CUTTING TOOLS FOR CNC MACHINES

Prashanth B N
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Amrita School of Engineering
 INTRODUCTION
 Cutting tools are available in three basic material types:
high-speed steel, tungsten carbide, and ceramic.
 High-speed steel is generally used on aluminum and
other nonferrous alloys, while tungsten carbide is used
on high-silicon aluminums, steels, stainless steels, and
exotic metals.
 Ceramic inserts are used on hard steels and exotic
metals.
 Inserted carbide tooling is becoming the preferred
tooling for many CNC applications.
 INTRODUCTION
 For the full utilization of CNC machines it is essential to
pay due attention to the selection and usage of tooling,
namely tool holders, cutting tools and work holding
devices.
 The tools for CNC machines must be quickly
changeable to reduce non-cutting time, preset and reset
outside the machine, high degree of interchangeability,
increased reliability and high rigidity.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
 Classification on the basis of cutting tool construction
 Solid tools
 Brazed tools
 Inserted bit tools
 Classification on the basis of cutting tool material
 High speed steel (HSS)
 High carbon tool steel (HCS)
 Cast alloy
 Cemented carbide
 Ceramics
 Boron Nitride
 Diamond
 Sialon
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
 Classification on the basis of setting up of cutting tool
 Preset tools
 Qualified tools
 Semi-qualified tools
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL

Preset Tools
The setting of tools in advance at a place away from the
machine tool or offline, in special holders is known as
preset tools.
A presetting device is used to preset axial and radial
positions of the tool tip on the tool holder.
Once this is done, the tool holder is ready to be mounted
on the machine and produce a known dimension.
Presetting devices to various levels of sophistication are
available like optical projector.
Tool length and tool diameter compensation facilities
available in the present day CNC machines have brought
down the importance of presetting.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL
Preset Tools
Since the generation of actual geometry is taken care of
by the CNC part program, which is essentially the
coordinates through which the cutting tool tip moves, it is
important to know the actual dimensions of the tool when it
is placed in the spindle.

Tool Offset Determination in CNC Machines

CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL
Preset Tools
The relationship of the tool with reference to the tool
holding mechanism requires a special attention during
CNC machining process.
The actual point to be programmed in a CNC part
program is the tip of the tool whereas the axes will be
moving with respect to a known point in the spindle, e.g.
the centre of the spindle in case of machining centres.
It becomes therefore necessary to know precisely the
deviation of the tool tip from the gauge point on the
spindle.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL
Qualified Tools
Tool which fits into a location on the machine, where its
cutting edge is accurately positioned within close limits
relative to a specified datum on the tool holder or slide, is
known as qualified tool.

Countersink              Drill Bit

Qualified Tool with Holder for CNC Machines

CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL

Qualified Tools
The cutting tools satisfy the following requirements:
Tools need not be measured individually
No presetting device is used
The dimensions of the tool holder which are fixed and
known
Set up time is reduced
Control dimensions of the tool are nominal and fixed
Higher control on re-sharpening e.g. drills, reamers
Cutter for better size control e.g. end mills, reamers
Chip breaking facilities incorporated in tool
Improved designs
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
SETTING UP OF CUTTING TOOL
Semi-qualified Tools
The qualified tools which can be adjusted to the
dimensions by using several adjustable buttons on the tool
shank are known as semi qualified tools.
Tools demand regular maintenance and calibration for
accurate dimensioning.

Semi-qualified Tooling for CNC Machines

CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
CUTTING TOOL CONSTRUCTION

Solid Tools
Solid tools are usually made of High Speed Steel or High
Carbon Steel.
Tools are used on high speeds with sufficient quantity of
cutting fluid to get good surface finish and longer tool life.

Solid Tool
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
CUTTING TOOL CONSTRUCTION

Brazed Tools
A forged shank of high strength steel with belt of high
speed steel, tungsten carbide stellite brazed to the shank on
the cutting edge.
Inserted Bit Tools
The tools with indexible inserts of harder and special
grade carbide/ceramic materials.
A wear resistant layer of Titanium nitride of Titanium
carbide is coated on the insert it reduces the cost of tool.
Inserts can be easily removed from the tool holder.
So tool changing time and cost of machining are less.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
CUTTING TOOL MATERIAL
High Speed Steel
The H.S.S. is carbon steel to which alloying elements
like tungsten, chromium, vanadium, cobalt and
molybdenum to be added to increase their hardness and
wear resistance.
High Carbon Tool Steel
High carbon tool steel is suitable for low cutting speeds
and low temperatures.
The hardness of this tool is determined by the carbon
contents.
Cast Alloy
This is a non ferrous alloy and gives high machining
performance than that of H.S.Steel.
Its hardness and toughness are high at higher
temperatures.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
CUTTING TOOL MATERIAL

Cemented Carbides
It contains 5% carbon, 13% cobalt and 81% tungsten.
Tool is widely used in modern costly machines as tip
tools.
The tool setting time is reduced.
Ceramics
It can be used for higher cutting speed, superior surface
finish and great machining flexibility.
The Aluminum oxides, boron carbides, silicon carbide,
titanium borides and titanium carbides are known as
ceramics.
CLASSIFICATION OF CUTTING TOOLS
CUTTING TOOL MATERIAL

