When cutting hard-resistant alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V on big machines with over 1,000 Nm of torque, the strategy is pretty simple. Open a hole with a fast-feed cutter or a large-sized drill and then use a porcupine cutter to cut the main pocket.
But what about other-sized machines? Here, the limited allowed cutting force and thrust of axis feed put a stop to the strategies we can use. However, an FF-Ti strategy can help maximise the performance on these machines.
With smaller machines than the T1 we tend to use solid carbide end mills and use a very shallow radial cutting value with a huge cutting depth.
And what do we do with a T1?
FF-Ti in T1 machine
The 12,000-rpm spindle has a continuous torque of 525 Nm and a peak value up to 1,002 Nm. The dynamics of the machine allow fast movements for a trochoidal type of cutting.
What we do first:
Open a hole with a D63 mm index drill.
Use a D50 porcupine mill and open the pocket with an FF-Ti type of toolpath.
Using this type of strategy, we can produce one of these pockets in Ti-6Al-4V with dimensions of 460 x 250 mm in just 49 minutes.
