NEW DEVELOPMENT BENCHMARKS IN MILLING

A look at recent advancements from ISCAR that will have profound impacts on the future direction of milling.

Modern milling, as a metal cutting method, originated in the late 18th century and quickly became one of the primary machining technologies. Today, it is hard to imagine any machine shop without milling machines on the shop floor, as milling remains an essential process in manufacturing.

Milling is an integral part of machining technology, driven by the increasing demands of modern manufacturing. However, specific factors uniquely influence the advancement of milling. We are witnessing significant changes in manufacturing that will have profound impacts on the future direction of milling. These changes are driven by various factors, such as the increasing accuracy of metal shaping through precision investment cutting and precision forging, the widespread adoption of 3D printing, the growing use of new composite and sintered materials, the need to enhance productivity when machining hard-to-cut superalloys and titanium grades, and the strong focus on electric and hybrid cars in the automotive industry.

In addition, advancements in multi-axis machine tools have opened new possibilities for precise machining of complex parts and have enabled the implementation of new cutting strategies to improve productivity. In modern technological processes, there is a growing tendency to significantly reduce the amount of machining stock for milling operations while simultaneously increasing the requirements for surface finish and accuracy.

Thus, the advancement of milling is driven by the need for higher productivity, greater precision, and sustainability. The key developments in milling can be characterised as follows: 1. Fast Metal Removal focuses on increasing the metal removal rate (MRR) to boost productivity by significantly increasing cutting speed or feed per tooth. This is achieved through techniques such as high-speed milling (HSM) and high-feed milling (HFM) for rough operations.