the table are some T-slots for the mounting of workpiece or clamping
fixtures.
Milling head: The milling head consisting the spindle, the motor, and the feed
control unit is mounted on a swivel base such that it can be set at any angle to the
table.
Ram: The ram on which the milling head is attached can be positioned forward and
backward along the slideways on the top of the column.

Milling Methods
Up Milling: In up cut milling, the cutter rotates in a direction opposite to the table
feed as illustrated in the following Figure. It is conventionally used in most milling
operations because the backlash between the lead screw and the nut of the machine
table can be eliminated.
Down Milling: In down cut milling, the cutter rotates in the same direction as the
table feed as illustrated in the following Figure. This method is also known as Climb
Milling and can only be used on machines equipped with a backlash eliminator or on

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a CNC milling machine. This method, when properly treated, will require less power
in feeding the table and give a better surface finish on the workpiece.

Milling Operations
Milling operations are classified into two major categories
Peripheral Milling
Generally in a plane parallel to the axis of the cutter
Cross section of the milled surface corresponds to the contour of the cutter
Face Milling
Generally at right angles to the axis of rotation of the cutter
Milled surface is flat and has no relationship to the contour of the cutter
Combined cutting action of the side and face of the milling cutter

(a)

(b)

Fig. (a) Peripheral milling (b) Face milling

Peripheral Milling
Slab milling: A milling operation that uses a cylindrical mill on an axis parallel to
the worktable to create a flat surface.
Slotting: A milling operation that cuts a narrow ridge into the surface of a
workpiece.

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Slitting: A rotary tool-steel cutting tool with peripheral teeth, used in a milling
machine to remove material from the workpiece through the relative motion of
workpiece and cutter.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. (a) Slab milling (b) Slotting (c) Slitting

Side milling: Milling with a side-milling cutter to machine one vertical surface.
Form milling: A milling operation that uses a mill with a unique shape to create
that shape into the workpiece.
Straddle milling: Face milling of two parallel vertical surfaces of a workpiece
simultaneously by using two side-milling cutters.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. (a) Side milling (b) Form milling (c) Straddle milling

Face Milling
Conventional milling: The diameter of the cutter is greater than the workpart
width, so that the cutter overhangs the work on both sides.
Partial face milling: The cutter overhangs the work on only one side.
End milling: The cutter diameter is less than the work width, so a slot is cut into the
part.
Surface contouring: A ball-nose cutter (rather than square end cutter) is fed back
and forth across the work along a curvilinear path at close intervals to create a
three-dimensional surface form.

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Fig. Various types of face milling

Pocket milling: Another form of end milling, this is used to mill shallow pockets
into flat parts.
Profile milling: This is form of end milling in which the outside periphery of a flat
part is cut.

Cutting Tools-Milling cutter

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Cutting Tools Milling

Milling Cutter Types

Fig. Various types of milling cutters

Cutting Tools for Horizontal Milling

Slab Mills: For heavy cutting of large and flat surfaces.
Side and Face Cutters: This type of cutters has cutting edges on the periphery and
sides of the teeth for cutting shoulders and slots.
Slitting Saws: For cutting deep slots or for parting off

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(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. (a) Slab mill (b) Side and Face cutter (c) Slitting saw
Note: Horizontal milling cutters are specified by the name, the material, the width, the
diameter, and the hub size of the cutter. For example: Side and face cutter, High Speed
Steel, Cutter size : 10 X 100, Hub size: 25

Cutting Tools for Vertical Milling

Rough Cut End Mills: For rapid metal removal.
End Mills: Commonly used for facing, slotting and profile milling.
Face Milling Cutters: For heavy cutting.
Slot Drills: For producing pockets without drilling a hole beforehand.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Fig. (a) Rough cut end mill (b) End mill (c) Face milling cutter (d) Slot drill
Note: Most vertical milling cutters are of end mill types and are specified by the material,
the diameter, the length, the helical angle, the types of shank and the shank diameter. For
face milling cutter, only the diameter of the cutter and the types of carbide inserts are
required.

Milling Process
Milling is a metal removal process by means of using a rotating cutter having one or
more cutting teeth.
Cutting action is carried out by feeding the workpiece against the rotating cutter.
Thus, the spindle speed, the table feed, the depth of cut, and the rotating direction of
the cutter become the main parameters of the process. Good results can only be
achieved with well balanced settings of these parameters.

