Cutting Insert Family for Consistent Milling Diameter

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional milling cutting tools face challenges in maintaining consistent diameter and length when switching between different types of cutting inserts, leading to variations in radial cutting forces and material removal rates, particularly with long tool overhangs.

Innovation Solution

A family of cutting inserts with varying geometries, including circular and multi-edge shapes, designed to be mounted in a common toolholder, ensuring consistent outer diameter and axial length, with adjustable insert supporting surfaces and cutting edges to optimize cutting performance across different operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If circular inserts are used with high depth of cut, then material removal rate is maximized, but radial cutting forces increase causing chatter effects with long tool overhang

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial removal rateVSAvoidradial cutting forces

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the cutting insert by providing a family of inserts with different curvatures (R1, R2, R3) while maintaining the same outer diameter. This allows optimization of the leading angle and depth of cut parameters to reduce radial cutting forces while maintaining material removal rate, resolving the contradiction between productivity and force generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If different types of inserts are mounted on the toolholder, then versatility of operations is improved, but variations in diameter and length affect tool settings and consistency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation typesVSAvoiddiameter consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal family of cutting inserts that can all be mounted on the same toolholder pocket. Each insert type (different curvatures) is designed to generate the same outer diameter when rotated, allowing the toolholder to perform multiple operations (copy milling, face milling, plunging, helical interpolation) while maintaining consistent diameter and length, thus achieving versatility without sacrificing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Force

If high feed insert with reduced depth of cut is used, then radial cutting forces are reduced, but feed per tooth must be increased to maintain material removal rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradial cutting forcesVSAvoidmaterial removal rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent provides a family of inserts with progressively reduced curvatures (from circular to multi-edge shapes) that allow systematic adjustment of depth of cut and leading angle parameters. This enables optimization of feed per tooth while maintaining acceptable material removal rates and reduced radial cutting forces, resolving the trade-off between force reduction and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9149878B2Family of cutting inserts, milling cutting tool, and cutting insert

Publication Date: 2015.10.06 SECO TOOLS AB

AI summary

A family of cutting inserts includes a plurality of different inserts, each having a different geometry. Each insert of the plurality of different inserts is adapted to be mounted in a common insert-receiving pocket on a toolholder of a milling cutting tool so that an outer diameter generated by the milling cutting tool is the same, regardless which insert of the plurality of inserts is mounted in the pocket.