Ball Race Mill Cutting Insert with Positively Leading Tip

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ball track milling cutters and cutting inserts have a short service life, leading to frequent replacements and reduced dimensional accuracy, resulting in increased costs and downtime.

Innovation Solution

A cutting insert design with a positively leading tip for better force distribution along the cutting edges, combined with a stable holder configuration that optimally supports the insert, allowing for lower force concentration on individual points and improved force absorption, thereby extending the service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If the cutting insert design uses conventional cutting edges without a positively leading tip, then the structure is simpler, but the force distribution is poor leading to shorter service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of cutting insertVSAvoidcutting insert structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting insert features a positively leading tip with a rounded contour instead of a sharp point, creating a curved force distribution path. This curvature allows forces to be distributed along the rounded tip geometry rather than concentrated at a single point, extending the service life while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The positively leading tip is specifically designed with enhanced geometric properties at the critical cutting point, while the rest of the insert maintains conventional simple geometry. This localized quality enhancement improves force distribution precisely where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire insert structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Duration of action of moving object

If the main cutting edge is made longer to improve force distribution, then force distribution improves and service life increases, but the cutting edge geometry becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of cutting insertVSAvoidcutting edge geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The main cutting edge is extended and configured with a positively leading tip that creates a curved force distribution path. This curvature allows the longer cutting edge to distribute forces more effectively along its length, improving service life while the curved geometry itself remains relatively simple to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Duration of action of moving object

If the cutting insert is held less stably in the holder, then the holder structure is simpler, but force absorption is poor leading to reduced service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of cutting insertVSAvoidholder structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder features support surfaces with specific local geometric properties at the contact points with the cutting insert. These localized support features are designed to optimize force absorption and insert stability, while the rest of the holder structure remains relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2268438B1Ball race mill and cutting insert for the same
Publication Date: 2012.05.09 HARTMETALL WERKZEUGFAB PAUL HORN
  • EP2268438B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2268438B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP2268438B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C

AI summary

The invention relates to a ball race mill (1) and a cutting insert (7) for a ball race mill (1). In order to extend the service life of such a cutting insert (7), a cutting insert is proposed having a flat base surface (71), a cover surface (72) opposite the flat base surface, circumferential edge surfaces (73) connecting the base surface (71) and the cover surface (72) to each other, and cutting edges (74, 75) at least partially on the lines of intersection between the cover surface (72) and the edge surfaces (73), wherein the cutting edges (74, 75) comprise at least one main cutter (74) and a secondary cutter (75) extending along straight cutting edge lines (76) to a point (77) at a cutting edge angle (a) in the range from 60° to 120°, said lines extending at a rise angle (ß) in the range from 10° to 80° toward the point (77) relative to the base surface (71), and wherein the point edge (78) connecting the point (77) to the base surface (71) extends at a point edge angle (?) of greater than 90° relative to the base surface (71).