INTRODUCTION OF MILLING MACHINES

Milling is one of the most common machining processes because it is capable

of economically producing a variety shapes on workpieces.
Milling machines are very versatile. They are usually used to machine flat
surfaces, but can also produce irregular surfaces. They can also be used to drill,
bore, cut gears, and produce slots. The type of milling machine most commonly
found in student shops is a vertical spindle machine with a swiveling head. Although
there are several other types of milling machines, this document will focus only on the
vertical milling machine.
A milling machine removes metal by rotating a multi-toothed cutter that is fed into the
moving workpiece. The spindle can be fed up and down with a quill feed lever on the
head.
The bed can also by fed in the x, y, and z axes manually. In this clip the z axis is
adjusted first, then the y, than the x.
Once an axis is located at a desired position and will no longer be fed, it should be
locked into position with the gibb locks.
Most milling machines are equipped with power feed for one or more axes. Power
feed is smoother than manual feed and, therefore, can produce a better surface
finish. Power feed also reduces operator fatigue on long cuts. On some machines,
the power feed is controlled by a forward reverse lever and a speed control knob.











1.0 MACHINES

Milling machines are tools designed to machine metal, wood, and other solid
materials. Often automated, milling machines can be positioned in either vertical or
horizontal orientation to carve out materials based on a pre-existing design. These
designs are often CAD directed, and many milling machines are CNC-operated,
although manually and traditionally-automated milling devices are also common.
Milling machines are capable of dynamic movement, both of the tool and the
workpiece, and many milling machines can perform multi-axis machining. Because of
variations in orientation, operation and application, milling machines have varying
functions and different operating principles.

1.1 The principle parts of milling machine are given:
Base
The base of the machine is Grey iron casting accurately machined on its top and
bottom surface and serves as a foundation member for all the other parts which rest
upon it. It carries the column at its one end. In some machines, the bage is hollowed
and working as a reservoir for cutting fluid.
Column
The column is the main supporting frame mounted vertically on the bage. The column
is box shaped. Heavily ribbed inside and houses all the driving mechanisms for the
spindle and table feed. The front vertical face of the column is accurately machined
and is provided with dovetail guide ways of supporting knee. The top of the column is
finished to hold an over-arm that extends outward at the front of the machine.
Knee
The knee is the rigid gray iron casting that slides up and down on the vertical way of
the column face. The adjustment of height is effected by elevating screw on the base
that also supports the knee. The knee houses the feed mechanism of the table, and
in different controls to operate it. The top face of the knee forms slid way for the
saddle to provide cross travel of the table.
Saddle
The saddle is placed on the top of the knee, which slides on guide ways set exactly
at 90 to column face. A cross feed screw near the top of the knee engages a nut of
the bottom of the saddle to move it horizontally, by hand or power, to apply cross
feed. The top of the saddle is accurately machined to provide guide ways for the
table.

Table
The table rest on ways on the saddle and travels longitudinally. The top of the table is
accurately finished and T-slots are provided for clamping the work and other fixtures
on it. A lead screw under the table engages a nut on the saddle to move the table
horizontally by hand or power. The longitudinal travel of the table may be limited by
fixing trip dogs on the side of the table. In universal machines, the table may also be
swiveled horizontally. For this purpose the table is mounted on a circular bage which
in its turn is mounted on the saddle. The circular bage is graduated in the degree.
Over hanging arm
Over hanging arm is mounted on the top of column extends beyond the column face
and serve as a bearing support may be provided nearest to the cutter. More than one
bearing support may be provided for the arbor.
Front Brace
The front brace is an extra support that is fitted between the knee and over arm to
ensure further rigidity to the arbor and the knee. The front brace is slotted to allow for
adjustment of the height of the knee relative to over arm.
Spindle
The spindle of the machine is locates in the upper part of the column and receive
power from the motor through belts, gears and clutches and transmit it to the
arbor the front end of the spindle just projects from the column face and it is
provided with a tapered hole into to which various cutting tools and arbors may
be inserted. The accuracy in metal machining by the cutter depends on primarily
accuracy, strength and rigidity of the spindle.
Arbor
An arbor is considered as an extension of the machine spindle on which cutters
are securely mounted and rotated. The arbors are made with taper shanks for
proper alignments with machine spindles having taper hole on their nose. The
taper shank of the arbor conforms to the Morse taper or self release taper whose
value is 7:24. The arbor may be supported at the farthest end from the over
hanging arm or may be of cantilever type which is called stub arbor.

