Balancing of the transversal cutting force for pocket milling cutters: application for roughing a magnesium-rare earth alloy

Removing material efficiently in end milling usually involves taking a width of cut equal to the cutter diameter, i.e., to mill in full slotting as much as possible. However, in this case, end mills are very sensitive to the effects of cutting forces. Cutter deflection and vibrations may become limiting factors, especially at high machining rates and with long overhangs. To overcome these constraints, a new machining method to end mill workpieces can be considered. It is called “balancing of the transversal cutting force” (BotTCF). Indeed, this new machining method allows us to reduce deflection and vibrations and can therefore increase productivity. All the existing studies have used toroidal cutters with round inserts. Hence, the present study will focus on the application of the BotTCF to pocket milling cutters, considering their much more complex geometry. The goal is to determine the optimal inclination of the cutter axis, so as to minimize the transversal cutting force. In order to find this optimal inclination, a new cutting force model has been developed tailored to the pocket milling cutters. Then the BotTCF methodology has been applied to this type of cutter. An experimental validation has been carried out, and results validate the overall approach.