Face Mill Coolant Passage Layout for Chip Evacuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional cutting tool assemblies face challenges in efficiently distributing coolant to the cutting area, leading to inadequate cooling and chip evacuation, which results in reduced tool life, lower machining speeds, and poor surface finish.

Innovation Solution

The cutting tool assembly includes a tool holder with a central coolant passage and sleeve coolant passages, and a face mill with radially spaced teeth and gaps, where coolant flows through the passages and sprays out of openings at the gaps, enhancing coolant distribution and chip evacuation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional cutting tool assemblies use conventional coolant distribution methods, then the structure is simple, but coolant distribution efficiency is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcoolant distribution efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The coolant delivery system is segmented into multiple independent passages: a central coolant passage in the elongate body and multiple sleeve coolant passages in the sleeve. Each passage delivers coolant to different locations, with the sleeve passages distributing coolant through openings at the distal end and the central passage delivering coolant to the face mill. This segmentation enables efficient coolant distribution to multiple cutting zones simultaneously while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional cutting tool assemblies use conventional coolant distribution methods, then the structure is simple, but chip evacuation is ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidchip evacuation effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve coolant passages are positioned to deliver coolant locally at the distal end of the sleeve through multiple openings, creating localized cooling zones exactly where chips are generated. This local quality approach ensures that coolant is delivered precisely to the cutting edges and chip formation zones, enabling effective chip evacuation while maintaining overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Duration of action of moving object

If coolant flow is insufficient, then tool life is reduced, but increasing coolant flow requires complex distribution systems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool lifeVSAvoidcoolant distribution system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the coolant delivery function into the existing tool holder structure by integrating coolant passages directly into the elongate body and sleeve components. The central coolant passage and sleeve coolant passages work together as a unified system, eliminating the need for separate external cooling mechanisms. This merging ensures sufficient coolant flow to extend tool life while avoiding additional system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Productivity

If machining speeds are increased, then productivity improves, but inadequate cooling reduces tool integrity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachining speedVSAvoidtool integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coolant passages are designed to deliver coolant to the cutting zones before the actual cutting action occurs at each point along the tool path. The central coolant passage and sleeve coolant passages work together to pre-cool the cutting edges and evacuate chips proactively, ensuring tool integrity is maintained even at high machining speeds where heat generation is intense.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design ensures efficient coolant flow and effective chip evacuation, leading to improved tool life, increased machining speeds, and better surface finishes, while maintaining the workpiece temperature at or below a threshold.

Implementation Method 1

Coolant is to flow through the central coolant passage and the face mill coolant passages and spray out of the openings at the corresponding gaps

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

coolant to maintain tool integrity, control temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

facilitate chip removal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid drag: Drag

Implementation Method 4

spray out of the openings at the corresponding gaps

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS20250091141A1Cutting Tool Assemblies, Face Mills, and Related Methods

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 ENGIS CORP

AI summary

Cutting tool assemblies, end mills, and related methods are disclosed. In accordance with an implementation, a face mill includes a cylindrical body including a central bore, a plurality of face mill coolant passages fluidly coupled to the central bore, and a cutting face. The cutting face includes a plurality of radially spaced teeth and gaps between the teeth. Each face mill coolant passage includes an opening at a corresponding gap.