Nella lavorazione CNC, sia per i componenti aerospaziali, dispositivi medici, or automotive parts—the common tools used in CNC machining directly determine machining efficiency, qualità della superficie, e costi di produzione. Questi strumenti non sono una raccolta casuale; sono classificati per funzione (fresatura, perforazione, girando) e adattato alle proprietà del materiale (alluminio morbido vs. acciaio duro) e le esigenze del processo (sgrossatura vs. finitura). This article breaks down the core tool categories, their key features, scenari applicativi, and practical selection strategies, helping you avoid mismatches and optimize your machining workflow.
1. What Are the Core Categories of Common CNC Machining Tools?
CNC machining tools are mainly divided into four functional categories, each covering multiple specialized types. Below is a clear breakdown to help you quickly identify the right tool for your task:
| Tool Category | Key Functions | Typical Tool Types | Suitable Machining Processes |
| Strumenti di fresatura | Remove material from workpiece surfaces; Shape flat, curvo, or grooved features | Face mills, round nose mills, flat bottom mills, ball end mills, chamfer mills | Fresatura (vertical/horizontal machining centers); Contour shaping; Cavity machining |
| Drilling Tools | Create holes of different diameters; Finish hole accuracy and surface quality | Standard twist drills, punte da centro, U-drills, alesatori, rubinetti | Perforazione; Hole finishing; Thread machining |
| Girando & Strumenti noiosi | Machine cylindrical, conico, or hole features on lathes; Achieve high-precision hole diameters | Turning tools, fine boring tools, rough boring tools | Girando (Torni CNC); Noioso (for existing holes); Grooving on cylindrical parts |
| Specialized Tools | Handle unique features or materials; Reduce tool changes and improve efficiency | Thread cutters, slot milling cutters, strumenti di formazione, engraving tools | Thread machining; Keyway/T-groove cutting; Custom feature shaping; Fine engraving |
2. What Are the Key Features and Applications of Milling Tools?
Milling tools are the most versatile in CNC machining, used for everything from large-area roughing to precision contouring. Below is a detailed guide to the most common types:
2.1 Common Milling Tools: Caratteristiche & Use Cases
| Milling Tool Type | Core Function | Key Characteristics | Ideal Application Scenarios | Compatibilità dei materiali |
| Face Mill | Large-area roughing/finishing of flat surfaces | – Multi-flute design (4-12 flutes)- Large diameter (φ20-100mm)- High material removal rate | – Machining automotive engine blocks (flat top surfaces)- Finishing mold bases (Ra 1.6-3.2μm) | Tutti i metalli (alluminio, acciaio, titanio); Best for large flat parts |
| Round Nose Mill | Balanced roughing + corner clearing; Complex contour machining | – Rounded cutting edge (radius 0.5-10mm)- Avoids sharp corner damage | – Machining shallow cavities with rounded edges (per esempio., electronic device housings)- Medium-area material removal (50-100cm² parts) | Leghe di alluminio (soft materials); Acciaio (with coated blades) |
| Flat Bottom Mill | Straight wall + straight bottom machining; Sharp corner forming | – Flat cutting edge (no radius)- Subdivided into: • Aluminum mills (focus on side edge sharpness) • Tungsten steel mills (for hard materials) | – Machining straight-wall grooves (per esempio., keyways in shafts)- Finishing rectangular cavities (per esempio., sensor mounting slots) | Aluminum mills: Al/Mg alloys; Tungsten steel mills: 45# acciaio, acciaio inossidabile |
| Ball End Mill | Curved surface machining; Complex contour trimming | – Hemispherical cutting edge- Improves surface finish via step adjustment (stepover 10-20% of tool diameter) | – Machining aerospace turbine blade curves- Engraving 3D patterns on mold inserts | Tutti i metalli; Best for curved surfaces (per esempio., optical lens molds) |
| Chamfer Mill | Chamfer cutting; Sbavatura; Countersink machining | – Fixed angles (30°, 45°, 60°)- Single/multi-flute options | – Deburring hole edges (prevents part damage during assembly)- Machining countersinks for screws (per esempio., ferramenta per mobili) | Tutti i metalli; Universal for post-processing |
3. How to Select Drilling Tools for Different Hole Requirements?
Drilling tools are critical for hole creation, but choosing the wrong type leads to low accuracy or broken tools. Below is a selection guide based on hole depth, precisione, e materiale:
3.1 Drilling Tool Comparison: Precision vs. Efficienza
| Drilling Tool Type | Primary Use | Livello di precisione | Efficienza | Key Limitations |
| Standard Twist Drill | Universal pre-drilling | Basso (diameter tolerance: ±0,1 mm) | Alto (fast drilling speed: 100-300mm/min) | Cannot achieve high precision; Needs reaming for tight tolerances |
| Center Drill | High-precision hole positioning | Alto (precisione di posizionamento: ±0,02 mm) | Medio (slow feed rate: 20-50mm/min) | Only for positioning; Cannot drill deep holes (>5mm) |
| U-Drill (Violent Drill) | Deep hole machining (depth-to-diameter ratio >5:1) | Medio (tolleranza: ±0,05 mm) | Very high (one-pass drilling; Center outlet cooling) | Not suitable for shallow holes (<3x diameter); Requires high-pressure coolant |
| Reamer | Hole finishing; Correcting verticality | Very high (tolleranza: ±0,01 mm; Ra <0.8µm) | Basso (slow feed rate: 10-30mm/min) | Cannot change hole position; Requires pre-drilled holes (90-95% of final diameter) |
| Tap | Internal thread machining | Medium-high (thread tolerance: 6H/7H) | Medio | – Cutting taps: Per materiali morbidi (alluminio); Produce chips- Forming taps: Per materiali duri (acciaio); No chips (better for blind holes) |
