Design for variable pitch end mills with high milling stability

Abstract

The strong demand for increasing productivity and workpiece quality in milling process makes the machine–tool system operate close to the limit of its dynamic stability. Besides predicting accurately chatter stability, it is required that some optimizations should be conducted, e.g., cutter structure, for improving the dynamic stability limits. Milling cutters with variable pitch angles can be very effective in improving stability against chatter for certain speed ranges, which will be predicted by the model presented here. The present paper deals with the design of structural geometry of variable pitch end mills in detail. Based on the analysis of tooth engagement factor, which is expressed and extended in the paper, an approach is proposed to design variable pitch end mill with high milling stability. The certain speed ranges with high milling stability are given. An example of the design of variable pitch end mills is illustrated to demonstrate the validity of this method.