End mill breakage can be costly and can slow down production. It’s a fact of life for machinists. End mills will break, but there are things you can do to prolong the life of your tools. The following are BlackHawk’s three main tips for helping end mills last longer. 

1. Choose the right end mill

To help prolong the life of your end mill, start off right by choosing the correct tool from the beginning. Consider the type of material you’re cutting and what type of specific geometries you need for specific machining strategies. From complicated plastics to hard metals, choosing the correct type of end mill will help improve the performance of your tool and increase its life span.

BlackHawk stocks a large inventory of end mills that are specialized for working on all kinds of surfaces. Our selection includes drills with specific geometries and coatings that are specially made for cutting Hard steel, plastics, alloys, stainless steel, cast iron and titanium. You’ll also want to consider what operation you want the tool to perform. Is it for high efficiency milling? Do you need it for roughing, slotting, finishing, plunging or contouring? How many flutes are best for the job? The material you’re cutting and the application you’re working on will also determine the necessary cutter diameter, length of cut, profile and reach. 

Some tool manufacturers have online pages to help machinists find the right tool, such as OSG’s Find My Tool. If you´re not sure what type of end mill is the best choice for the job, BlackHawk experts are happy to chat online or on the phone to guide you.  

2. Don’t let your end mill break

This is a tough one. End mills break, even when machinists have done everything right. What you really want to avoid is premature breakage. One of the most common mistakes that lead to end mills breaking is running machines at the wrong speed. Machinists often feel pressured to run equipment at higher speed to be more productive, but if a mill is run too fast it can result in improper chip sizes, fractured cutting edges or a broken cutter altogether. It’s important to determine the proper speed before running machinery. Operating cutting tools outside the recommendations could lower performance and damage tools. Contact the tool manufacturer if unsure of the ideal speed for the job.

Improper tool holding is another common mistake. The importance of a proper tool holder is often underestimated; however, a strong-gripped properly fitting holder is crucial for reducing total manufacturing time and protecting the end mill. In heavy operations, the pulling action will sometimes overpower a holder’s grip.  This is particularly true in roughing and heavy duty milling. With an improper fit,  a cutter could be pulled out of the chuck and broken.

Tool length is another important variable. To make your end mill last longer, choose the shortest tool possible for the application. The longer a tool is, the greater the chance of deflection or bending.

3. Protect end mills with coatings

In many cases coatings can serve to protect the cutting edges of end mills, allowing them to withstand high temperatures. Some of the most common types of coatings for general-purpose protection are TiN, TiCN and TiAIN. These help slow down the wear of tools under faster speed rates and higher temperatures. Different coatings work better on different tool materials and some don’t work well together at all. For example, AITiN coating is not a good choice for aluminum tools. Since both are aluminum-based, they have a high affinity for each other and can result in built-up edge and chip evacuation issues.   

For additional questions about end mill products sold by BlackHawk Industrial, give us a call. We’re happy to help. Our mission is to provide innovative, value-added services and products that reduce our customer’s total cost. Feel free to contact us for more information.

BlackHawk Industrial

10810 East 45th St, Suite 100

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146

[email protected]

Toll Free: 855-610-1001