MILLING MACHINE

Introduction
A milling machine is one of the most influential and versatile kinds of machines found in the
manufacturing industry. Milling is the most widely used machine in machine shops and modern
manufacturing industries all over the world. It is a type of machining process in which a cutter having
multiple cutting edges is used to remove the material from the workpiece. This machine tool makes
up about 85 percent of all material removal processes.

Milling Machine Application or Uses

Milling Machine is used for Machining flat surfaces, Slotting, Contoured surfaces. It is also
use making Complex and irregular areas, Revolution surface, Gear Cutting, Machining external and
internal threads. Machining helical surfaces of various cross-sections and many more.

Parts

OVERARM
1. Base:
The base is the part upon which the whole machine parts are being mounted. It is a type of foundation
for the machine. The base is mostly made up of cast iron so it has good strength and rigidity. It also
helps in the absorption of shocks. Cutting fluid can also be stored in the base.

2. Column:
The main supporting frame which consists of all the driving mechanisms and the motor is called the
column. The driving mechanism usually consists of a cone pulley mechanism in which the v-belt is
being used to connect it to the motor.

3. Knee:
The knee shape is quite similar to that of the human body knee. This is an important part of this
machine that supports the other parts like the saddle and table. It is attached to the column and has
guideways by which it can move up and down with the help of the elevating screw for adjusting its
height.
 4. Saddle:
The saddle is present on the top of the knee which further carries the table. Its basic function is to
support the table. A saddle can slide on the guideways which are exactly at 90 degrees to the column
face. Saddle moves crosswise (in or out) on guideways provided on the knee.

5. Table:
The table is present on the top of the saddle. The table consists of T-slots or sometimes fixtures are
used for holding up the workpiece on the table. A table can travel longitudinally in a horizontal plane.

6. Over-arm:
It is also called the over-hanging arm. Overarm is present at the top of the column. The basic function
of the over-arm is to support the arbor and spindle.

7. Spindle or Arbor:
The top portion of the column contains the spindle. The spindle is also an important part of the
machine as it is the part where the multipoint cutter is attached. Power required for the rotation of
the spindle is obtained from the motor through the belt, gear, and clutch assembly.

Working Principle
The job is clamped firmly to the machine table to perform any work on the milling machine. And the
cutter is applied to the arbor or spindle. The cutter rotates at a fixed speed and the job is passed slowly
under the cutter. Therefore, when the job comes in contact with the moving cutter, the cutter’s teeth
(Teeth) cut the metal in the form of chips from it. The jobs on the table can be fed in longitudinal,
cross-wise and vertical in all three directions.
▪ Milling Machine Operations
1. Plain or Slab Milling Operation
2. UP and DOWN Milling Operation
3. Face Milling Operation
4. End Milling Operation
5. Gang Milling Operation
6. Straddle Milling Operation
7. Angular Milling Operation
8. Gear Milling Operation
9. Helical Milling Operation
10. Thread Milling Operation
11. Saw Milling Operation
The milling machine does not give a continuous cut like in the case of the lathe machine.
First, the wheel of the cutter slides on the surface followed by the crushing movement, and then the
cutting movement by which the unwanted material is removed from the workpiece.

6. Plain Milling or Slab Milling Operation

Plain or slab milling is a process in which the plain, horizontal or flat surfaces are produced, which
are parallel to the axis of the rotation of the cutter. A peripheral mill cuter is used for performing the
slab milling operation.

Plain Milling Operation

2. Up Milling and Down Milling

Up milling is a method of milling operation in which the cutter and the workpiece both move in the
opposite direction.
Down Milling is a method of milling operation in which the direction of the rotation of the cutter
coincides with the direction of the work feed.

[Link]. Up Milling Down Milling

 It is also known as conventional
1. It is also known as climb milling.
milling.

In this milling, the cutter rotates In this milling, the cutter rotates with
2.
against direction of feed. direction of feed.

The width size of the chip is zero at

The size of the chip is maximum at
initial cut and increase with feed.
3. start of cut and decrease with the feed.
This will maximum at the end of
This will zero at the end of feed.
feed.

The tool wear rate is more because The tool wear rate is less because the
4.
tool runs against the feed. cutter rotates with feed.

The cutting chips fall down The cutting chips fall down behind the
5.
in front of the cutting tool. tool.

6. It gives less surface finish. It gives better surface finish.

The cutting chips are

The cutting chips are
7. carried downward with the help of the
carried upward with the help of tool.
tool.

The heat is diffuse to the work piece

The heat is diffuse to the chip does not
8. which causes the change in metal
change the work piece properties.
properties.

9. Tool life is less. Tool life is more.

This is also famous as traditional This is non – traditional way of cutting

10.
way of cutting the surface. the work piece.

11. The high quality cutting fluid is used. The simple cutting fluid is used.
 Because of upward force by tool, Because of downward force by tool,
12.
high strength jig and fixture are used. normal jig and fixture are used.

