With thousands of CNC tool types and variations available, it's impractical to cover every option in detail. Instead, we'll focus on some of the most frequently used CNC tools.
First, it's important to distinguish between milling tools and drill tools. Milling tools, such as end mills, face mills, and V-bits, cut laterally through materials using their edges. In contrast, drill bits are designed for creating holes by plunging straight into the material.
End Mill
End mills cut with their edges along the circumference of the tool, and some also have cutting edges on the end surface. While center-cutting end mills can plunge straight down, this operation can be demanding and should be minimized if possible.
Flat End Mill
Featuring a nearly 90-degree angle between its circumference and end surface, a flat end mill creates clean, square corners and flat surfaces. It is ideal for removing large amounts of material and is commonly used for tasks such as roughing, cutting pockets, and 2D contours.
Ball-Nose End Mill
A ball-nose end mill features a rounded cutting edge on both its circumference and end surface, with the radius of this curve matching the cutting radius (half of the cutting diameter). These mills are ideal for crafting detailed 3D shapes and contours, such as relief work.
Bull-Nose End Mill
Bull-nose end mills serve as an intermediate option between flat and ball-nose end mills. Their round corner has a smaller radius than the cutting radius, allowing them to perform both flat-bottomed cuts and rounded corners simultaneously without needing to switch tools.
Roughing End Mill
Roughing end mills feature serrated cutting edges designed to rapidly break up chips, making them highly effective for quickly removing large amounts of material. However, they tend to produce a rough surface finish, often leaving behind a textured, corncob-like pattern. Due to this, they are best used for the initial roughing stages rather than for finishing work.
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Face Mill
Face mills are engineered to cut with the edges on the end surface of the tool. Typically equipped with multiple replaceable cutting edges, they enable the removal of larger amounts of material at higher speeds.
To operate effectively, face mills require robust spindles. They are primarily used to create a large, smooth, flat surface on plate or bar workpieces.
V-Bit
V-bits, or chamfer mills, are ideal for chamfering, deburring edges, and engraving letters. However, they are less effective for cutting profiles or carving pockets as they leave a sloped surface on the workpiece.
V-bits come in various sizes and angles, with 90, 60, and 30 degrees being the most common. A smaller angle typically corresponds to a smaller cutting diameter, enabling shallower cuts with finer detail. Conversely, a larger angle allows for a wider cutting diameter and deeper cuts.
Drill Bit
Drill bits are designed for boring straight into materials with their pointed tips. Unlike milling tools, their flutes primarily serve to channel chips away from the cutting area. Drill bits are commonly used for pre-drilling holes for screws.