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Spindle speed, N

1000V

D
Where
N = R.P.M. of the cutter
V = Linear cutting speed of the material in
m/min. (as shown in Table-1 )
D = Diameter of cutter in mm

Table Feed rate, f = ft . N . n

Material Removal Rate (MRR) = w.d.f
Where,
f = Table feed rate in mm/min
ft = feed per tooth of cutter in mm or chip load in
mm/tooth (as shown in Table-1 )
n = No. of teeth of cutter and
N = R.P.M. of the cutter
w = Width of cut
d = Depth of cut

Fig. 2.38 Milling process

Table-1: Cutting speed and Feed rate for some common material
Tool Material
High Speed Steel
Carbide
Cutting speed
Cutting speed
Material
Feed (f)
Feed (f)
(v)
(v)
Mild Steel
25
0.08
100
0.15
Aluminium
100
0.15
500
0.3
Hardened Steel
----50
0.1

Time Calculation

Length 2A
Time for machining
Table feed rate
Here, A is approach length.
For Horizontal milling
2
2
D
D

A d dD d
2
2

For vertical milling

A

for W

D
upto D
2

W D W for W

where,W is the width of cut

D
2

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Example problems
Q 1. A C 50 steel flat surface of 150*100 mm is to be produced on a horizontal milling
machine. An HSS slab mill of 100mm dia and 150 mm width is to be used for the purpose.
The milling cutter has 8 teeth. Calculate the machining time assuming that the entire stock
can be removed in one depth of 2 mm. here, cutting speed is 20 m/min and feed is 0.13
mm/tooth.
Solution:

For Horizontal milling

A 2100 2 14
1000 20
63.66 65rev/min
100
Length 2A
150 2 14
Time for machining

2.633 min
Table feed rate 0.13 8 65

Spindle speed, N

Q 2. A surface 115 mm wide and 250 mm long is to be rough milled with a depth of cut of 6
mm by a 16 tooth cemented carbide face mill 150 mm in diameter. The work material is
alloy steel (200 BHN) . Estimate the machining time. Here cutting speed is 60 m/min and
feed is 0.18 mm/tooth.
Solution:

For vertical milling

150
D
75 mm [ W ]
2
2
1000 60
Spindle speed, N
127.32 125 rev/min
150
Length 2A
250 2 75
Time for machining

1.06 min
Table feed rate 0.18 16 125
Approach distance, A

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Dividing (Indexing) Head

Indexing is the operation of dividing the periphery of a workpiece into any number of
equal parts. For example if we want to make a hexagonal bolt. Head of the bolt is given
hexagonal shape. We do indexing to divide circular workpiece into six equal parts and then
all the six parts are milled to an identical flat surface. If we want to cut n number of teeth
in a gear blank, the circumference of gear blank is divided into n number of equal parts
and teeth are made by milling operation one by one. The main component used in indexing
operation is universal dividing (indexing) head, one of the more important attachments for
milling machine. It is also used to rotate workpiece at predetermined ratio to table feed
rate which is needed for making helical grooves.

Methods of indexing:
There are different indexing methods in popularity. These are :
(a) Direct indexing
(b) Simple indexing
(c) Compound indexing
(d) Differential indexing

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Simple indexing
Consists in turning the spindle through the required angle by rotating the index crank. The
kinematic balance equation for determining the number of revolution of index crank is
composed, providing that per n revolution of the index crank the spindle turn 1/z
revolutions, where z is the number of parts into which a circumference is to be divided. The
basic displacements are:

1
rev. of the spindle
z
The kinematic balance equation is :
N rev. of the index crank

Z 1 where, Z is number of worm start and

z
z z 0 is the number of worm - wheel teeth
0
z
n 0
Zz
In the available dividing head Z 1 and z 40
0
40
n
z
n.1.

Q 3. Do indexing for cutting 37 teeth on the gear blank. Three indexing plates are available.
These plates have concentric circles of holes with their different numbers as described
below:
Plate No. 1

15

16

17

18

19

20

Plate No. 2

21

23

27

29

31

33

Plate No. 3

37

39

41

43

47

49

Solution:

N rev. of the index crank

n

1
rev. of the spindle
z

40
3
1 rev
37
37

To cut 37 teeth on this blank, an index plate having a circular row with 37 holes should be
mounted on the head. The index crank is positioned against the selected circular row and
after each tooth is cut, it is turned through one full revolution and three spaces between the
index plate holes. For this kind of indexing it is convenient to use the adjustable sector.

