IE 337: Materials and Manufacturing Processes Lab # 4

Milling Process
Introduction:
Milling is a machining operation in which a workpiece is fed past a rotating cylindrical tool
with multiple cutting edges. The axis of rotation of the tool is perpendicular to the feed direction. The
tool is called the milling cutter and the cutting edges are called teeth. Mostly plane surfaces are
created through milling. It’s an interrupted cutting operation; the teeth of milling cutter enter and exit
workpiece during each revolution. So, the tool material and cutter geometry must be chosen carefully
to withstand cycles of impact forces and thermal shock. Different types of milling operations are
shown in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1. Different types of milling operations.

The basic relationships in a milling operations are provided below:

Spindle speed: Feed rate: Material removal rate:

Milling time: Slab Milling Milling time: Face Milling

Approach distance:

N spindle rotation speed (RPM) nt number of teeth

v cutting speed (in/min) w Width of cut (in)
D outside diameter of cutter (in) d depth of cut (in)
RMR Material Removal Rate (in3/min) A approach distance (in)
fr feed rate (mm/min or in/min) L length of workpiece (in)
f chip load (in/tooth or mm/tooth) Tm milling time (min)

1 January 11, 2010

IE 337: Materials and Manufacturing Processes Lab # 4
Milling Process
Objective:
1. Understand the milling process and create a process sheet for milling operation.
2. Calculate machining parameters: Speed, Feed and Depth of Cut.
3. Calculate Volume Removal, Machining Time and Power Requirements for a typical milling
operation.

Equipment & Materials:

1. Milling machine
2. Process Sheet
3. Axial/Radial Depth of Cut Diagram
4. Part Print
5. Machining Formulas
6. Calculator
7. Part for machining (Al alloy)

Procedure:
1. View the Part Print. Using the Axial/Radial Depth of Cut Diagram analyze the two volumes
of material that require removal. One volume will be removed with a channel cut. The second
volume will be removed with a step milling operation.
2. Calculate your Speeds and Feeds for a Ø0.5” Two-Flute End Mill. Use a Cut Speed (CS)
value of 300 SFM. For the Rough cutting use a 0.01” Feed-Per-Tooth (FPT) and for Finish
cutting a 0.005 FPT.
3. Rough cut as much of the volume as possible, leaving ~0.015” on each surface for a finish
cut.
4. Use the number of Repeats column to designate multiple passes using the same parameters.
5. Record data on the Process Sheet of all cuts needed for total removal of volume.

Lab Deliverables:
1. Prepare a report detailing the lab activity, observations, results and difficulties faced
(follow the lab report instructions).
2. Name and define in single sentences the different types of milling processes shown in
Figure 4.1.
3. The basic milling machine is which of the following: (a) bed type, (b) knee-and-column,
(c) profiling mill, (d) ram mill, or (e) universal milling machine?
4. Why tool material and design selection is important for a milling machine?
5. Describe the difference between up milling and down milling.

References:
1. M.P. Groover, “Fundamentals of modern manufacturing,” 3rd edition, (2007).
2. Metals Handbook, 9th edition, vol. 16, ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, 1989.

2 January 11, 2010

Process Sheet
Part name: Prepared by:
Material: Date:

Machine Tool Process parameters

# of
Op. Operation description Speed Feed Feed Depth in Inches Remarks
Type Tool/Work Ø Repeats
ft/min rpm ipr ipm Axial Radial
1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20