Cutting Tools

• Drill Bits
  • Twist Drill Bits: Universally recognized as the staple for hole-making in CNC machining. Their helical flutes play a crucial role in efficiently removing chips as the bit penetrates the workpiece. Twist drill bits can be crafted from a variety of materials. High-speed steel (HSS) is a common choice for general-purpose applications, offering a good balance of durability and cost. For more demanding tasks, especially when machining hard materials like stainless steel or titanium alloys, carbide-tipped drill bits are preferred. Carbide provides superior hardness and wear resistance, enabling longer tool life and more accurate hole drilling.
  • Center Drill Bits: Before the actual drilling process commences, center drill bits come into play. They create a small, precisely centered indentation or hole at the starting point. This serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it provides a reference point for the twist drill, ensuring that it starts drilling exactly where intended, minimizing the risk of the bit wandering off course. Secondly, it helps in creating a chamfered edge at the entrance of the hole, which can prevent burrs and improve the overall quality of the drilled hole.
• Milling Cutters
  • End Mills: These are cylindrical in shape with cutting edges strategically positioned on the end and, in some cases, along the sides. End mills are the workhorses of milling operations. Square end mills are often used for creating square or rectangular pockets, slots, and for roughing out general geometries. Their straight cutting edges can efficiently remove large amounts of material. Ball end mills, on the other hand, are prized for their ability to create smooth, contoured surfaces. The rounded tip allows for machining complex 3D shapes, such as those found in molds and dies. Corner radius end mills combine the benefits of both, with a rounded corner that can produce a blend between flat and curved surfaces, offering enhanced surface finish and geometric flexibility.
  • Face Mills: Engineered specifically for machining flat surfaces, face mills are a marvel of efficiency. They consist of multiple cutting inserts, usually made of carbide, arranged in a circular pattern on the body. When the face mill rotates at high speed, these inserts slice through the material, achieving remarkable material removal rates. This not only speeds up the machining process but also results in a high-quality, smooth finish on the machined surface. They are commonly used in industries like automotive and aerospace for machining large, flat components.
• Turning Tools
  • Single-Point Turning Tools: As the name suggests, these tools have a single cutting edge. They are the backbone of turning operations on lathes. Depending on the direction of the cut and the geometry of the workpiece, they can be configured as right-hand or left-hand tools. Right-hand tools are typically used for cutting from the outside inwards, while left-hand tools are employed for the reverse. They can perform a variety of tasks, including facing, which involves creating a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece; turning, to reduce the diameter of the workpiece to the desired size; and threading, where they carefully cut threads onto the workpiece, enabling it to be screwed together with other components.
  • Form Tools: In situations where a specific profile or contour needs to be replicated on the workpiece, form tools come to the rescue. These are custom-shaped tools that are designed to match the exact geometry of the desired shape. By using a form tool, the machinist can create the required profile in a single pass, eliminating the need for multiple cutting operations and reducing the overall machining time. This is especially useful in manufacturing components like gears, where precise tooth profiles are essential.

Grinding Tools

• Grinding Wheels
  • Abrasive Grinding Wheels: Composed of abrasive materials, most commonly aluminum oxide or silicon carbide, bonded together by a suitable binder. These wheels are the go-to choice for grinding operations. The abrasive particles act like tiny cutting tools, gradually wearing away the material to achieve the desired precision and surface finish. Different grit sizes are available, each serving a distinct purpose. Coarser grits, say in the range of 24 to 60, are used for rough grinding, where the primary goal is to remove large amounts of material quickly. As the machining progresses towards the final finish, finer grits, typically 80 to 200 or even higher, are employed. They produce a smoother surface by removing smaller imperfections and scratches left by the coarser grinding.
  • Diamond Grinding Wheels: When it comes to grinding extremely hard materials, diamond grinding wheels take the lead. These wheels utilize diamond particles as the abrasive, which offer unparalleled hardness and wear resistance. Materials like carbide and ceramics, which can be a nightmare to machine with conventional tools, are easily tackled by diamond grinding wheels. They can maintain their cutting ability over extended periods, ensuring consistent grinding results and minimizing the need for frequent tool changes.

Measuring Tools

• Calipers
  • Vernier Calipers: A time-tested and reliable tool for measuring the external and internal dimensions of workpieces. They operate on the principle of a vernier scale, which allows for relatively precise measurements. With a typical accuracy of up to 0.02 mm, Vernier calipers are a cost-effective option for many machining shops. They are easy to use, with a movable jaw that can be adjusted to fit snugly around the object being measured. Machinists can quickly obtain measurements of diameters, thicknesses, and lengths, making them invaluable for quality control and ensuring that parts are machined to the correct specifications.
  • Digital Calipers: In an era of advancing technology, digital calipers offer enhanced convenience and accuracy. Instead of relying on a vernier scale, they feature an LCD display that shows the measurement value directly and instantaneously. This eliminates the potential for human error in reading the scale. Digital calipers can often be connected to a computer or other data recording devices, enabling seamless data transfer and analysis. This is particularly useful in modern manufacturing facilities that employ advanced quality management systems.
• Micrometers
  • Outside Micrometers: These are designed to measure the external diameter or thickness of small workpieces with extraordinary precision. They typically achieve an accuracy of 0.01 mm or better. The spindle of the outside micrometer is carefully calibrated to apply a consistent and known amount of force when closing on the workpiece, ensuring accurate and repeatable measurements. They are indispensable in industries where tight tolerances are the norm, such as in watchmaking or precision electronics manufacturing.
  • Inside Micrometers: Tailored to measure the internal dimensions of holes and bores, inside micrometers work in a similar principle as their outside counterparts but are adapted for confined spaces. They consist of a probe that can be extended into the hole and then calibrated to measure the diameter accurately. This is crucial for ensuring that holes are machined to the correct size, as any deviation can lead to fitting problems in assembled components.

Toolholding Devices

• Toolholders
  • Milling Toolholders: In CNC milling machines, the proper holding of milling cutters is vital. Collet chucks are a popular type of milling toolholder. They use a collet, which is a split sleeve that can contract around the shank of the cutter, providing a firm and accurate grip. This ensures that the cutter rotates in perfect alignment with the spindle and that the cutting forces are transmitted smoothly. Different collet sizes are available to accommodate various cutter shank diameters, allowing for flexibility in tool selection.
  • Lathe Toolholders: On lathes, turning tools need to be securely mounted and precisely positioned. Lathe toolholders are designed for this purpose. They attach to the lathe tool post and can be adjusted in multiple directions to optimize the cutting angle and position of the tool. This enables the machinist to achieve the best possible machining results, whether it's for facing, turning, or threading operations.
• Workholding Devices
  • Vises: One of the most commonly used workholding devices in machining shops. Mechanical vises are simple yet effective, using a screw mechanism to clamp the workpiece firmly between the jaws. They offer a good balance of clamping force and accuracy, making them suitable for a wide range of machining tasks. Hydraulic vises, on the other hand, provide even more clamping force, which can be beneficial when machining large or tough workpieces. They are also more convenient to use, as the clamping force can be adjusted with a simple lever or button.
  • Chucks: Specifically designed for lathes, chucks are essential for holding cylindrical workpieces. Three-jaw chucks are self-centering, meaning they automatically adjust to grip round workpieces evenly around the circumference. This makes them extremely convenient for quickly mounting and centering cylindrical parts. Four-jaw chucks, while more labor-intensive to use, offer greater flexibility. They can be adjusted individually to hold irregularly shaped workpieces, allowing for more diverse machining operations on the lathe.