Shell End Mill Body for Double-Sided Insert Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shell end mills with complex designs and multiple chip discharge flutes are expensive, leading to high machining costs due to the need for multiple cutting inserts and receptacles, which increases tool costs and machining expenses.
Innovation Solution
The tool body features a flute transition between the base and contact surfaces, allowing for double-sided cutting inserts with increased cutting edges, reducing the number of required inserts and receptacles, and incorporates chip guiding grooves and coolant outlet openings for efficient chip evacuation and cooling, thereby enhancing cost-effectiveness and cutting performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If single-sided cutting inserts are used in conventional shell end mills, then the tool structure is simple, but the number of cutting edges per insert is limited to four, requiring more inserts and increasing tool cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from single-sided to double-sided cutting inserts, utilizing both sides of the insert for cutting operations. This dimensional change in usage (from one side to two sides) effectively doubles the number of cutting edges per insert from four to eight, reducing the total number of inserts needed while maintaining structural simplicity
2Productivity
If double-sided cutting inserts are used, then the number of cutting edges increases to eight per insert, but the transition between base surface and contact surface creates a physical edge that contacts the tool body, interfering with precise positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the problematic physical edge at the transition between the base surface and the first contact surface by creating a flute (recess) at this transition. This extraction of the interfering edge eliminates the contact between the cutting insert's non-cutting side and the tool body, allowing precise positioning while maintaining double-sided insert functionality
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional chip discharge flutes are used, then chip evacuation is achieved, but the design becomes complex and expensive with multiple receptacles and cutting inserts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of multiple single-sided cutting inserts into fewer double-sided cutting inserts. By utilizing both sides of each insert, the same chip evacuation capability is achieved with half the number of inserts, thereby reducing tool complexity and cost while maintaining effective chip discharge
Data Source
AI summary
A tool body (12) for a shell end mill (10) is described with at least one helical chip guiding groove (24) arranged at the circumference of the tool body (12) for chip dissipation and at least two receptacles (28) for indexable cutting inserts (26) arranged at the chip guiding groove (24). In this case, the receptacles (28) each comprise a base surface having a bore for receiving an indexable cutting insert fastening screw (34) and at least one first abutment surface adjacent to the base surface. The transition between the base surface and the first contact surface is a groove. In addition, a cutting tool is described with such a tool body, wherein a two-sided indexable cutting insert (26) is attached in each receptacle (28).