Many areas in the manufacturing industry rely heavily on fabricated parts and components to produce the final product. CNC machining is widely used for this purpose and various techniques are employed to achieve different shapes, sizes, and dimensions. These include milling, cutting and shaping, and so on. There are CNC machines exclusively for milling, while there are others where multiple tasks can be performed in a single machine. A milling machine is used during the machining process to produce parts of various shapes and sizes. Are you curious about the details of milling machines and their types? If yes, then read the following post that answers these questions and more. So, stay tuned.
A brief introduction to a milling machine
Before we continue with the types and operations performed on a milling machine, it is important to understand what it is. A milling machine is the most popular and preferred device for shaping solid materials, including wood or metal. It has a cutting tool that helps in machining workpieces of almost any shape and size. The machine consists of various parts that are connected to each other. These include base, column, knee, saddle, spindle, table, cantilever arm, lifting spindles, mandrel, and so on.
Different types of milling machines discussed
Milling machines are primarily divided into two types – vertical and horizontal milling machines. In addition, they are classified as ram, knuckle-joint, planer, and production or bed-type milling machines. All of the above milling machines have an electric motor, variable spindle speeds, a power-operated table, and a coolant system. Visit also: CNC machine parts
– Vertical Milling:
Vertical milling machines have the cutting tool attached to a vertically oriented spindle that removes material from the stationary workpiece. Vertical milling machines differ from horizontal milling machines in several ways. The biggest difference is the length and size of the cutting tools. Unlike horizontal milling machines, vertical milling machines have long and thin cutting tools, which makes them a wise investment for several manufacturing companies.
– Horizontal Milling:
This is the most common type of milling machine. As the name suggests, the horizontal milling machine has a horizontally oriented spindle that holds and rotates the cutting tool against the stationary workpiece. With shorter and thicker cutting tools, the horizontal milling machine can make heavier and deeper cuts. Therefore, they are widely used by many manufacturing companies to cut slots or grooves in workpieces.
– Ram-type milling:
This type of milling machine has a ram at the top of the column and is therefore called a ram-type milling machine. The ram can slide forward and backward to quickly change the cutter position.
– Toggle milling:
This type of milling machine features a knee-like protrusion in the center. A knee router is characterized by a vertically adjustable table that rests on a saddle supported by a knee. Because of their flexibility and versatility, knee milling machines are the first choice for prototyping, tool and fixture making, and many other tasks.
What is the working principle of a milling machine?
Before proceeding to work on the milling machine, it is important to understand the working principle behind it.
The workpiece is held on the worktable of the machine. The feed of the workpiece against the rotating cutter is controlled by adjusting the work table. This rotating cutter rotates at high speed and is usually mounted on the arbor or spindle. The only movement that the cutter has is the rotary movement. The workpiece is slowly advanced and the metal is removed from its surface by the teeth of the cutter. In this way, the desired shape is achieved.
How does a milling machine work?
Now that you understand the principle of operation of the milling machine, it is easier to understand how it works. Here are some important steps involved in the work of milling machines:
– Step 1: The basic setting
Before starting a milling process, the most important thing is the proper setup. So, the first step is to set the milling tool to the arbor. The arbor is further fixed to the spindle.
– Step 2: Adjustment of the knee
The second step is to adjust the knee position by moving it down.
– Step 3: Clamping the workpiece
At this point, the workpiece comes into play. The basic setting is done and it is time to clamp the workpiece on the table. This is done with the help of clamping screws.
– Step 4: Zero adjustment
Before you start milling, you need to make sure that all the control points, such as the saddle position, knee position, and others, are set to zero. This will help in machining the parts accurately.
– Step 5: The cutting tool
This is where the real work begins. The spindle begins to rotate, and so does the cutting tool attached to the spindle.
– Step 6: Moving the workpiece
The cutting tool rotates continuously at high speed. The various parts of the machine, such as the table, knee, and saddle, are moved slowly as needed to move the workpiece.
– Step 7: Shaping the workpiece
This is the last step in the work of the milling machine. The workpiece is now moved by the control axis and the desired shape is cut into the workpiece. In this step, the tool is in the rotary motion and stops.
Milling machines are a great boon for manufacturing units that need quickly produced parts and prototypes. Hence, it is important to avail milling services from an industry expert to get precise machine parts.