Modular Milling Tool Cassettes for Versatile Insert Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Milling tools for chip removing machining face challenges in achieving cost efficiency and versatility without compromising the strength of the tool body, particularly when using wiper inserts or cutting edges made of cubic boron nitride (CBN) or polycrystalline diamond (PCD), as they require more material and have fewer index positions.
Innovation Solution
A milling tool kit comprising a tool body and a cassette that allows detachable mounting of cassettes and cutting inserts in insert seats, enabling the same tool body to be used for various operations, including face milling and ramping, with reduced material usage by using smaller inserts and adjustable cassettes made of steel for enhanced versatility and cost efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wiper inserts or CBN/PCD cutting edges are used, then surface finishing quality and cutting performance are improved, but material costs and insert size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting tool is divided into modular components: a reusable tool body and replaceable inserts. Wiper inserts and CBN/PCD inserts can be separately selected and mounted based on specific machining requirements, allowing optimization of material usage for each function without requiring the entire tool to be made of expensive materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool body is designed with universal mounting interfaces that can accommodate different types of inserts (chip removing, wiper, CBN, PCD) in the same insert seat. This multi-functionality allows a single tool body to perform various machining operations with different insert types, reducing the need for multiple specialized tools and minimizing overall material consumption.
2Power
If specialized inserts with fewer index positions are used, then cutting performance for specific materials is improved, but insert service life and versatility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The insert seating system allows dynamic reconfiguration by enabling the replacement of specialized inserts (with fewer index positions) with standard multi-index inserts when high cutting performance is not required. This dynamic adaptability optimizes the balance between cutting performance and service life based on actual machining conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different insert types with varying numbers of index positions can be selected based on machining parameters such as material hardness, required surface finish, and production volume. For soft materials or low-volume production, inserts with more index positions extend service life, while for hard materials or high-performance requirements, specialized inserts provide optimal cutting capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized inserts are mounted directly in the tool body, then functionality is improved, but tool body strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The tool system is segmented into a strong, rigid tool body and separate, replaceable insert modules. This segmentation allows the tool body to maintain its structural integrity and strength while the functional versatility is achieved through the variety of interchangeable inserts that can be mounted in standardized seats, without requiring the tool body itself to be weakened or over-designed.
4Manufacturing precision
If larger wiper inserts are used, then surface finishing capability is improved, but material consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper function is extracted as a separate, dedicated insert type that can be mounted only when surface finishing is required. This allows the main chip removing inserts to be optimized for material removal efficiency with minimal material, while the wiper insert provides the necessary surface finish capability only when needed, minimizing overall material consumption across the tool's operational lifecycle.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A tool body (2) and at least one cassette (200) for a milling tool (1), wherein the tool body comprises at least two identical insert seats (6), wherein each insert seat is configured to support a cutting insert (100) adapted to be mounted therein, a bottom contact surface (8) and at least one side contact surface (9a, 9b) being provided in each insert seat (6) for supporting a bottom support surface (108) and at least one side support surface (109a, 109b) of the cutting insert (100), respectively. The cassette has a peripheral side surface (203) comprising at least one side support surface, and at least one insert seat configured to support a cutting insert (300) is formed in a transition between an upper side (201) and the peripheral side surface (203). The at least one side support surface and a bottom support surface (208) of the cassette are configured to be supported by the at least one contact surfaces of any one of the insert seats of the tool body, so that the cassette is configured to be detachably mounted in any one of the identical insert seats of the tool body.