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Differential indexing
Is employed where simple indexing cannot be effected i.e. where an index plate with the
number of holes required for simple indexing is not available. In differential indexing, the
required turn of the dividing head spindle is obtained as a sum of two turns: a turn of index
crank relative to the index plate and a turn of the index plate itself, which is driven from the
spindle through the change gear quadrant a/b.c/d. in this indexing the index plate
should be released by retracting the lock pin, which secure the plate to the head
housing.
Depending on the setup, the index plate can rotate either in the same direction with the
index crank or in the opposite direction. Therefore, when the index crank is rotated, its
effective turn will be greater or smaller that its visible turn with respect to the index plate.
The number of revolution of index crank is set up in the same manner as in simple
indexing, but not for the required z number of division. The number of divisions taken is
zx,nearest to z.
As the effective turn of the index crank includes its turn relative to the index plate and the
turn of the index plate itself, the kinematic balance equation for determining the ratio of
the differential change gear quadrant will be the following.

zo 1 a c zo
. .
zx z b d z
40 1 a c 40
. .
zx z b d z
40
where,
number of revolution of index crank
zx
relative to the index plate
1 a c
. . number of revolution of index plate
z b d
The ratio of the change gear is found
from the foregoing formula
a c 40
z x z
.
b d zx
Gearing can be simple and compound. For simple 1 idler for +ve rotation, 2 idler for ve
rotation. For compound No idler for +ve rotation, 1 idler for ve rotation.

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Q 4. Select the differential change gears and the index plate, and determine the number of
revolutions of the index crank for cutting a gear with 227 teeth.
Brown and sharpe
Plate No. 1
Plate No. 2
Plate No. 3

15
21
37

16
23
39

17
27
41

18
29
43

19
31
47

20
33
49

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Q 5. Select the differential change gears and the index plate, and determine the number of
revolutions of the index crank for cutting a gear with 57 teeth.
Brown and sharpe:
Plate No.
1
Plate No.
2

Solution:

21

23

27

29

31

33

37

39

41

43

47

49

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Milling helical grooves

In milling helical groove, a complex helical movement is imparted to the workpiece, which
involves a straight movement along the workpiece axis and rotation of the workpiece about
the same axis. The workpiece receives the straight movement with the work table of the
machine and rotation from the work table lead screw through change gears. The table is set
to the spindle axis at an angle equal to the helix angle of the groove being cut. In milling
a left hand groove, the table swiveled clockwise
at an angle , and in right hand groove,
counterlockwise.
The set angle for the table is, arctan

D
Ph. g

Where D= diameter of the

Workpiece being cut,
Ph.g =lead of helical groove.
If the helix is determined by the lead angle ,
the table should be set at an angle of (90o- )

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Q 6. To what angle must the milling machine table be swiveled to cut a helix having a lead
of 250 mm on piece of work 40 mm in diameter?
Solution:

3.1416 x D 3.1416 x 40

lead of helix
450
0.2792
Helix angle 1536

Tangent of helix angle

The kinematic balance equation of this chain for setting

a c
up change gear train 1 . 1 is worked out provided that
b1 d1
for every revolution of the workpiece the worktable of
the machine travels by an amount equal to the lead Ph.g
of the groove being cut.
1.

zo
a c
1.1.1. 1 . 1 Pl.s Ph.g
Z
b1 d1

with Z 1, we obtain
Ph.g
a1 c1
.
b1 d1 z o Pl.s
where, Pl.s is the lead of work - table lead screw, mm.

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Q 7.It is required to mill six right-hand helical flutes with a lead of 600 mm; the blank
diameter is 90 mm. if the pitch of the table lead screw is 7.5 mm, give complete information
about the setup.
Brown and sharpe
Plate No. 1
Plate No. 2
Plate No. 3

Solution:

15
21
37

16
23
39

17
27
41

18
29
43

19
31
47

20
33
49

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Industrial Applications

Fig. 2.39 Milling operation to produce industrial part

Milling machines are widely used in the tool and die making industry and are
commonly used in the manufacturing industry for the production of a wide range of
components. Typical examples are the milling of flat surface, indexing, gear cutting,
as well as the cutting of slots and key-ways.
When equipped with digital readout, the machine is capable of producing more
precise work for the manufacturing of plastic moulds, tool & dies, and jigs & fixtures.