Technical Articles & Application Tips

DAPRA "Tech Tips"

Feature Articles & White Papers

Solving the Roughing Equation: To make a good choice between square-shoulder cutters and button cutters for your roughing operation, keep their strengths and limitations in mind
Looking at your next project, you evaluate the material removal required on the job. The workpiece requires extensive roughing, with complex surfaces and shapes remaining for finish machining. Your machine has oodles of horsepower, but not exactly industry-leading feed capability. The question on your mind at this point is: "How can I rough this part without losing valuable time or creating extra work in the finishing process?"
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Appeared in Manufacturing Engineering®, July 2004 – Manufacturing Engineering®; copyright by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, used with permission.
The Case for Copy Milling Cutters: The round-insert "button cutter" can bring a high metal removal rate to a low horsepower machining center.
The work of indexable milling tools is often accompanied by vibration that is a familiar sound — and a familiar feel — in many shops. When these tools are run at heavy depths of cut to achieve high metal removal rates, the productivity may come at the expense of the corner of the cutting tool and the life span of the machine. One alternative that can provide a smoother cut, in addition to many expanded capabilities, is the copy mill. "Button cutter" is another name for this type of tool.
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Appeared in Modern Machine Shop, Oct. 2002
Using Helical Interpolation to Make Larger-Diameter Holes
Producing a large-diameter hole is a common application for many shops, and there are numerous methods that can be used to achieve the end result. However, there are often numerous obstacles to completing the process cost-effectively. Horsepower consumption is frequently a concern in these types of applications, especially on the more common 20 horsepower and below machine tools. These machines are capable of high speeds and feeds, but rigidity is sacrificed to the extent necessary to accomplish the quick movements. Using conventional means, making large-diameter holes is hard on the machine tool and the cutting tools involved. This fact has created the demand for a smoother method of making these holes that stays within the cycle times necessary to be competitive. EWT Incorporated (Rockford, IL) has dramatically improved its hole-making capabilities utilizing helical interpolation. The concept was introduced to them by Dapra Corporation (Bloomfield, CT) in an effort to improve cycle times on a new part.
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Appeared in Modern Machine Shop, May 2001