CNC equipment works with various tool types to perform CNC machining operations. These CNC machine tools will work with different machining equipment, including milling, turning, and drilling machines. CNC machinists must swap these tools during CNC operations to achieve the results based on their project requirements.
List of Milling CNC Machine Tools
You can use Milling CNC Machine Tools for the regular cutting work during the CNC machining operations. Some milling tools will also work well for specific CNC operations, such as drilling a new hole or creating a flat surface around the material workpiece. Here’s the list of milling CNC machine tools:
● Slab Mills
Slab mills are heavy-duty CNC cutting tools that you can use to mill the flat surface of the material workpiece. You will need to use slab mills during the first stage of the CNC operation you perform. It works with the flat surfaces of the materials and gives way to other CNC operations later, such as drilling and CNC turning. You must put the material workpiece parallel to the slab mill cutting tools.
● End Mills
End mills are drill-type CNC milling tools that you can use to make holes into the material workpiece. End mills offer more versatility and flexibility in the direction of cuts you can make with them. You can use end mills to create holes around the edges of the material workpiece or in hard-to-reach spots. End mills have three primary types, namely flat end-mills, bull nose, and ball nose, each classified based on the nose type on these milling tools.
● Fly Cutters
Fly Cutters provides affordable CNC milling cutting tools to apply broad and shallow cuts on the material workpiece. Fly Cutters consist of various cutting bits you can replace and swap from the body. It works with rotary cutting movements, which can level the surrounding area around the material workpiece. Fly Cutters only work on flat surfaces of the material workpiece.
● Hollow Mills
Hollow mills are CNC milling tools with a cavity inside, designed to make screw systems around the material workpiece. It is a type of drill system that is opposite to end mills. In CNC machining operations, hollow mills are essential to create the cavity part of the screw system. You can also use Hollow Mills during the finishing process for CNC machining to keep the screw system look polished.
● Face Mills
Face Mills carry the CNC cutting tools designed to cut in the horizontal position. Face Mills consist of “faces” with different cutting tools on the edge of each face. Depending on your project requirements, you can replace the cutting tools on the Face Mills as you see fit. Carbide is the most common material used in cutting tools in face mills. Face Mills can cut the workpiece and create a flat surface.
List of Turning CNC Machine Tools
Turning CNC Machine Tools use a CNC Lathe in their operations, allowing you to turn these tools around the material workpiece in circling movements. Turning tools have many uses and features, allowing you to modify the CNC-machined parts and make them look more polished. Here’s the list of turning CNC Machine Tools:
● Chamfering Tools
You can use chamfering tools to perfect the CNC-machined parts you are working on, such as to remove sharp edges or perform deburring operations. It will help polish the look of your workpiece material or CNC-machined components after a series of CNC operations. You can also use the chamfering tools to work on rugged holes and make them smoother and more polished.
● Boring Tools
In CNC-Lathe machines, boring tools are suitable for enlarging the holes around your material workpiece. You can use the CNC Lathe’s boring tools to work with tapered and straight holes around the workpiece and enlarge them according to your preferred diameter. Please note that you can’t use boring tools without first drilling the holes using the CNC drill tools.
● Parting Tools
Parting Tools in CNC machining are suitable to sever the part of your material workpiece, whether during or after the CNC operations. You can use the Parting Tools to cut through the material workpiece and remove unnecessary areas. Sometimes, you will also need the parting tools to cut various parts of your CNC-machined products during the finishing phase.
● Knurling Tools
Need to create custom shapes and patterns on your material workpiece during the CNC machining operations? Knurling tools are the solution for that. Knurling Tools in CNC machines create custom shapes to add more grips to your CNC-machined parts. Also, you can use knurling tools to make small decorations for your CNC-machined products.
List of Drilling CNC Machine Tools (Drill Bits)
Drilling is an essential part of any CNC machining operation. CNC machinists will use drill bits and install them on the drilling CNC machines during the drilling phase in their CNC production. Various drill bits are available, each with its function to create different hole types. Here’s the list of drilling CNC machine tools:
● Twist Drills
Twist drills are all-purpose CNC drilling tools that are used to drill holes around the material workpiece without any specific requirements. You can use twist drills in CNC drilling operations to make various hole types of different diameters in your material workpiece. Twist Drills are compatible with most metal workpiece materials. You can’t use twist drills with concrete materials.
● Ejector Drills
Ejector Drills are drill bits suitable to eject inner drills into the holes you have created in your workpiece material. You can use ejector drills, along with center drills, to make deep holes in your CNC machining operations. The inner drills of the Ejector Drills can penetrate deep into the material workpiece and create deeper holes based on your technical requirements.
● Center Drills
Center Drills are the drill bits you will use to start the drilling process of the material workpiece during CNC operation. Center Drills will make initial holes in the material workpiece, which signify the spots or locations of the holes. Later, you can enlarge or modify the holes created with Center Drills using other drill bits.
Conclusion
You must understand various CNC machine tools for milling, turning, and drilling CNC operations. These tools differ and have their specific functions in your manufacturing production. CNC machinists must use these different CNC machining tools properly in their CNC machining operations. TEAM MFG equips with a series of machining tools to meet your rapid prototypes, low volume manufacturing needs. Contact us today!
