Composite Milling Cutter With Neutral Cutting Along Full Tool Length

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing milling tools for fiber composite materials face challenges in avoiding delamination and fiber protrusion during machining, requiring precise axial positioning and matching cutting edge lengths to workpiece thicknesses, limiting their universality and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A milling tool with a cutting edge section featuring both left- and right-facing spiral chip flutes and discrete cutting elements, where both pulling and pressing cutting edges are integrated on a common cylindrical surface, allowing neutral cutting properties regardless of axial position, enabling use across various workpiece thicknesses and extending cutting edge length for improved performance and longevity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a milling tool with pulling and pressing cutting edge areas is used, then delamination and fiber protrusion can be avoided, but precise axial positioning is required and the tool is limited to specific workpiece thicknesses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavoidance of delamination and fiber protrusionVSAvoidaxial positioning requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating alternating pressing and pulling cutting edges along the cutting edge section. Each local area has a different cutting edge configuration (pressing or pulling) to locally address the specific problem of delamination or fiber protrusion at different positions along the workpiece thickness, thereby achieving reliable machining without strict axial positioning requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting edge section is segmented into multiple discrete cutting edges with alternating pressing and pulling functions. This segmentation allows each cutting edge to independently perform its specific function (pressing or pulling) on different portions of the workpiece, eliminating the need for precise axial positioning while maintaining effectiveness across various workpiece thicknesses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the cutting edge length is matched to workpiece thickness, then effective machining is achieved, but the tool lacks universality for different workpiece thicknesses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachining effectivenessVSAvoidapplicability to various workpiece thicknesses

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves universality by designing a cutting edge section with alternating pressing and pulling cutting edges that can effectively machine workpieces of various thicknesses. The alternating pattern ensures that regardless of the workpiece thickness, there will always be appropriate pressing and pulling cutting edges engaged, making the tool universally applicable without requiring reconfiguration or precise positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The continuous alternating pattern of pressing and pulling cutting edges along the cutting edge section ensures that useful machining action is maintained continuously across the entire cutting edge length. This continuous effective action allows the tool to adapt to different workpiece thicknesses without interruption or loss of machining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If discrete cutting elements are formed by intersecting spiral chip flutes, then a large total cutting edge length is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal cutting edge lengthVSAvoidchip flute configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs spiral (curved) chip flutes instead of straight flutes to form the discrete cutting elements. The curved geometry of the intersecting spirals naturally creates the alternating pressing and pulling cutting edges while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The spiral configuration allows the cutting edges to follow a curved path that maximizes the total cutting edge length without requiring complex additional structural elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS20240024970A1Cutting tool for machining fiber composite materials

Publication Date: 2024.01.25 GUNTHER WIRTH HARTMETALLWERKZEUGE

AI summary

A cutting tool for machining fiber composite materials has clamping section and a cutting section which extend along a longitudinal axis. The cutting section has a basic cylindrical shape. First chipping flutes form left-hand spirals and second chipping flutes form right-hand spirals. Intersecting first and second chipping flutes form a plurality of discrete cutting elements on the cutting section. The cutting elements have a first circumferential cutting edge running along a left-hand spiral and a second circumferential cutting edge running along a right-hand spiral. The cutting edges run along a common enveloping cylinder surface that defines the outer circumference of the cutting section. The first and second circumferential cutting edges open into a common tip. Primary free surfaces adjoin the circumferential cutting edges in the circumferential direction and they adjoin one another along a first free surface edge.