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Carbide Tooling Troubleshooting

The guide below is to help you better understand the causes of carbide cutting tool performance and what remedies you might consider to improve performance.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION SHORT LIFE CUTTER/WORKPIECE FRICTION USE COATED TOOL HARD MATERIAL USE COATED TOOL POOR MATERIAL CONDITION USE COATED TOOL, CLEAN MATERIAL SURFACE IMPROPER CUTTER ANGLE REGRIND WITH PROPER PRIMARY RELIEF ANGLE POOR COOLANT REPLACE COOLANT OR CORRECT MIXTURE CHIP PACKING     FEED RATE TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE OR INCREASE SPEED LOW CUTTING SPEED INCREASE RPM OR REDUCE FEED RATE INSUFFICIENT CHIP ROOM USE TOOL WITH LESS FLUTES, INCREASE HELIX INSUFFICIENT COOLANT INCREASE VOLUME OF COOLANT POOR SURFACE FINISH      FEED RATE TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE LOW CUTTING SPEED INCREASE RPM TOOL WEAR REPLACE OR REGRIND TOOL EDGE BUILD UP INCREASE RPM, SWITCH TO HIGHER HELIX TOOL DEPTH OF CUT TOO LARGE REDUCE DEPTH OF CUT CHIP WELDING INCREASE VOLUME OF COOLANT BURRING OR WORKPIECE CHIPPING     TOOL WEAR REPLACE OR REGRIND TOOL IMPROPER HELIX ANGLE CHANGE TO RECOMMENDED HELIX ANGLE FEED RATE TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE DEPTH OF CUT TOO LARGE REDUCE DEPTH OF CUT WORKPIECE ANACCURACY     LOOSE/WORN TOOLHOLDER REPAIR OR REPLACE POOR TOOLHOLDER RIGIDITY REPLACE WITH SHORTER/MORE RIGID TOOLHOLDER POOR SPINDLE RIGIDITY USE LARGER SPINDLE OR DIFFERENT MACHINE TOOL INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF FLUTES USE TOOL WITH HIGHER FLUTE QUANTITY TOOL DEFLECTION SHORTEN LOC, PLACE SHANK FURTHER UP HOLDER

PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION CHIPPING FEED RATE TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE UP MILLING  (CONVENTIONAL) CHANGE TO DOWN MILLING (CLIMB) CUTTING EDGE TOO SHARP HONE CUTTING EDGE OR ALLOW BREAK-IN CHATTERING REDUCE RPM LOOSE TOOL REMOVE, CLEAN, AND RETIGHTEN WORKPIECE RIGIDITY TIGHTEN WORKPIECE HOLDING METHOD TOOL RIGIDITY SHORTEN LOC, PLACE SHANK FURTHER UP HOLDER LOW CUTTING SPEED INCREASE RPM LOOSE TOOLHOLDER REMOVE FROM SPINDLE, CLEAN AND REPLACE WEAR     HIGH CUTTING SPEED REDUCE RPM LOW FEED RATE INCREASE FEED RATE UP MILLING (CONVENTIONAL) CHANGE TO DOWN MILLING (CLIMB) HARD MATERIAL USE COATED TOOL POOR CHIP EVACUATION REPOSITION COOLANT LINES, USE AIR BLASTING IMPROPER CUTTER HELIX CHANGE TO RECOMMENDED HELIX ANGLE POOR COOLANT REPLACE COOLANT OR CORRECT MIXTURE BREAKAGE     FEED RATE TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE DEPTH OF CUT TOO LARGE REDUCE DEPTH OF CUT POOR TOOL RIGIDITY SHORTEN LOC, PLACE SHANK FURTHER UP HOLDER TOOL WEAR REPLACE/REGRIND SOONER POOR CHIP EVACUATION REPOSITION COOLANT LINES, USE AIR BLASTING CHATTERING     SPEED AND FEED TOO HIGH REDUCE FEED RATE POOR TOOLHOLDER RIGIDITY REPLACE WITH SHORTER/MORE RIGID HOLDER POOR SPINDLE RIGIDITY USE LARGER SPINDLE OR DIFFERENT MACHINE TOOL WORKPIECE RIGIDITY TIGHTEN WORKPIECE HOLDING METHOD RELIEF ANGLE TOO HIGH REGRIND WITH SMALLER RELIEF ANGLE DEPTH OF CUT TOO LARGE REDUCE DEPTH OF CUT POOR TOOL RIGIDITY SHORTEN LOC, PLACE SHANK FURTHER UP HOLDER

Click on thumbnail form below to access an PDF version of our Tool Performance Report Form