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Cutting Tools 40 MoldMaking Technology April 2015 Tooling Up for Challenging Cuts By Mike MacArthur D etermining the most appropriate cutting tool is essen- tial when looking for quality and repeatability in each job, especially when you are faced with challenging conditions like high-speed tool paths, tight areas, straight walls and graphite cutting. Following are guidelines for selecting the best tools for these types of applications. High-Speed Tool Paths Today's CAD/CAM systems offer machinists extraordinary precision by controlling the arc of engagement in high-speed, trochoidal tool paths. (A trochoidal tool path is the curved path of a fixed point on a circle that rolls along a straight line.) The amount of engagement does not increase, even when the designer enters a corner or other complex geometry. Modern, small-diameter cutting tools have been designed to take To maximize quality and repeatability, you need the right cutting tools, especially in challenging applications. Here's a guide for selecting tools for high-speed tool paths, tight areas, straight walls and graphite cutting. advantage of this technological advance. Smaller tools are less expensive than larger-diameter tools and oftentimes are able to remove more material per minute using high-speed tool paths. This is because a larger-diameter tool creates greater surface contact, requiring it to slow down to more convention- al feed rates. As a result, a smaller tool offers a higher metal removal rate. However, with these smaller tools, the designer still needs to make sure that the tool and tool coatings are designed not only for trochoidal cutting, but also for the material being cut. Today's high-performance tools have application-specific geometries that are appropriate for the material being cut as well as the cutting technique being employed. For example, a six-flute tool can cut a full slot in 54-HRc H13 steel follow- ing optimized tool paths. A ½-inch-diameter tool can create VIDEO Access video at end of article. This chart shows the recommended widths and depths for machining with toroidal tools. Images courtesy of RobbJack Corp.