TABLE OF CONTENTS Face milling is a machining operation that controls the height of the machined part. For most applications, face milling is a relatively simple operation, at least in the sense that it usually does not include any difficult contouring motions. The cutting tool used for face milling is typically a multi tooth cutter, called a face mill, although end mills may also be used for certain face milling operations, usually within small areas. The top surfaces machined with a face mill are generally perpendicular to the axis of the facing cutter. In CNC programming, the face milling operations are fairly simple, although two important considerations are critical:
Selection of the cutter diameter
Initial starting position of the tool in relation to the part
It helps to have some experience and knowledge of face milling principles, such as the right cutter and insert selection, distribution of cuts, machine power consumption, and several other technical considerations. Some of the basic ones are covered in this chapter, but manufacturers' tooling catalogues and various technical references will be a more in-depth source.
Like all milling operations, face milling employs a cutting tool that rotates while the part remains stationary. Face milling requires that a specific amount of material be removed from the top of part, at one or several depth levels, in a single cut or multiple cuts. The programming for face milling is so effortless that, in fact, many programmers do not pay sufficient attention to proper selection of the...
