The Niagara Cutter SEB270 TiAlN-coated high-speed steel ball nose end mill has a long extended neck for milling slots and cavities, and two flutes for general-purpose machining. The extended-reach neck style provides greater access to recessed areas of the workpiece than tools with a standard neck style. The two flutes have better chip-carrying capacity than end mills with more flutes while offering additional support when the tool goes deep into the material in applications with a high depth of cut. The TiAlN coating resists heat better than TiN and TiCN coatings, increasing tool life and performance. It also offers increased hardness compared to TiN and may reduce the need for lubricants based on the application. (TiAlN is suitable for a range of materials, but TiCN or uncoated end mills are recommended for machining aluminum.) High-speed steel (HSS) is a common, general-purpose steel for cutting tools and is compatible with a variety of materials. The 30-degree helix angle supports general-purpose applications. It balances lower angles’ strong cutting edge for difficult-to-machine materials with higher angles’ increased cutting action. The tool’s ball nose creates contoured surfaces, where sharp corners are not required. The center-cutting design has cutting teeth at the end of the tool, so it can be fed into the workpiece like a drill bit. Cutting diameter tolerance is +0.001" to -0.000". This tool has a Weldon shank. End mills are designed to remove material and create multi-dimensional shapes and profiles. They have cutting edges along the outside diameter and flutes that remove chips from the cutting area and allow cooling fluids to enter. If heat is not reduced effectively, the tool’s cutting edges will dull and additional material buildup can occur. The number of flutes can range from two to eight. Two-flute designs offer the most efficient chip removal, but more flutes provide a smoother finish. The shank is the end of the tool held in place by a tool holder or machine. Center-cutting end mills can create three-dimensional shapes and profiles, and make plunge cuts similar to a drill bit. Non-center-cutting end mills are for applications such as peripheral milling and finishing, but cannot make plunge cuts. Niagara Cutter has been designing and manufacturing precision cutting tools since 1954. Specializing in end mills, cutting mills, and saws, the company is based in New York and manufactures its tools at facilities in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. This allows the company control over production, from substrate to coating, which is essential for customers in a variety of industries, especially aerospace and automotive.
