In CNC machining—whether for aerospace components, медицинские устройства, or automotive parts—the common tools used in CNC machining directly determine machining efficiency, Качество поверхности, and production costs. These tools aren’t a random collection; they’re categorized by function (фрезерование, бурение, поворот) and tailored to material properties (soft aluminum vs. hard steel) and process needs (roughing vs. отделка). This article breaks down the core tool categories, их ключевые особенности, сценарии применения, 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 |
| Фрезерование инструментов | Remove material from workpiece surfaces; Shape flat, изогнутый, or grooved features | Face mills, round nose mills, flat bottom mills, ball end mills, chamfer mills | Фрезерование (vertical/horizontal machining centers); Contour shaping; Cavity machining |
| Drilling Tools | Create holes of different diameters; Finish hole accuracy and surface quality | Standard twist drills, Центральные тренировки, U-drills, Разрушители, нажатие | Бурение; Hole finishing; Thread machining |
| Поворот & Boring Tools | Machine cylindrical, conical, or hole features on lathes; Achieve high-precision hole diameters | Поворотные инструменты, fine boring tools, rough boring tools | Поворот (С ЧПУ); Скучный (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, Формирование инструментов, 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: Функции & Варианты использования
| Milling Tool Type | Основная функция | Ключевые характеристики | Ideal Application Scenarios | Совместимость материала |
| Лицо | 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) | Все металлы (алюминий, сталь, титан); 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 (НАПРИМЕР., electronic device housings)- Medium-area material removal (50-100cm² parts) | Алюминиевые сплавы (мягкие материалы); Сталь (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 (НАПРИМЕР., keyways in shafts)- Finishing rectangular cavities (НАПРИМЕР., sensor mounting slots) | Aluminum mills: Al/Mg alloys; Tungsten steel mills: 45# сталь, нержавеющая сталь |
| 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 | Все металлы; Best for curved surfaces (НАПРИМЕР., optical lens molds) |
| Chamfer Mill | Chamfer cutting; Выслушивание; Countersink machining | – Fixed angles (30°, 45°, 60°)- Single/multi-flute options | – Deburring hole edges (prevents part damage during assembly)- Machining countersinks for screws (НАПРИМЕР., Мебельное оборудование) | Все металлы; 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, точность, и материал:
3.1 Drilling Tool Comparison: Точность против. Эффективность
| Drilling Tool Type | Первичное использование | Точный уровень | Эффективность | Ключевые ограничения |
| Standard Twist Drill | Universal pre-drilling | Низкий (diameter tolerance: ± 0,1 мм) | Высокий (fast drilling speed: 100-300мм/мин) | Cannot achieve high precision; Needs reaming for tight tolerances |
| Center Drill | High-precision hole positioning | Высокий (positioning accuracy: ± 0,02 мм) | Середина (медленная скорость подачи: 20-50мм/мин) | Only for positioning; Cannot drill deep holes (>5мм) |
| U-Drill (Violent Drill) | Deep hole machining (соотношение глубины и диаметра >5:1) | Середина (терпимость: ± 0,05 мм) | Очень высоко (one-pass drilling; Center outlet cooling) | Not suitable for shallow holes (<3x diameter); Requires high-pressure coolant |
| Reamer | Hole finishing; Correcting verticality | Очень высоко (терпимость: ± 0,01 мм; Раствор <0.8мкм) | Низкий (медленная скорость подачи: 10-30мм/мин) | Cannot change hole position; Requires pre-drilled holes (90-95% of final diameter) |
| Кран | Internal thread machining | Medium-high (thread tolerance: 6H/7H) | Середина | – Cutting taps: Для мягких материалов (алюминий); Produce chips- Forming taps: Для твердых материалов (сталь); 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:
| Тип инструмента | Функция | Ключевые параметры | Примеры применения |
| Turning Tool | Outer circle, inner circle, and grooving machining | – Cutting edge angle: 30-90°- Insert material: Карбид (для стали); ПКД (для алюминия) | – 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 мм)- Поверхностная отделка: Раствор <0.4мкм | – Finishing hydraulic cylinder holes (допуск H7)- Machining bearing seats (округлая <0.005мм) |
| Rough Boring Tool | Rough boring or reaming | – Large cutting volume (depth of cut 1-3mm)- Терпимость: ± 0,1 мм | – Pre-processing engine cylinder bores (before fine boring)- Enlarging existing holes (from φ20mm to φ30mm) |
5. How to Choose the Right CNC Machining Tool: Пошаговое руководство
Choosing tools randomly leads to 30-50% higher costs (due to rework or tool breakage). Follow this 4-step process for optimal selection:
Шаг 1: Define Machining Requirements
Clarify core goals to narrow down tool types:
- If roughing: Prioritize tools with high material removal rates (НАПРИМЕР., торцевые фрезы, U-drills).