Boron Nitride
High wear resistance.
Used for machining hardened steel and high temperature
alloys.
Diamond
Low friction and high wear resistance.
Good cutting edge.
Single crystal diamond is used to machine copper to a
high surface finish.
Sialon
Used for machining aerospace alloys.
 DESIGN FEATURES OF CNC TOOLING

 In general the following points are to be considered

while designing of CNC tooling:
 To give High accuracy
 For variety of operations
 Interchangeability to produce same accuracy
 Flexibility
 Rigidity of tooling to withstand cutting forces
 Rigidity to transmit the power at higher speeds
 Quick changing of tools to keep the down time
minimum
 CNC WORK HOLDING DEVICES

 With the advent of CNC technology, machining cycle

times were drastically reduced and the desire to combine
greater accuracy with higher productivity has led to the
reappraisal of work holding technology.
 Loading or unloading of the work will be the non-
productive time which needs to be minimized.
 So the work is usually loaded on a special work holder
away from the machine and then transferred it to the
machine table.
 The work should be located precisely and secured
properly and should be well supported.
TURNING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS

 Machining operations on turning centers or CNC lathes

are carried out mostly for axi-symmetrical components.
 Surfaces are generated by the simultaneous motions of
X and Z axes.
 For any work holding device used on a turning centre
there is a direct "trade off" between part accuracy and
the flexibility of work holding device used.
TURNING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS
TURNING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS
 TURNING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS

WORK HOLDING METHODS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Adaptable for a range of work-piece shapes and High cost of jaw/chuck changing automation.
Automatic Jaw & Chuck
sizes. Resulting in a more complex & higher cost machine
Changing
tool.
Very quick loading and unloading of the work- Expensive optional equipment.
piece can be achieved. Bar-feeders cannot be incorporated.
Indexing Chucks
Reasonable range of work piece sizes can be Short/medium length parts only can be incorporated.
loaded automatically. Heavy Chucks.
Simple in design and relatively inexpensive. Limited to a range of flat parts with little overhang.
Part automation is possible. Bar-feeders cannot be incorporated.
Pneumatic/Magnetic Chucks
No part distortion is caused due to clamping Parts on magnetic chucks must be ferrous.
force. Heavy cuts must be avoided.
Adaptable to automation. Jaws must be changed manually & bared, so slow
Automatic Chucks with Soft
Heavy cuts can be taken. Individual parts can part change-overs.
Jaws
be small or large in diameter. A range of jaw blanks required.
Long & short parts of reasonably large size Limitation on part shape.
accommodated. Heavy cuts should be avoided.
Expanding Mandrels & Collets Automation can be incorporated.
Clamping forces do not distort part. Simple in
design.
Excellent restraint & location of a wide range Expensive & can only be financially justified with
of individual & irregular - shaped parts can be either large runs or when extremely complex &
Dedicated Chucks obtained. accurate parts are required.
Tool making facilities required.
Large storage space.
MACHINING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS

 In small-lot milling operations, the simplest clamps and

table vises can be used.
 Production machining centers often require the use of
quick-acting single and multiple clamps, sometimes
hydraulically actuated.
 For mass- production of a part, a dedicated fixture is
used.
 The number and variety of clamping devices for milling
and machining centers is extensive.
MACHINING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS
MACHINING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS
 MACHINING CENTER WORK HOLDING METHODS

WORK HOLDING METHODS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Highly adaptable and proven technology Costly for a complete system.

Can be purchased in stages to increase its sophistication. Difficult to automate.
Modular Fixtures Reasonable accuracy and speedily assembled. Skills required in kit assembly
Small stores area is required.
Can be set-up to a machine more than one part.
Relatively inexpensive and simplicity of design. Work holding limitations.
Can be operated by mechanical, pneumatic, or by Clamping force limitations.
hydraulic control and proven technology Jaws can become strained.
Automatic Vices
Quick to operate with ease of set-up. Work location problems.
Reasonable accuracy and easily automated. Limitations on part size.
Using multi-vices allows many parts to be machined.
Relatively inexpensive and reasonable accuracy. Large surface area is required. Swarf can
Pneumatic/Magnetic Work Can machine large areas of the work piece. be a problem.
Holding Devices Quick setups, easily automated and simplicity of design. Nonferrous material limitation on
Many parts can be machined at one set up. magnetic devices.
Allows complex geometric shapes to be machined. Costly & limited part geometry clamping.
4/5 Axis CNC Work Holding High accuracy and easily automated. Part size limitations.
Devices Opportunity for "one hit" machining. Usually only one part can be machined.
Cannot be fitted to all machines.
Large & small parts are easily accommodated. Large storage space required.
High accuracy of part location. No part flexibility.
Easily automated and simplicity of design. Heavy fixtures.
Dedicated Fixturing
Proven technology. Tool making facilities required.
Many parts can be machine at one setup good vibration
damping capacity.
WORK HOLDING DEVICES FOR CNC MACHINES

In the CNC machines, fixtures are still required to locate

and hold the work pieces while machining.

