How to Choose and Arrange CNC Lathe Tools？
Tool selection and cutting amount determination in CNC machining are completed under human-computer interaction, which is in sharp contrast to ordinary machine tool processing. It also requires programmers to master the basic principles of tool selection and cutting amount determination. When programming fully considers the characteristics of CNC machining and can correctly select cutting tools and cutting amounts.
The selection of tools
The selection of tools is carried out in the human-computer interaction state of CNC programming. Tools and tool holders should be selected correctly based on the processing capabilities of the machine tool, the performance of the workpiece material, the processing procedures, the cutting amount, and other related factors.
The general principles for tool selection are easy installation and adjustment, good rigidity, durability, and high precision. On the premise of meeting the processing requirements, try to choose a shorter tool holder to improve the rigidity of tool processing. When selecting a tool, make sure that the size of the tool matches the surface size of the workpiece being processed.
In actual production, end mills are often used to process the peripheral contours of flat parts;
when milling flat surfaces, carbide blade milling cutters should be selected;
when processing bosses and grooves, high-speed steel end mills should be selected;
when processing rough surfaces or rough machining or drilling holes, you can choose a corn milling cutter with a carbide blade;
For processing some three-dimensional surfaces and variable bevel contours, ball end milling cutters, annular milling cutters, tapered milling cutters, and disc milling cutters are often used.
The ball-end cutter is often used for the finishing of curved surfaces. The flat-end cutter is superior to the ball-end cutter in terms of surface processing quality and cutting efficiency. Therefore, as long as the cut is ensured, the flat-end cutter should be given priority whether it is rough machining or finishing of curved surfaces.
On the machining center, various tools are installed in the tool magazine respectively, tool selection and tool change actions can be performed at any time according to the program regulations. Therefore, standard tool holders must be used so that standard tools used in drilling, boring, enlarging, milling, and other processes can be quickly and accurately mounted on the machine tool spindle or tool magazine. Programmers should understand the structural dimensions, adjustment methods, and adjustment range of the tool holders used on machine tools to determine the radial and axial dimensions of the tool when programming.
The Arrange of tools
In the processing process of economical CNC machine tools, since the sharpening, measurement, and replacement of tools are mostly done manually, which takes a long time, the arrangement of the tools must be reasonably arranged. Generally, the following principles should be followed:
1. Reduce the number of tools as much as possible;
2. After a tool is clamped, all processing steps it can perform should be completed;
3. Tools for roughing and finishing should be used separately, even if they are tools of the same size;
4. Mill first and then drill;
5. Carry out surface finishing first, and then perform two-dimensional contour finishing;
When possible, the automatic tool-changing function of CNC machine tools should be utilized as much as possible to improve production efficiency, etc.
