General Purpose Milling Cutters Vs Material Specific Milling Cutters

There are many benefits to using a general-purpose milling cutter but sometimes it can be more beneficial to use material specific milling cutters.

We have both areas covered at Milo Tools. We have several customers who are saving hundreds a month on their milling cutters due to ordering the correct type of milling cutter for their specific needs.

General Purpose Milling Cutters

Most subcontractors are unsure of the next material they will be machining. A general-purpose cutter that covers a broader range of materials is the ideal choice.

Using a separate milling cutter for various materials isn’t always cost-effective. One cutter that gives long lasting results on most materials can save time and money.

Using one milling cutter saves time when ordering and time when setting up the machine.

Eco-Mill From STARKE

Our biggest selling and most popular range of milling cutter is the Eco-Mill range.

The Eco-Milll is a general purpose milling cutter. Some of the features include:

• All cutters are micrograin solid carbide
• TiALN coated to machine up to 45HRC
• Excellent for general purpose machining on steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloys, cast iron and copper
• Centre cutting

We have a large customer base using the Eco-Mill in the subcontracting sector due to its versatility.

We have had many reviews from our customers over the last 5 years since we launched the Eco-Mill in the UK. Our customers have been amazed with the results and savings they have had since switching.

See the video I made below, highlighting features and benefits and some product reviews from our valued customers.

Material Specific Milling Cutters

There is also a large section of the engineering market that require material specific cutters.

We have many customers in the aerospace industry machining a range of materials from titanium, inconel, stainless steel and much more.

A cutter that is designed to machine heat resistant alloys in comparison to using a conventional general-purpose cutter provides much longer tool life and better machining results.

1. Milling Cutters For Machining Titanium and Super Alloy

The TM series end mills from ZCC-CT are the 1st choice for Titanium and super alloy machining.

• Excellent for roughing and finishing of titanium, nickel and cobalt based alloys
• Specially ground for more cutting-edge stability for demanding cutting jobs
• Latest coating technology for thermal stability and wear resistance
• Innovative substrate with optimized thermal conductivity and high level wear resistance
• TM multi series with up to 9 cutting edges for outstanding productivity
• Torus mills and ball nose geometries available
• Diameter range 6.0mm to 25.0mm

2. Milling Cutters For Machining Aluminium

We also supply to many customers who serve in the automotive industry machining aluminium and aluminium alloys.

We supply coated and non-coated solid carbide geometries, end mills, ball nose cutters, rippers and rib processing slot drills.

The range available, Ali-Mill, NM Series, Alu-X, Franken Alu-cut offer several machining benefits.

Ali Mill from STARKE

• Micrograin carbide-1st choice for machining aluminium and non-ferrous material
• Special Hi-helix geometry for better chip removal
• Superior surface finish

NM Series from ZCC-CT

• Excellent for machining of copper and copper alloys (brass, bronze)
• Excellent sharpness of cutting edge for superior surface quality

Alu-XP

• Mirror polished flutes allow for smooth chip evacuation giving better surface finish and wear resistance
• Cutting edges are optimized to minimise vibration
• 3 flute geometries have a tight diameter tolerance giving excellent process reliability
• All tools are also available to order with optional NX coating, maintaining the sharpness of the cutting edge whilst giving exceptional tool life
• Suitable for aluminium, copper and acrylic

Franken Alu-cut from Emuge Franken

• High performance tool
• Low vibration machining
• Special geometry for the machining of aluminium and non-ferrous material
• Centre cutting
• For wrought aluminium alloys
• For aluminium alloys with a silicon content of up to 7%
• With GLT coating also for copper alloys
• Suitable for z-axis milling

3. Milling Cutters For Machining Hardened Steel

Machining hardened steel can be very challenging to find the right tool for the job.

Different hardness levels can decrease tool life so it’s essential to use the right cutter for the application.

Micrograin coated carbide is always the first choice and we always recommend cutters that are designed to machine up to 68-70HRC to cope with the difficult machining conditions.

HM Series from ZCC-CT

• Excellent tool design covers large chip pocket, good stability and high machining efficiency
• Optimized cutting geometry (rake angle) assures edge stability and sharpness
• The outstanding high cutting performance based on the perfect combination of ultrafine grain carbide substrate with high wear resistance and stable cutting edge
• The optimized KMG555 Nano-ALTiN coating is the base for hard machining with high speed at high temperature
• Hardened steel up to 68HRC

Pulsar Blue

• New multi layered coating for effective machining of hardened steels up to 70HRC
• Suitable for dry cutting at high speed cutting conditions
• Higher wear resistance with excellent work piece finish

Need help deciding what milling cutter is best for you?

With cutting data available and advise from our time served engineers, we will be able to recommend the best tool for your application.

Please see our website https://www.milotools.co.uk/milling-tools/milling-cutters to view our full range of milling cutters.

Ruhana Miah