Fresado frontal: The Complete Guide

Face milling is a type of CNC machining process that allows for various operations to manufacture components.

This article is about face milling operations, types of face milling, pros and cons, and more. If you are looking forward to learning about face milling, the guide below will greatly help.

What is Face Milling?

Face milling is a process of machining that is used to smooth and flatten the workpiece surface. The process of milling can be done through a milling machine or the machining center. This process works by having the machine perpendicular to the workpiece.

The face milling process can be automatic or manual, and the only difference between the two techniques is the feed rate. The process uses various tools for face milling, like fly cutters, shell mills, and end mills.

How Does Face Milling Work?

The process of face milling is divided into different steps, which are as follows:

Workpiece Positioning

It is very important to attach the workpiece properly to the machine table, and it should be firm enough not to slip during the process of machining.

Milling Machine Positioning

The machine’s position should also be appropriate– it should be perpendicular to the workpiece so that the top cutter can work on the workpiece.

Adjustment of Spindle Speed and Feed Rate

En speed of the spindle and feed rate is another very important consideration and they should be adjusted perfectly so that the process of cutting is carried out with precision.

Machining

Once the machine is all set, the process begins. The code is fed into the Máquina CNC, which instructs the machine to make movements, and a desired shape is created out of the workpiece.

Choosing the Right Tool for Face Milling

Appropriate tool selection is also crucial to attain the desired face-milled components, and for this, the commonly available tools are as follows:

Shell Mills

Shell mills are usually opted for face milling because they have multiple teeth and inserts on the edge.

It helps to create a consistent surface finish and also offers control over material removal. It is used for various materials, but based on how hard the machined material is, the inserts may need replacement.

End Mills

End mills help in creating intricate finishing on the workpiece. They have a cutting edge that offers high precision and can work when small pieces of material need to be removed.

However, it is not very strong, and material selection should be done based on this aspect.

Fly Cutters

Fly cutters have one cutting edge and one insert, but they do not consume much power and yet create a smooth finish. They operate at low speed and are suitable for multiple types of materials and designs.

Four Types of Face Milling Operations

There are four types of face milling operations, and these are as follows:

General Face Milling

General face milling is a process that does not cater to any specific consideration, and the angles of the face milling cutting tools in this operation are 45 degrees.

The process can be optimized by having a larger diameter than the workpiece, and the entry point must be in the center to have a thin exit chip.

Heavy Duty Face Milling

Heavy-duty face milling uses large centers of machining and uses huge materials. This process requires removing a huge amount of material, and a high horsepower is also needed.

The entering angle for this type of face milling tool is 60 degrees, and the feed rates are also low, which makes it faster to cut material.

Heavy-duty face milling releases a high amount of heat, and hence, gloves are suggested to be worn. It also releases a lot of chips, so decluttering the workspace is crucial to ensure that the inserts do not wear out easily.

High Feed Milling

High-feed milling carries out the process at high feed rates and high cutting speed.

The speed they have is mostly 1000m/min, and the low entering angles are the most suitable ones for this process. The entering angle should be around 10 degrees for the accuracy of this process.

Finishing with Wiper Inserts

When you combine the wiper inserts with the standard ones, you can enhance the finishing of your components after face milling. Wiper inserts offer surface finishing and consist of different lengths for catering to the workpiece.

Difference Between Face Milling vs. Peripheral Milling

Face milling and peripheral milling are both kinds of milling and have the basic method of machining.

They consist of a cutting tool that rotates and removes material from the workpiece to attain the desired shape. However, they do have some differences, which are as follows:

• In face milling, the machining center is perpendicular to the workpiece, whereas, in the peripheral, it is parallel to the workpiece.
• In face milling, the cutting tool carries out the process of milling, but in peripheral milling, the sides also work with the upper tool.
• Face milling can be carried out using horizontal and vertical spindles, whereas peripheral milling can only be carried out using horizontal spindles.
• Face milling is suitable for removing small chips of material from the workpiece and adding surface finishing, whereas peripheral machining can also remove the larger part of the workpiece.
• Face milling tools have cutting edges on the face as well as the sides; peripheral milling has edges on the sides only for cutting.

Pros and Cons of Face Milling

The process of face milling has some pros and cons, which are as follows:

Pros

• The process of face milling offers efficiency for finishing flat workpieces, and the diameter of the cutters is large enough to reduce time for machining.
• The finishing attained by opting for face milling on flat surfaces is excellent, and hence, it can be opted for surface finishing.
• It uses cutting inserts, which can be replaced, and hence, the lifespan of the tool increases and the downtime of replacement decreases.

Contras

• Face milling is a process that machines the flat surface and cannot be opted for complex geometrical components.
• A rigid setup of the machine is needed because its cutting forces are large and even its size.
• Face milling requires a high initial investment, especially when the models with replacement inserts are opted for.

Applications of Face Milling

Face milling is used for various workpieces which are used in different applications, and some of these are as follows:

• It is used to smooth the surface of components so that they can be processed further, like metal sheets that can be prepared to be painted or coated.
• Face milling offers surface leveling and ensures that a surface has attained a uniform level; for example, the machinery’s foundation needs to be flat.
• Workpiece formatting is also achieved with the help of face milling, where different sizes and shapes can be created, and this is used in engine blocks which need precise dimensions.
• It allows for deriving unique patterns of decorative panels on different surfaces.
• The edges of metal parts can also be finished through face milling.

Practical Tips to Optimize Face Milling Processes

In order to optimize the process of face milling, some of the tips that you must follow are as follows:

• The selected tool for the process of face milling should be suitable based on your workpiece and design requirements so that you can attain productivity and smooth surfaces.
• Face milling should have a separate setup from the other machining processes so that each process has its own accuracy.
• In face milling, the technical parameters need to be adjusted; the feed per revolution, depth of cut, etc., are considerations that must be accurate from the start.
• Never use dull cutting tools; always use sharp tools so that they do not break and give you accurate cuts.

Conclusión

Face milling allows you to have highly finished flat surfaces. If you are looking to have face milling services for your components, you can contact us at DEK.

We have an experienced team with a wide range of equipment to do face milling based on your custom requirements.