Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ball Nose Milling Cutter

The Ball Nose Milling Cutter is a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of applications. This type of cutter features a large ball core that can be used for roughing softer steels and harder materials. Larger cores provide long life and increased predictability. Ball nose end mills are also capable of working with conventional tool paths, enabling them to work on any material. This article discusses the features and benefits of ball nose milling cutters and their advantages and disadvantages.

The ball nose milling cutter has a lateral driving flat that is ideal for milling components and small engravings. It is suitable for a variety of materials, including die steel, cast iron, carbon steel, and alloy steel. Aside from its high temperature resistance, it also offers exceptional wear resistance and toughness. It is a good choice for curved surfaces and arc groove milling, thanks to its high speed and precision.

The substrate for a ball nose end mill varies depending on the type of application. However, a standard formula uses a mix of tungsten carbide and 10% cobalt. While carbide is a metal matrix composite, cobalt serves as a binder, giving the material strength and making it shatter-resistant. Additionally, the grain size of the cobalt and tungsten particles affects their performance. For most applications, a 10% micro-grain carbide grade is ideal.

Creating a perfect ball grind requires a precise radius. In order to achieve this, a relief must be ground into the end of the tool that leads to the intersection of the outside diameter. This relief leads to the perfect radius. When grinding, it is important to ensure that the machine movement is correct. If you are not certain what type of profile shape you need, you can always get a custom-made tool from a manufacturer.

A ball nose milling cutter can be made of high-quality steel with serrated cutting teeth on both sides. It is usually flat-bottomed, but can also have a rounded or radiused bottom. Because of its flutes, it is useful for general milling. The cutter is usually made of high-speed steel or cemented carbide with at least one flute. The cutting edge velocity is higher on the larger tool when using it with a fast spindle.

Unlike an end mill, a ball nose milling cutter uses a cutting tool that rotates and cuts the material. The chip size depends on several factors, including the cutter's rotation speed and feed rate. With a ball nose milling cutter, chip size will be less than half of the radius of the workpiece. A smaller cutter will reduce the possibility of swarf. Its larger size also allows the cutter to be used in larger workpieces.

Ball nose milling cutters are ideal for cutting complex shapes. The tool's helix will be tighter than a conventional cutter. They can also handle smaller materials. The helix is a bit closer to the surface. With a higher rake angle, this cutter is more effective for center drilling than a conventional milling cutter. This is because the cutting process will result in work-hardened points.