Mapal offers the EcoFeed-Rapid as a fast, accurate machining solution for aluminium. Feedrate is directly related to the number of teeth on the cutter. For this reason, the cutters boast a larger number of teeth than their conventional counterparts – 125 mm diameter cutters, for example, have as many as 28 teeth. In addition, they have lightweight, high strength aluminium bodies to maximise spindle speeds. This means that if a 125 mm cutter is used at a spindle speed of 15,000 min-1, and the feed per tooth is set to 0.15 mm, a rate of 63,000 mm per minute will be achieved.
The EcoFeed-Rapid cutters' high feedrate performance is sustained by exploiting Mapal's proven EcoFeed principle, with inserts in the form of milling cartridges securely fixed and located by high precision dovetail guides. This means that no additional elements are needed for clamping the cartridges and that the exact positioning of the inserts in the tool body is maintained throughout the life of the tool.
This clamping arrangement also makes it easy to change the milling cartridges, while radially accessible wedge-shaped adjusting elements with axial run-out enable setting to micrometre accuracy.
PCD milling cartridges for the EcoFeed-Rapid face milling cutters are designed for cutting depths in the range 1.0 to 1.5 mm and are available in shoulder, face and wide-face milling versions. Standard cutters range in size from 63 mm diameter versions with 14 teeth up to 200 mm diameter versions with 44 teeth.
To complement the cutters, Mapal offers an optional milling head management service for the correct reconditioning of milling heads at the end of the tool life.