Sandvik Coromant’s new end mills enhance titanium finishing - Aerospace customers will benefit from light cutting 50° helix angle

Aerospace is one of the most technically demanding industries in the world. With difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium, exacting specifications and constant time constraints, there is ongoing demand for technology solutions that can help optimize the cutting process. Many structural parts of aircraft frames are made from titanium alloys, and a large number, including landing gear beams, wing boxes, pylon brackets, wing ribs and flap/slat tracks, feature extensive pocketing operations.

The CoroMill Plura standard range has been developed to cover typical lengths and radii for pocketing in three- and five-axis milling applications, however, the specialized nature of titanium alloys (which have poor machineability compared to general steels) has led Sandvik Coromant to develop a new solid carbide end mill solution that relies on a 50° helix angle to minimize cutting forces and produce the necessary small chips required for successful finishing operations.

Pitched at titanium alloys up to 48 HRc, the new cutters are ideal for finishing deep pockets with corner radii. Other technical features include a neck for best reach, extra length 5xD with 6.35 mm radius (1/4 inch) and variable flute depth depending on the application. Available in GC1620, a reliable solid carbide grade, the new end mills offer a multi-layered PVD coating for long tool life at high cutting data on ISO S and ISO M application area materials.
For instance, tests demonstrate that when finish machining titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V with the new CoroMill Plura cutters, a tool life of 94 minutes can be achieved at a cutting depth of 0.5 mm, a cutting speed of 120 m/min and a feed rate of 0.1 mm/rev.

The cutters are available in diameters from 4 mm up to 20 mm.