4. What Are the Must-Know Turning & Boring Tools for Lathe Machining?
Turning and boring tools are essential for cylindrical parts and hole refinement on CNC lathes. Below is a breakdown of their key roles:
| Tool Type | Function | Parametri chiave | Esempi di applicazione |
| Turning Tool | Outer circle, inner circle, and grooving machining | – Cutting edge angle: 30-90°- Insert material: Carburo (per acciaio); PCD (per alluminio) | – Turning automotive drive shafts (outer circle diameter φ50-100mm)- Grooving for O-rings (groove width 2-5mm) |
| Fine Boring Tool | Precision hole finishing | – Adjustable edge position (±0,001 mm)- Finitura superficiale: Ra <0.4µm | – Finishing hydraulic cylinder holes (tolerance H7)- Machining bearing seats (rotondità <0.005mm) |
| Rough Boring Tool | Rough boring or reaming | – Large cutting volume (depth of cut 1-3mm)- Tolleranza: ±0,1 mm | – Pre-processing engine cylinder bores (before fine boring)- Enlarging existing holes (from φ20mm to φ30mm) |
5. How to Choose the Right CNC Machining Tool: Una guida passo passo
Choosing tools randomly leads to 30-50% costi più elevati (due to rework or tool breakage). Follow this 4-step process for optimal selection:
Fare un passo 1: Define Machining Requirements
Clarify core goals to narrow down tool types:
- If roughing: Prioritize tools with high material removal rates (per esempio., frese per facciate, U-drills).
- If finishing: Choose tools with sharp edges and high precision (per esempio., ball end mills, alesatori).
- If hole machining: Match tool to hole depth (U-drill for deep holes) e precisione (reamer for tight tolerances).
Fare un passo 2: Match Tool to Material Properties
Soft and hard materials require different tool materials:
| Workpiece Material | Recommended Tool Material | Key Reason |
| Aluminum/Magnesium Alloys (Morbido) | PCD (polycrystalline diamond) or high-speed steel (HSS) | PCD has ultra-sharp edges; Avoids material adhesion |
| Steel/Stainless Steel (Difficile) | Tungsten carbide (with TiAlN coating) or CBN (cubic boron nitride) | Coated carbide resists wear; CBN handles high temperatures |
| Leghe di titanio (Difficult-to-Cut) | Ultra-fine grain carbide (with TaN coating) | Elevata durezza (HRC70) e resistenza al calore |
Fare un passo 3: Consider Machine Tool Performance
Ensure tools match your CNC machine’s capabilities:
- Velocità del mandrino: High-speed spindles (>15,000 giri/min) work best with PCD tools (per alluminio); Low-speed spindles need carbide tools (per acciaio).
- Coolant system: U-drills require high-pressure coolant (30-50MPa); Micro lubrication suits ball end mills (reduces chip adhesion).
Fare un passo 4: Evaluate Cost-Efficiency
Balance tool life and price:
- Produzione in grandi volumi: Invest in durable tools (per esempio., coated carbide) to reduce tool changes (salva 20-30% in labor time).
- Basso volume, parti personalizzate: Use universal tools (per esempio., standard twist drills) instead of expensive custom tools (cuts tool costs by 40-60%).
6. Yigu Technology’s Perspective on Common Tools Used in CNC Machining
Alla tecnologia Yigu, we see common tools used in CNC machining as the “silent efficiency drivers”—the right tool choice can cut production time by 20-40% while improving quality. Our data shows 70% of machining defects (per esempio., finitura superficiale scadente, hole deviation) come from tool-material mismatches, not machine errors.
We recommend a “scenario-driven” tool selection approach: For auto part manufacturers, we pair tungsten steel flat bottom mills with 45# acciaio (reducing tool wear by 50%); For medical device clients, we use PCD ball end mills for titanium alloys (raggiungere Ra <0.2μm for implants). We also help clients build tool life trackers (via IoT sensors) to replace tools before failure—avoiding costly rework. Ultimately, tool selection isn’t just about “buying the best”—it’s about “matching the right tool to the right task.”
7. Domande frequenti: Common Questions About CNC Machining Tools
Q1: Can I use a ball end mill for flat surface machining instead of a face mill?
Technically yes, but it’s inefficient. Ball end mills have a smaller cutting area (only the tip contacts the surface), so machining a 100mm×100mm flat surface takes 3-5x longer than a face mill. Face mills also produce smoother surfaces (Ra 1.6μm vs. Ra 3.2μm for ball end mills) and last longer—they’re the better choice for flat surfaces.
Q2: Why do forming taps work better for hard materials (per esempio., acciaio inossidabile) than cutting taps?
Forming taps use cold extrusion to shape threads (no chip removal), while cutting taps remove material to create threads. Per materiali duri, cutting taps are prone to chip clogging (causing broken taps) and edge wear (reducing thread quality). Forming taps avoid these issues—they produce stronger threads (20-30% maggiore resistenza alla trazione) and last 2-3x longer than cutting taps for stainless steel.
Q3: How often should I replace common CNC tools (per esempio., frese in metallo duro)?
It depends on tool type and material:
- Carbide face mills (per acciaio): Replace after 80-120 minutes of cutting (or when surface roughness worsens to Ra >3.2µm).
- PCD ball end mills (per alluminio): Last 300-500 minuti (replace when edge chipping is visible).
- Standard twist drills: Replace after 50-80 buchi (or if drilling force increases suddenly, indicating dull edges).
Always track tool life with a log—don’t wait for tool breakage (which can damage workpieces).