Chapter 3:

CNC Tools

Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• List the most commonly used CNC tools.
• Determine spindle rotational direction.
• Interpret a chip formation diagram.
• Define chip load.
• Distinguish between climb and conventional milling.
• Compute cutting speeds and feeds for a specified tool, material and operation using reference tables.

Contents

• End Mills
• Face Mill
• Corner Radius Tool
• Slot Mill / Slotting Saw
• Hole-Making Tools
• Cutting Tool Fundamentals
• Cutting Speeds and Feeds Formulas
• Speed/Feed Examples
• Cutting Data

Overview

A wide range of tool types and configurations are available for CNC milling machines. Discussing every type, variation and use is beyond the scope of this course. This chapter introduces the most commonly used tools for prototype and short run production machining. Any tool supply catalog will list many others.

• End mills (Flat, Ball, Bull and Chamfer)
• Face mill
• Corner Rounding tools
• Slot Tools
• Spot-Center Drill
• Twist Drill
• Tap
• Reamer
• Counterbore