Running .015" endmill on Haas...

[spin-tek]

The smallest endmill I've ever ran on our Haas is about .031, using an endmill holder. I've got an aluminum job in a few weeks that requires a .015" endmill for some pocket that's .035 deep. Would there be a problem using an endmill holder for an endmill that small? My max rpm on the machine is 7500.

 

[Atomkinder]

The smallest endmill I've ever ran on our Haas is about .031, using an endmill holder. I've got an aluminum job in a few weeks that requires a .015" endmill for some pocket that's .035 deep. Would there be a problem using an endmill holder for an endmill that small? My max rpm on the machine is 7500.

I've never run anything smaller than a 1/32" EM either, but I'd put it in a collet and do your damnedest to eliminate runout. By end mill holder do you mean a solid holder, IE the type with a set screw?

 

[TwnFinn]

Just making sure you have double checked with the customer / engineer that they really need that radius and its not there because that what seemed to look good for the guy drawing it? If yes in our place this would go to EDM but would like to hear if you can make it work.

 

[Eric U]

I would not run an endmill that small in an endmill holder. Runout will kill it. I've run 0.015" endmills in my Haas (7500 spindle), but in ER collets. Even then, you need to check runout or you will be buying a lot of endmills. I only went .010" deep, but in Ti 6Al-4V. I did break one endmill, but only one.

Eric U

 

[Joec@westminster]

Running an em that small with your rpm limitation will be a challenge but doable so long as you match the recommended sfm for the cutter/material. It will be slow going and I recommend using air to evacuate the chips rather than flood coolant.

I regularly cut with .015 cutters but I have a 30k spindle so it is not much of a challenge. The smallest I have successfully run in a hardmill application is .0078 dia. approximately .02 deep and .005 dia. in graphite.

Good luck,
Joe

 

[jtaylor]

Use a Big/Kaiser ERC-16 collet

Our testing for a very precise, but reloadable, optical targeting system showed that they had an order of magnitude less run-out measured 20mm out from the collet than the nearest Swiss competitor -but you pay for it I recall they were over $110 each

 

[spin-tek]

I've never run anything smaller than a 1/32" EM either, but I'd put it in a collet and do your damnedest to eliminate runout. By end mill holder do you mean a solid holder, IE the type with a set screw?

Yes, I meant solid holder with side set screw.

Just making sure you have double checked with the customer / engineer that they really need that radius and its not there because that what seemed to look good for the guy drawing it? If yes in our place this would go to EDM but would like to hear if you can make it work.

Unfortunately, customer wants that radius in the corners.

I would not run an endmill that small in an endmill holder. Runout will kill it. I've run 0.015" endmills in my Haas (7500 spindle), but in ER collets. Even then, you need to check runout or you will be buying a lot of endmills. I only went .010" deep, but in Ti 6Al-4V. I did break one endmill, but only one.

Eric U

What kind of runout is acceptable for a .015" endmill?

Running an em that small with your rpm limitation will be a challenge but doable so long as you match the recommended sfm for the cutter/material. It will be slow going and I recommend using air to evacuate the chips rather than flood coolant.

I regularly cut with .015 cutters but I have a 30k spindle so it is not much of a challenge. The smallest I have successfully run in a hardmill application is .0078 dia. approximately .02 deep and .005 dia. in graphite.

Good luck,
Joe

It's a Niagara endmill, was told to start off at .0003" IPT. But we'll see what happens when I run the job in a few weeks.

Use a Big/Kaiser ERC-16 collet

Our testing for a very precise, but reloadable, optical targeting system showed that they had an order of magnitude less run-out measured 20mm out from the collet than the nearest Swiss competitor -but you pay for it I recall they were over $110 each

I'll look into that if our ER collet holder doesn't work out.


Thanks everyone for your input & suggestion. I really appreciate it.

 

[ihbuilder]

I've run .01" already at 7200rpm in 6061 , It's a slow go . Like everyone else said , go with the ER .

 

[CarbideBob]

My first choice would be a shrink fit.
Second would be a good quality side lock.
Third would be a collet.
This ranking is based on the manufacturing tolerances of above holders for runout.
The nice thing about a collet is that you can fiddle fart around with alignment of the pieces to get your runout down while on the first two it's not adjustable.
Bob

 

[Bruce Griffing]

You can buy small end mills with 0.125" shanks. I would start there with a .125" collet.

 

[Spyderedge]

Not to add to the wall, but endmill holders with mills that small is asking for a few tenths of runout. Not much, but in production a tenth of a thou runout with tiny cutters takes 10% of tool life before sharpening or disposal. Larger cutters can take the runout but smaller ones just can't.

 

[gregormarwick]

I've had good results running endmills very close to that size on a 6k spindle, by using endmills with a 6mm shank and a schunk tendo hydraulic holder.

 

[Eric U]

I didn't measure the runout on the one I broke, but the 2nd one I got it so my .0001" indicator barely wiggled. I was measuring on the 1/8" shank, not the .015" flutes, so who knows what the actual runout at the tip was. There is some slight runout in both the collet and the taper seat, so if you rotate the collet around you can minimize it. Just make sure they are spotless and lightly oil the collet tapers.

Eric U

 

[spin-tek]

Update.

I ran the job according to some of the suggestions here & it worked out great. I used one of our Technic ER20 collet holder & had a runout of about .0003" when indicating the shank on the tool. Not sure if I can improve much on the runout, so I left it as is. There's a total of 80 pockets, .100" x .250" by .031 deep, that needed that radius and I was able to finish the job with just one endmill.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Bruce Griffing]

If you do much of this, you might consider a small air spindle. I have two of these:

High Speed Air Spindle

They run 30k rpm, use very little air and were $590 last I checked. Sometimes they have rebuilds for half price. I used the one I linked to with a 5/8" shank, but you can also buy them in a CAT taper.