Milling Machine Construciton

Milling machine may be defined as the type of machine in which the metal is
removed by causing the job to be fed against a revolving cutting tool called the
milling cutter, which has one or more cutting.

2.0 Process or Types


Types of 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 of milling machines
Bed type
Rotary table
Tracer controlled





Horizontal Milling Machine Vertical Milling Machine















Column & 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 (slab milling) or vertical (face and end milling). The basic components
are:


Work table, on which the workpiece is clamped using the T-slots. The table
moves longitudinally with respect to the saddle.
Saddle, which supports the table and can move transversely.
Knee, which supports the saddle and gives the table vertical movements for
adjusting the depth of cut.
Overarm in horizontal machines, which is adjustable to accomadate different
arbor lengths.
Head, which contains the spindle and cutter holders. In vertical machines the
head may be fixed or vertically adjustable.


Bed type Machines

In bed type machines, the work table is mounted directly on the bed, which
replaces the knee, and can move only longitudinally. These machines have high
stiffness and are used for high production work.


Planer Machines

Planer machines are similar to bed type machines but are equipped with several
cutters and heads to mill various surfaces.


Rotary Table Machines

Rotary table machines are similar to vertical milling machines and are equipped with
one or more heads to do face milling operations.


Tracer Controlled Machines

Tracer controlled machines reproduce parts from a master model. They are used in
the automotive and aerospace industries fro machining complex parts and dies.


Computer Numerical Control(CNC) Machines

Various milling machine components are being replaced rapidly with computer
numerical control(CNC) machines. These machine tools are versatile and are
capable of milling, drilling, boring and tapping with repetitive accuracy.
Milling Operations

Facing: removes material across the top surface

Contouring: removes material to a specified depth along a CAD geometry

Drilling: uses points identified on a CAD layer to drill holes to a specified depth

Pocketing: removes all material within the outline of a CAD geometry

Surface of Revolution: removes all material within a surface generated by revolving
geometry about the X or Y axis

































3.0 Tools and Equipment

Tooling
Milling machines can be outfitted with a number of tool headsto accomplish different
machining needs. Some of these tool heads include cutters, rounding mills, fluted
mills and ball end mills. Some milling machines have rotating tool ends that can
change depending on the needed task computer programming communicates with
the machine when to change its tooling.
The different tooling used in milling machines is based on material and desired
shape. Because materials like wood and steel have different physical properties,
different tool bits are needed to properly machine the materials. If a milling machine
uses a tool bit that is not strong enough to machine steel, the tooling and even the
machine itself can be damaged. Tooling that is too strong for softer materials can
damage the workpiece.
The basic tooling bit on a milling machine is called the cutter. A cutter is a shaped bar
that has saw teeth. The cutter rotates rapidly to cut down and shape materials. The
cutter is attached to an arbor, which is sometimes called a mandrel or mandril, a
shaped bar that varies in size, length and ending, and is used to hold the cutter
firmly.
A milling cutters saw ending can be spaced, sized and oriented in many ways.
Generally, the teeth are either positioned in a straight up-and-down orientation, or
angled in a helical orientation. Straight teeth are preferable in operations on denser
materials, while helical teeth can create very smooth cuts on softer materials. There
are a variety of cutters within these categories, including dense end cutters, t-slot
cutters, and angle cutters. Cutters are subject to different standardized sizes, with
CAT sizes as the most commonly-used standardization category in the United States.
ATTACHMENTS AND ACCESSORIES
The attachment and standard or special auxiliary devices intended to be fastened to
or joined with one or more components of the milling for the purpose of augmenting
the range, versatility, productivity or accuracy of operation.
The following are the different attachments used on universal milling machine.
Dividing head
Vertical head
Rotary table
Slotting attachment
Rack milling attachment










Dividing head

Dividing head
Dividing head or indexing head is a special work holding device, which is bolted on
the machine table. The work may be mounted on a chuck fitted on the dividing head
spindle or may e supported between a live and dead center. The dead center is
mounted on a foot stock as in a lathe tail stock that is bolted on the machine table
after correctly aligning its spindle axis with the dividing head spindle. The attachment
is principally used for dividing the periphery f a work piece in equal number of
divisions for machining equally spaced slots, or groves. The worm and worm gear
driving mechanism of the attachment can be linked with the table lead screw for
cutting equally spaced helical grooves on the periphery of a cylindrical work piece.


