MILLING MACHINE

INTRODUCTION
A milling machine is a machine tool that removes metal

as the work is fed against a rotating multipoint cutter.

The milling cutter rotates at high speed and it removes

metal at a very fast rate with the help of multiple cutting

edges.

Milling machine is used for machining flat surfaces,

contoured surfaces, surfaces of revolution, external and

internal threads, and helical surfaces of various crosssections.

Job surfaces generated by milling machine

MILLING METHODS
There are two distinct methods of milling classified

as follows:
a) Up-milling or conventional milling
b) Down milling or climb milling.

a) UP-Milling or Conventional Milling Procedure

The metal is removed in form of small chips by a

cutter rotating against the direction of travel of the

workpiece.
In this type of milling, the chip thickness is
minimum at the start of the cut and maximum at the
end of cut. As a result the cutting force also varies
from zero to the maximum value per tooth
movement of the milling cutter.
The major disadvantages of up-milling process are
the tendency of cutting force to lift the work from the
fixtures and poor surface finish obtained. But being a
safer process, it is commonly used method of milling.

UP-Milling or Conventional Milling Procedure

b) Down milling or climb milling.

It is also known as climb milling. In this method, the metal is

removed by a cutter rotating in the same direction of feed of

the workpiece.

The effect of this is that the teeth cut downward instead of

upwards. Chip thickness is maximum at the start of the cut

and minimum in the end. In this method, it is claimed that
there is less friction involved and consequently less heat is
generated on the contact surface of the cutter and workpiece.

Climb milling can be used advantageously on many kinds of

work to increase the number of pieces per sharpening and to

produce a better finish. With climb milling, saws cut long thin
slots more satisfactorily than with standard milling. Another
advantage is that slightly lower power consumption is
obtainable by climb milling, since there is no need to drive the
table against the cutter.

Down milling or climb milling.

TYPES OF MILLING CUTTERS

Milling Machine

Universal Horizontal Milling Machine

Milling Machine Parts

12

Base
Gives support and rigidity to
machine
Acts as reservoir for cutting
fluids
Column face
Precision-machined and
scraped section used to
support and guide knee when
moved vertically
Knee
Houses feed mechanism
Attached to column face and
moved vertically

Milling Machine Parts

Saddle

On top of knee
Moved in or out by
means of crossfeed
handwheel (manually
or automatically)
Swivel table housing
Fastened to saddle on
universal milling
machine
Enables table to be
swiveled
45 either side of centerline

13

Milling Machine
Parts
14
Table

Rests on guideways
in saddle and travels
left and right
Supports vise and
work

Crossfeed handwheel

Used to move table in

and out

Table handwheel

Used to move table

left and right

Milling Machine Parts

15

Feed dial

Used to regulate table

feeds

Spindle

Provides drive for

attachments, arbors,
cutters

Overarm

Provides for correct

alignment and support of
arbor and various
attachments
Can be adjusted and
locked in various
positions

Milling Machine
Parts
16
Arbor support

Fitted to overarm and can

be clamped
Aligns and supports various
attachments

Elevating screw

Gives upward or downward

movement to knee and
table (manually or
automatically)
Spindle speed dial
Set by crank used to
regulate spindle speed

Arbors
17
Arbors
Used for mounting milling cutter
Inserted and held in main
spindle by draw bolt
Shell-end mill arbors
Permit face milling horizontally
or vertically
Fit into main spindle

Collets and Adapters

18

Collet adapters
used for mounting drills or other
tapered-shank tools in main spindle
of machine or vertical milling
attachment
Quick-change adapter
Mounted in spindle
Permits such operations as drilling,
boring, and milling without change
in setup of workpiece

Arbors, Collets, and Adapters

19

Milling Machine
Vises
20
Plain vise
Jaws parallel or 90 to axis of spindle

Milling Machine
Vises
21
Swivel base vise
Can swivel through 360 in horizontal plane

Milling Machine
Vises
22
Universal vise
Can swivel through 360 in horizontal plane and tilted
from 0 to 90 in vertical plane

DEPTH OF CUT
The depth of cut in milling is defined as the thickness

of the material removed in one pass of the work

under the cutter. Thus it is the perpendicular
distance measured between the original and final
surface of the workpiece, and is expressed in mm.

 Cutting Speed(CS) of a material is the ideal

number of Feet-per-Minute that the tool-bit should

pass over the work-piece. Different materials
(High-Carbon/Low-Carbon Steels, Aluminums,
Different kinds of Plastics) have different Cutting
Speeds and can be worked/cut at different rates. In
addition, some tools or processes (like threading,
knurling, or cutting-off) will need to be worked at
slower speeds than the Cutting Speed would
indicate.

 Feed Rate(Milling Machine) refers to how fast

a milling-tool moves through the material being

cut. This is calculated using the Feed Per
Tooth(FPT) to come up with the Inches Per
Minute that a milling bit can move through a
particular type of material. Thus, a Four-Flute
End-Mill will cut through material at twice the
speed of a Two-Flute End Mill. Feed Rates will
decrease with dull tools, a lack of coolant, or deep
cuts.

 RPM(Revolutions Per-Minute) is the turning

speed of whatever is spinning: On a Lathe this is

the work-piece. On a Mill or a Drill it is the cuttingtool. *Using Cutting Speed and Diameter you can
calculate RPM as shown further down on this
page.

Milling Machine Safety

Be sure that the work and the cutter are mounted

securely before taking a cut.

Always wear safety glasses.
When mounting or removing milling cutter,always
hold them with a cloth to avoid being cut.
Be sure that the cutter and machine parts clear the
work.
Never attempt to mount ,measure parts clear the
work.