2. WHAT IS MILLING?
Milling is the machining process of using rotary
cutters to remove material from a workpiece
advancing (or feeding) in a direction at an angle
with the axis of the tool. It covers a wide
variety of different operations and machines,
on scales from small individual parts to large,
heavy-duty gang milling operations. It is one of
the most commonly used processes in industry
and machine shops today for machining parts
to precise sizes and shapes.
4. PRINCIPLE OF MILLING
MACHINE
Milling operates on the principle of rotary
motion. A milling cutter is spun about an axis
while a workpiece is advanced through it in
such a way that the blades of the cutter are
able to shave chips of material with each
pass.
6. HORIZONTAL MILLING MACHINE
Horizontal milling machine. 1: base 2:
column 3: knee 4 & 5: table (x-axis slide is
integral) 6: overarm 7: arbor (attached to
spindle)
A horizontal mill has the same sort of x–y
table, but the cutters are mounted on a
horizontal arbor across the table. Many
horizontal mills also feature a built-in
rotary table that allows milling at various
angles; this feature is called a universal
table.
7.
8. VERTICAL MILLING MACHINE
Vertical milling machine. 1: milling cutter 2:
spindle 3: top slide or overarm 4: column 5:
table 6: Y-axis slide 7: knee 8: base
In the vertical mill the spindle axis is vertically
oriented. Milling cutters are held in the spindle
and rotate on its axis. The spindle can generally
be extended (or the table can be
raised/lowered, giving the same effect),
allowing plunge cuts and drilling. There are two
subcategories of vertical mills: the bed mill and
the turret mill.
9.
10. COMPARISON:
The choice between vertical and horizontal spindle
orientation in milling machine design usually hinges
on the shape and size of a workpiece and the
number of sides of the workpiece that require
machining. Work in which the spindle's axial
movement is normal to one plane, with an endmill as
the cutter, lends itself to a vertical mill, where
the operator can stand before the machine and
have easy access to the cutting action by looking
down upon it. Thus vertical mills are most favored
for diesinking work (machining a mould into a block
of metal). Heavier and longer workpieces lend
themselves to placement on the table of a
horizontal mill.