Vertical head

Vertical head
The vertical milling attachment can converted a horizontal milling machine into a
vertical milling machine by orienting the cutt9ing spindle acids from horizontal to
vertical for performing specific operation. The attachments consist of a right angle
gearbox, which is attached to the nose of the horizontal milling machine spindle by
bolting it on the column face. The speed of the vertical spindle is same as that of the
machine spindle. The attachment with the spindle can also be swiveled at any angle
other that at right angles to the table for machining angular surfaces.


Rotary table

Rotary table
Rotary table or circular milling attachment is especial work holding device, which is
bolted on the top of the machine table. It provides rotary motion to the table. The
attachment consists of a circular table having T-Slots mounted on the graduated
base. The circular table may be rotated by hand, and in special case by power by
linking the rotary table driving mechanism with the machine lead screw

Slotting attachment

Slotting attachment
A slotting attachment converts the rotary motion of the spindle into reciprocating
motion of the ram by means of an eccentric or crank housed with in the attachment,
thus a milling machine can be converted into a slotter by accepting a single point
slotted tool at the bottom end of the ram and is conveniently used for cutting internal
or external key ways, spines, etc. The attachment is bolted on the face of the column
and can also be swiveled at an angle for machining angular surfaces. The length of
stroke of the ram can also be adjusted.

Rack milling attachment

Rack milling attachment
A rack milling attachment is bolted to the face of the column and is used for cutting
rack teeth on a job mounted on the table. The attachment consisting of a gear train
enables the spindle axis to be oriented at rightly angles to the machine spindle. In a
horizontal plan. The successive rack teeth are cut by using a rack indexing
attachment. The slanted rack teeth or skew rake may be machined when the
attachment is mounted on universal milling when the table may be swiveled to the
required helix angle













4.0 Product sample

Using advance milling machines, woodworkers, who once used a hammer and chisel
to form and shape a block of wood into a work of art, can now perform the same work
with ease. Woodworking crafts is a highly skilled form of art dating back to ancient
civilization. Evidence of woodworking is found carved on the walls of caves and
ancient tombs in Egypt and elsewhere. Since then, the craft of woodworking has
dramatically evolved due to the invention of milling machines.

Operation
Computer numerical controlled (CNC) milling machines possess a set of unique
cutting tools designed to create intricate patterns in various wood materials. Besides
manual operation, the entire milling job can be performed by specialized computer
software. Since this type of milling machine is able to refer motion directions to a
router, woodworkers can give the machine step by step instructions, resulting in the
production of nearly any wood pattern.
Mill Cutters
In order to carve wood with intricate design features, the machine mill utilizes a
number of milling cutters, including plain mill cutters, corner rounding mill cutters,
dovetail mill cutters, four fluted end mill cutters, ball end mill cutters and two fluted
end mill cutters. These cutters are designed to automatically cut gears, produce slots,
drill and bore holes in any piece of wood stock. Woodworkers will discover that such
tools make the hammer and chisel obsolete.
Production
One advantage of machine mills is that it allows the woodworker to create a mass
number of the same woodcraft patterns over and over again. The old way of creating
the same wood craft involved a laborious and repetitive work. All the wood craft
maker has to do is properly set up the machine and watch it produce hundreds of
identical woods patterns. With a chisel and hammer, this process would have taken
months if not years.
Ease of Use
Woodworkers will have little difficult operating this machine. Even if she possesses a
limited number of skills, all she is required to do is load the machine and receive the
finish product. The computerized software that translates wood pattern ideas into
designs to be produced by the machine mill makes her job that much easier. The
bottle line is that, with a machine mill, a woodworker will be able double or triple the
number of woodworking crafts he would normally make during the course of a day.

5.0 Pictures and diagram related






Milling
machine









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