Milling Tool Cooling Channels for Continuous Cutting-Edge Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing milling tools experience premature tool fatigue due to insufficient cooling, leading to temperature shocks and cracking, especially when cooling is not continuous during material processing.

Innovation Solution

A milling tool design featuring a shank with fluidly connected cooling channels, where coolant is directed to outlet openings facing the cutting edges, ensuring targeted cooling, and potentially using additive manufacturing for complex coolant channel geometries and internal cavities to reduce material consumption and weight while maintaining stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cooling channels are drilled radially outwardly with outlet openings facing cutting edges, then cooling effect is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectVSAvoidcoolant channel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of drilling cooling channels radially outwardly from the center to the periphery, the patent inverts the approach by introducing coolant axially from the shank through the profile body, with outlet openings on the face side. This reversal of the traditional cooling channel configuration simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining effective cooling of the cutting edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from radial cooling channel configuration to axial cooling channel configuration, changing the dimension of coolant flow from radial outward to axial through the profile body. This dimensional change enables simpler manufacturing while still achieving targeted cooling at the cutting edges through the face-side outlet openings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If additive manufacturing is used for complex coolant channel geometries, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but manufacturing precision may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoolant channel geometryVSAvoidcoolant channel dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines traditional precision drilling methods for the axial cooling channel in the shank with additive manufacturing for the complex profile body geometry. This hybrid approach merges the precision of conventional machining with the flexibility of additive manufacturing, achieving both manufacturing flexibility and dimensional precision in the cooling channel system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Weight of moving object

If internal cavities are created to reduce material consumption, then weight is reduced, but structural strength may decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool weightVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating internal cavities in specific non-critical areas of the profile body while maintaining solid, strong structures in load-bearing regions. The additive manufacturing process enables selective placement of material, providing structural strength where needed and reducing weight in areas where material can be removed without compromising overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

The design provides efficient cooling, extending tool service life by maintaining continuous coolant flow directly to cutting edges, reducing temperature fluctuations and preventing cracking.

Implementation Method 1

a first cooling channel (10) which runs in the shank (4) at least in sections along the axis of rotation (T)... efficient cooling, extending tool service life by maintaining continuous coolant flow directly to cutting edges

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The milling tool is designed in such a way that coolant enters the first cooling channel on the shaft side and is conducted through the first cooling channel into the second cooling channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3791982A1Milling tool with cooling channels
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 FREN GMBH CO KG FAB FUR PRAZISIONSWERKZEUGE
  • EP3791982A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2d
  • EP3791982A1 patent drawingFigure 2e~5
  • EP3791982A1 patent drawingFigure 6a~6h

AI summary

The invention relates to a milling tool (2) comprising a shank (4) with an axis of rotation (T) and a profile body (6), wherein the profile body (6) has at least one cutting edge (8, 9), a first cooling channel (10) and a second cooling channel (12), wherein the first cooling channel (10) extends at least partially along the axis of rotation (T) in the shank (4), wherein the first cooling channel (10) and the second cooling channel (12) are fluid-connected, and wherein the second cooling channel (12) has at least one first outlet opening (20), the outlet opening surface of the first outlet opening (20) being opposite the cutting edge (8, 9). The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing such a milling tool.