Abstract
This article considers the use of additive manufacturing to produce cutting tools for various machining operations, especially turning, milling, and drilling. The right geometry and material of the tool as well as coatings applied on cutting edges are crucial as they improve the life and performance of the tool. The study described here focused on a four-flute end mill made of maraging steel 1.2709 using a Concept Laser M2 Cusing Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) machine. Before the printed tool was first used, it was examined to determine its dimensional and geometric accuracy, surface roughness, and surface structure. The measurement data showed that the tool required machining, e.g., grinding, to improve its geometry because the total runout of the shank and the cutting edge radius were too high, amounting to 120 μm and 217 μm, respectively. The cutting edges were sharpened to obtain a fully functional cutting tool ready to perform milling operations. The study aimed to check the dimensional and geometric accuracy of the 3D printed milling cutter and determine the optimal machining allowance for its finishing.
Highlights
Additive manufacturing, known as 3D printing, is an umbrella term for methods that involve layer-by-layer fabrication of objects
The results presented here will hopefully contribute to the development of a new enhanced 3D printing method for fabricating cutting tools, even on a mass scale
The amounts of the elements making up the print material fell within standard ranges; the only differences were observed for sulfur and silicon
Summary
Known as 3D printing, is an umbrella term for methods that involve layer-by-layer fabrication of objects. They have a relatively short history, with some of them being developed in the 1980s, there has been much progress in the field so far. Many different 3D printing technologies have emerged over the years, enabling the use of a wide range of materials. The most popular additive manufacturing methods include stereolithography (SLA) [1], fused deposition modeling (FDM), called fused filament fabrication or filament freeform fabrication (FFF) [2], selective laser sintering (SLS) [3], laminated object manufacturing (LOM) [4], and 3D printing [5]. Analyzing the patent literature on the subject, one can find numerous ideas protected by copyright concerning, for example, the support material or the way it is removed [6]
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