The work holding devices should have the following

uniqueness:
Work holding devices must have required accuracy and
must have matching reference surfaces with the reference
system.
Work holding devices are allowed to perform a number
of operations on different faces in a single setting.
Work holding devices must enable quick loading and
unloading.
WORK HOLDING DEVICES FOR CNC MACHINES

 Work holding devices must be fool-proofing to avoid

incorrect loading of the job.
 Work holding devices must be sufficient rigidity to fully
withstand the cutting forces.
 Work holding devices must be safe in use and loading
and unloading.
 Work holding devices must have a sufficient of
clamping force for use of full roughing cuts.
 Work holding devices must be simple in construction
maximum as possible.
WORK HOLDING DEVICES FOR CNC MACHINES

 Automatic pallet changes over systems are used in

modern CNC machines.
 The pallets simply move for interchanging their
positions on the machine table.
 While machining is being done on a job kept on one
pallet, the other pallets are accessible to the operator for
clamping and unclamping raw material or finished
product.
 Saves a lot of material handling and set up time,
resulting in higher productivity.
 TOOLS CHANGES

 It is the tool changing capability that separates the CNC

machining center from the CNC milling machines.
 Machining centers like milling machines have the
capability to do numerous machining operations such as
drilling, tapping, milling etc.
 This is opposed to a machine capable of a single
function only such as an NC drilling machine.
 TOOLS CHANGES

There are two type of tool changes:

TOOLING FOR MANUAL TOOL CHANGE

 Usually NC mills (manual tool change) are supplied

with some type of quick-change tooling system to
accomplish this task.
 Most small vertical turret mills are manufactured with
an R-8 spindle taper that will accept R-8 collets.
TOOLING FOR MANUAL TOOL CHANGE

 The CNC milling machine has an R-8 employing a

quick-change tool-changing system.
 The R-8 is a standard collet on Bridgeport vertical mills.
 Since most vertical turret mills are spin-offs of this
design, R-8 has become pseudo-standard for these
machines.
 R-8 collets and R-8 tool holders require the use of a
draw-bar.
 For CNC use:
 An automatically tightening draw-bar is supplied with
the machine
OR
 A quick-change tool system is added.
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER
 The CNC machines are designed to perform a number of
operations in a single setting of the job.
 A number of tools may be required for making a
complex part.
 In a manual machine, the tools are changed manually
whenever required.
 In a CNC machine, tools are changed through program
instructions.
 The tools are fitted in a tool magazine or drum.
 When a tool needs to be changed, the drum rotates to an
empty position, approaches the old tool and pulls it.
 Then it again rotates to position the new tool, fits it and
then retracts.
 This is a typical tool changing sequence of an automatic
tool changer (ATC).
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER
 The concept of the ATC is that the range of tools for a
specific job shall be made available for automatic
selection and positioning.
 As soon as the tool selection command is received by
the system, the selected tool comes to a fixed place
known as tool change position.
 The selected tool is transferred to the spindle from
magazine after the previous tool is transferred to the
magazine from spindle.
 This is called tool change cycle.
 ATC can be
 Drum Type
 Chain Type
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER
Drum Type
For holding small number of tools usually not more than
30, Stored on periphery of drum and tool search speed is
faster.
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER
Chain Type
For more number of tools (40 or more), tools search
speed is less.
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

Automatic tool changers are made in five basic types:

 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

 Tools used in ATC are secured in tool holders designed

for that purpose.
 These tool holders are installed directly in the spindle by
the tool changer.

Tools Tool Holders

 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

Turret Head
Tool changing accomplished
through the use of turret head is
perhaps the oldest form of
ATC.
Turret head is a number of
spindles linked to the same
milling machine head.
The tools are placed in the
spindles prior running the
program.
When another tool is needed
the head moves to the desired
position.
 AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

Turret Head
Disadvantages are
The limited number of tool spindles available.
For using more tools than available spindles, the operator
must remove tools that have already been used and insert
those called for later in the program.
Problems are
More machine operator attention.
Turret head ATC are still in use(drilling).
AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

180-Degree Rotation Pivot Insertion

AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGERS (ATC)

Multi-axis Spindle Direct

AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER ADVANTAGES

 Lines changed in seconds instead of hours

 Increase operator safety by changing tools automatically
 Change tools in seconds for maintenance and repair
 Increase flexibility
 Heavy and large multi-tools that are automatically
exchanged
 TOOL LENGTH OFFSET

 Tools used for machining can vary in length

 When using 3-axis NC machinery there are two basic
methods to compensate the different tool lengths:
 Pre-measuring the tools
 Using CNC controller’s tool length compensation
feature
 TOOL LENGTH OFFSET

Preset Tool Method

Set the tool to a specific length.
The known length is then can be added to the program’s
Z-axis coordinates.
Setting the tool to a specific length:
Presetting – Preset Tools
Tool set-up drawing may be used
Special tool-setting equipment is used to measure the
tools accurately
The cost of the equipment is high
The labour for tool setting is high
The replacement of broken Preset Tools is complicated
The Preset Tools Must be set to specific length to function
properly