- If finishing: Choose tools with sharp edges and high precision (НАПРИМЕР., ball end mills, Разрушители).
- If hole machining: Match tool to hole depth (U-drill for deep holes) и точность (reamer for tight tolerances).
Шаг 2: Match Tool to Material Properties
Soft and hard materials require different tool materials:
| Материал заготовки | Recommended Tool Material | Ключевая причина |
| Aluminum/Magnesium Alloys (Мягкий) | ПКД (polycrystalline diamond) или высокоскоростная сталь (HSS) | PCD has ultra-sharp edges; Avoids material adhesion |
| Сталь/нержавеющая сталь (Жесткий) | Tungsten carbide (with TiAlN coating) or CBN (Кубический нитрид бора) | Coated carbide resists wear; CBN handles high temperatures |
| Титановые сплавы (Difficult-to-Cut) | Ultra-fine grain carbide (with TaN coating) | Высокая твердость (HRC70) и теплостойкость |
Шаг 3: Consider Machine Tool Performance
Ensure tools match your CNC machine’s capabilities:
- Скорость шпинделя: High-speed spindles (>15,000 об/мин) work best with PCD tools (для алюминия); Low-speed spindles need carbide tools (для стали).
- Coolant system: U-drills require high-pressure coolant (30-50МПА); Micro lubrication suits ball end mills (reduces chip adhesion).
Шаг 4: Evaluate Cost-Efficiency
Balance tool life and price:
- Масштабная продукция: Invest in durable tools (НАПРИМЕР., coated carbide) to reduce tool changes (спасение 20-30% in labor time).
- Низкий объем, Пользовательские детали: Use universal tools (НАПРИМЕР., 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
В Yigu Technology, Мы видим 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. Наши данные показывают 70% of machining defects (НАПРИМЕР., плохая поверхность, 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# сталь (reducing tool wear by 50%); For medical device clients, we use PCD ball end mills for titanium alloys (Достижение РА <0.2мкм для имплантатов). We also help clients build tool life trackers (via IoT sensors) to replace tools before failure—avoiding costly rework. В конечном счете, tool selection isn’t just about “buying the best”—it’s about “matching the right tool to the right task.”
7. Часто задаваемые вопросы: Common Questions About CNC Machining Tools
1 квартал: Can I use a ball end mill for flat surface machining instead of a face mill?
Технически да, 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.
2 квартал: Why do forming taps work better for hard materials (НАПРИМЕР., нержавеющая сталь) than cutting taps?
Forming taps use cold extrusion to shape threads (no chip removal), while cutting taps remove material to create threads. Для твердых материалов, 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% Более высокая прочность на растяжение) and last 2-3x longer than cutting taps for stainless steel.
Q3: How often should I replace common CNC tools (НАПРИМЕР., Карбид -конце мельницы)?
It depends on tool type and material:
- Carbide face mills (для стали): Replace after 80-120 minutes of cutting (or when surface roughness worsens to Ra >3.2мкм).
- PCD ball end mills (для алюминия): Last 300-500 минуты (replace when edge chipping is visible).
- Standard twist drills: Replace after 50-80 отверстия (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).