MILLING MACHINE

INTRODUCTION
1.A milling machine is a machine tool that removes metal as the work is fed against a rotating
multipoint cutter.
2.The milling cutter rotates at high speed and it removes metal at a very fast rate with the help of
multiple cutting edges.
3.Milling machine is used for machining flat surfaces, contoured surfaces, surfaces of revolution,
external and internal threads, and helical surfaces of various cross-sections.

Job surfaces generated by milling machine

MILLING METHODS
There are two distinct methods of milling classified as follows:
a) Up-milling or conventional milling
b) Down milling or climb milling.

a) UP-Milling or Conventional Milling Procedure

-The metal is removed in form of small chips by a cutter rotating against the direction of travel of
the workpiece.
-In this type of milling, the chip thickness is minimum at the start of the cut and maximum at the
end of cut. As a result the cutting force also varies from zero to the maximum value per tooth
movement of the milling cutter.
-The major disadvantages of up-milling process are the tendency of cutting force to lift the work
from the fixtures and poor surface finish obtained. But being a safer process, it is commonly

used method of milling.

b) Down milling or climb milling

-It is also known as climb milling. In this method, the metal is removed by a cutter rotating in the
same direction of feed of the workpiece.
-The effect of this is that the teeth cut downward instead of upwards. Chip thickness is maximum at
the start of the cut and minimum in the end. In this method, it is claimed that there is less
friction involved and consequently less heat is generated on the contact surface of the cutter
and workpiece.
-Climb milling can be used advantageously on many kinds of work to increase the number of pieces
per sharpening and to produce a better finish. With climb milling, saws cut long thin slots more
satisfactorily than with standard milling. Another advantage is that slightly lower power
consumption is obtainable by climb milling, since there is no need to drive the table against the
cutter.

TYPES OF MILLING CUTTERS

1.End Mill
-The face sides at the bottom end of this tool used for plunge cutting (two flutes)
and side and end cuts(four flute).
2.Plain milling cutter
-These mills used to cut with the sides only.
3.Face milling cutter
-used as combination cutter for roughing and finishing cut.

Milling Machine

Universal Horizontal Milling Machine

Milling Machine Parts

Base
-Gives support and rigidity to machine
-Acts as reservoir for cutting fluids
Column face
-Precision-machined and scraped section used to support and guide knee when moved vertically.
-Houses the spindle,bearings,gear box,cl box,clutches,shafts,pump and the shifting mechanisms for
transmitting power from the electric motor to the spindle at a selected speed
Knee
-Houses feed mechanism
-Attached to column face and moved vertically
Saddle
-The saddle consists of two slide ways,one on the top and the bottom located at 90 to each other,for
providing motions in the X or Y axes of lead screw and translation of the worktable.
Swivel table housing
-Fastened to saddle on universal milling machine
-Enables table to be swiveled 45 either side of centerline
Table
-Rests on guideways in saddle and travels left and right
-Supports vise and work

Crossfeed handwheel
-Used to move table in and out
Table handwheel
-Used to move table left and right
Feed dial
-Used to regulate table feeds
Spindle
-Provides drive for attachments, arbors, cutters
Overarm
-Provides for correct alignment and support of arbor and various attachments
-Can be adjusted and locked in various positions
Arbor support
-Fitted to overarm and can be clamped
-Aligns and supports various attachments

Elevating screw
-Gives upward or downward movement to knee and table (manually or automatically)
-Spindle speed dial
>Set by crank used to regulate spindle speed

Arbors
Arbors
-Used for mounting milling cutter
-Inserted and held in main spindle by draw bolt
Shell-end mill arbors
-Permit face milling horizontally or vertically
-Fit into main spindle

Collets and Adapters

Collet adapters
-used for mounting drills or other tapered-shank tools in main spindle of machine or vertical
milling attachment
Quick-change adapter
-Mounted in spindle
-Permits such operations as drilling, boring, and milling without change in setup of workpiece

Arbors, Collets, and Adapters

Milling Machine Vises

Plain vise
Jaws parallel or 90 to axis of spindle

Swivel base vise

Can swivel through 360 in horizontal plane

Universal vise
Can swivel through 360 in horizontal plane and tilted from 0 to 90 in vertical plane

DEPTH OF CUT
-The depth of cut in milling is defined as the thickness of the material removed in one
pass of the work under the cutter. Thus it is the perpendicular distance measured
between the original and final surface of the workpiece, and is expressed in mm.
-Cutting Speed(CS) of a material is the ideal number of Feet-per-Minute that the
tool-bit should pass over the work-piece. Different materials (High-Carbon/LowCarbon Steels, Aluminums, Different kinds of Plastics) have different Cutting Speeds
and can be worked/cut at different rates. In addition, some tools or processes (like
threading, knurling, or cutting-off) will need to be worked at slower speeds than the
Cutting Speed would indicate.

-Feed Rate(Milling Machine) refers to how fast a milling-tool moves through the
material being cut. This is calculated using the Feed Per Tooth(FPT) to come up
with the Inches Per Minute that a milling bit can move through a particular type
of material. Thus, a Four-Flute End-Mill will cut through material at twice the speed
of a Two-Flute End Mill. Feed Rates will decrease with dull tools, a lack of coolant, or
deep cuts.

Milling Machine Safety

-Be sure that the work and the cutter are mounted securely before taking a
cut.
-Always wear safety glasses.
-When mounting or removing milling cutter,always hold them with a cloth to
avoid being cut.
-Be sure that the cutter and machine parts clear the work.
-Never attempt to mount ,measure parts clear the work.