LMT face milling cutter suits low power spindles

Available in 50, 63, 80, 100 and 125 mm diameter cutter bodies, each has been designed to maximise the area of contact between the tool body and the indexable insert to provide high security when machining. When incorporated with LMT's premium grade TiALN coated LC440T insert, which is especially effective on stainless steel, when surface hardening and high viscosity of the material can lead to a build-up of torque in the spindle motor during machining, the smoother cutting action of the LMT cutter body and insert reduces any feedback of stress into the insert. In addition, the advanced chip flow capability of the tool set up helps overcome the influence of the poor conductor of heat characteristic of stainless steel which can reduce tool life and hence productivity. Called in by an offshore wind turbine component and pump manufacturer to improve an application using an 80 mm face mill to machine a stainless steel housing that could only achieve a cutting speed of 200 m/min with a feed per tooth of 0.1 mm/rev, LMT replaced the cutter with an 80 mm MultiEdge VA FM V45. The cutter body was set up with six LC440T inserts and the cutting speed immediately raised to 250 m/min and the feed rate per tooth increased to 0.22 mm/rev, which more than doubled the overall feed rate to 1,313 mm/min. In addition, the combination of the LMT cutter body and insert enabled the in-cut life of the insert to be doubled with a substantial reduction in noise due to the smoother cutting action.