What are milling inserts? - Lindberg Process Equipment

05 Jun.,2025

 

What are milling inserts? - Lindberg Process Equipment

Milling is the manufacturing of metal products using inserts to remove material from a workpiece. The variety of shapes and sizes determines the cutting or removal of these materials from the object. This is why the quality of inserts are as important to the machinery as well as the workpiece.

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Most beautifully finished metal products that are available for everyday use or production have been smoothed or finished by a metal milling insert. Milling inserts are replaceable bits that are used to machine tough some of the toughest materials. Some of the materials that they shape or cut are steel, stainless steel, cast iron, non-ferrous materials, Titanium, hardened steel, and plastic.

These inserts are generally made of carbide, which allows them to be durable at extremely high temperatures and during high-speed applications for tasks such as drilling, hole making, finishing, etc.

Once limited to basic shapes, optimizations by manufacturers now allow for a wide variety of milling insert geometric styles that are referred to as elliptical, frustum and helical. Each shape is specific in size, figure, and tolerance determined by the temperatures, elements, and manufacturing task that are required of it.

Some features that will be important to consider when purchasing inserts are:

  • Shape
  • Teeth, which actually cuts the material
  • Flutes, which are the grooves between the teeth
  • Coating, which impacts the cutting process and tool life

What are the benefits of inserts?

There is a monumental amount of force placed on a milling insert while it’s at work. This use of an insert will:

  • Ensure safe and precise machining
  • Provide high metal removal rates in challenging conditions
  • Increase tool life
  • Provide reliable performance in dry and wet machining

Why should you choose Kennametal?

With over 75 years of experience, Kennametal’s carbide inserts are top notch, industry tooling favorites. Strong and rigid, their cutting tools or more specifically, milling inserts, allow for faster machining, leave better finishes on metal parts, and withstand higher temperatures as well as speeds.

Proof of it’s a trustworthy name and innovative products, Kennametal recently introduced noteworthy upgrades to their products. An example of this is their recent switch from alloy steels to pH stainless steels. Second, through the use of advanced insert mounting where the surrounding carbide body actually protected the drill body, differentiating them from the competition.

Are you interested in learning more about Milling Inserts? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

A well known a supplier of tooling and industrial materials, Kennametal guarantees outstanding performance in extreme conditions. Their services cover almost every manufacturing process making them a reliable name around the globe.

Understanding Milling Cutters with Inserts for Face Milling - Jaibros

Milling cutters with inserts are widely used in various industries, including the automotive industry, for face milling applications. One of the main uses of these cutters is to create surfaces on engine blocks. Tool manufacturers like Sandvik Coromant even offer specific tools for engine block face milling, such as auto cutters.

The number of inserts on a face milling cutter is directly proportional to the working feed, which means that more inserts allow for faster cutting. However, a higher number of inserts also leads to higher machining forces, which can cause vibration and poor surface finish or tolerances. Therefore, it is important to consider the strength of the fixture or machine spindle when selecting a cutter with the appropriate number of inserts to avoid excessive cutting forces.

Two important cutting data in milling are diagonal engagement (ae) and depth of cut (ap). Diagonal engagement represents the portion of the cutter that is engaged with the workpiece diagonally, while depth of cut shows the engagement of the cutter along its axis or length. Another important feature of a face mill is the entering angle, which is the angle between the insert cutting edge and the workpiece. Different entering angles, such as 45 and 90 degrees, are available for different applications.

When the entering angle is small, for example, 10 degrees, the entry and exit from the workpiece are more gradual and smooth, and milling diagonal forces are lower. This allows for higher feed rates, making high-feed face milling cutters ideal for small entering angles. On the other hand, 45 degree angle cutters are considered general-purpose cutters, and 90 degrees entering angle face mills are used to make right angle edges or steps.

Wiper inserts are another type of insert that can be used in face milling cutters. Wiper inserts have a larger cutting edge compared to standard inserts, which can result in increased machining forces. However, they can also provide better surface finishes or allow for higher cutting feed rates. Wiper inserts are not limited to face milling cutters and can also be used in turning applications. For example, they can be useful in turning gearbox components made from low carbon steels to improve chip breaking and increase feed rates.

There are also face milling cutters that use round inserts, which have a strong cutting edge and are suitable for machining tough materials such as stainless steel and super alloys. Some inserts, whether in turning or milling, are coated with layers of ceramics to increase their wear resistance and temperature resistance. Common coating materials include titanium carbide (TiC), titanium nitride (TiN), aluminum oxide (AL2O3), and titanium carbon nitride (TiCN).

Coating thicknesses depend on the coating process and can range from two to twelve micrometers. There are two main types of coating processes for inserts: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). CVD coating is done through chemical reactions of gases, while PVD coating is done by depositing gases over the tool. PVD coatings are generally thinner compared to CVD coatings and are preferred for tools that require sharp cutting edges or low cutting forces, such as end mills, drills, or turning inserts for heat-resistant super alloys. On the other hand, CVD-coated inserts are usually thicker and offer higher wear resistance. The type of coating also affects coolant usage, with PVD coatings being more preferable when coolant is used.

Understanding the different types of milling cutters with inserts and their applications, as well as the factors to consider when selecting the appropriate cutter, can greatly impact the success and efficiency of face milling operations. Careful consideration of factors such as the number of inserts, entering angle, and type of coating can help achieve desired results in terms of cutting performance

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