13. It requires high cutting force. It requires low cutting force.

14. The cutting forces act upward. The cutting forces act downward.

It is mostly applicable for cutting of It is mostly applicable for aluminium

15.
brass, bronze and ferrous materials. and aluminium alloys.

3. Face Milling Operation

It is a type of milling operation in which the layer of material is removed from the face of the
material. The end milling cutter is preferred for performing face milling operations.
In Face Milling operation the teeth for cutting are present on both the periphery and the face of the
cutter. The axis of rotation of the cutter is perpendicular to the work surface. In face milling most of
the cutting is done by the periphery portions of the teeth, the face portion provides finishing the action.

Face Milling Operation

4. End Milling Operation

This type of operation is the combination of the slab milling and face-milling operation used for
creating slots in the workpiece and is mostly used for handling the complicated profile.
 End Milling Operation

5. Gang Milling Operation

This is a type of milling operation in which multiple cutters are being mounted on the same arbor to
produce the desired shape on the workpiece.

Gang Milling Operation

6. Straddle Milling Operation

The straddle is the type of milling process in which milling is performed on two surfaces
simultaneously. T-slot milling is a unique example of straddle Milling.

Straddle Milling Operation

7. Angular Milling

Angular milling is the operation of producing an angular surface on a workpiece other than at right
angles of the axis of the milling machine spindle.
The angular groove may be single or double angle and may be of varying included angles according
to the type and contour of the angular cutter used. One simple example of angular milling is the
production of V-blocks.

Angular Milling Operation

8. Gear milling operation

The gear cutting operation is performed in a milling ( machine ) by using a form relieved cutter.
The cutter may be cylindrical type or end mill type. The cutter profile corresponds exactly with
the tooth space of the gear.

9. Helical milling operation

The helical milling is the operation of production of helical flutes or grooves around the
periphery of a cylindrical or conical work piece. The usual examples of work performed
by helical milling operations are: Production of helical milling cutters, helical gears, cutting
helical grooves or flutes on a drill blank or a reamer.
10. Thread milling operation
The thread milling is operation of production of threads by using a single or multiple thread
milling cutter. The operation is performed in special thread milling machines to produce accurate
threads in small or large quantities.

Thread milling operation

11. Saw Milling Operation

The Saw milling is the operation of production of a narrow slots or grooves on a work piece
by using a saw milling cutter.
 12. Form milling operation

This is the process of machining special contour (outline) composed of curves, straight
lines, or entirely of curves at a single cut.

Form milling operation

Milling machine (knee type and with arbor) Specifications

1) Type; ordinary or swiveling bed type.

2) Size of the work table.
3) Range of travels of the table in X – Y – Z directions.
4) Arbor size (diameter).
5) Power of the main drive.
6) Range of spindle speed.
7) Range of table feeds in X – Y – Z directions.
8) Floor space occupied.
Types of Milling Machine

According to their general design these are the following classification or types of milling
machine:
1. Column and knee type

a) Hand milling machine

b) Plain (Horizontal) milling machine
c) Universal milling machine
d) Omniversal milling machine
e) Vertical milling machine
2. Manufacturing of fixed bed type

a) Simplex milling machine

b) Duplex milling machine
 c) Triplex milling machine
3. Planer type

4. Special type

a) Rotary table milling machine

b) Drum milling machine
c) Planetary milling machine
d) Pantograph, Profiling & Tracer controlled milling machine
1. Column and knee type

▪ It is most commonly used in general shop-work.

▪ The column and knee type milling machine are classified according to the various methods of
supplying power to the table, different movements of the table and different axis of rotation
of the main spindle.

a) Hand Milling Machine

• In Hand milling, the feeding movement of the table is supplied by hand power.
• The machine is relatively smaller in size than that of other types and is particularly suitable
for light and simple milling operations such as machining slots, grooves, and key ways.
b) Plain (Horizontal) Milling Machine
• It is the simplest form of milling machine.
 • In this milling, the work piece can be fed in all three axes and this process is suitable for
short production.
• In this milling heavy work piece cannot machined and the operation is slow because of large
number of controls.
c) Universal Milling Machine
• It is similar to the horizontal milling but the table is placed on the swivel and swivel is
placed on the saddle.
• The machine can produce spur, spiral, bevel gears, twist drills, reamers, milling cutters, etc.
besides doing all conventional milling operations.
d) Omniversal Milling Machine
• In this machine, all the movements of a universal milling machine, can be tilted in a vertical
plane by providing a swivel arrangement at the knee besides the table.
e) Vertical Milling Machine
• In this machine, cutter spindle has vertical position and the table movements are horizontal,
vertical and transverse.
• In vertical milling, over arm is small and provides a strong support for the spindle and
spindle can be moves up and down to perform the operations like grooving, facing etc.
2. Manufacturing of fixed bed type
▪ The fixed bed type milling is comparatively large, heavy, and rigid and differ radically from
column and knee type by the construction of its table mounting.
▪ The table movement is restricted to reciprocation at right angles to the spindle axis with no
provision for cross or vertical adjustment.
▪ The shaper mounted on the axle head might be moved vertically on the section, and the axle
might be balanced on a level plane.
a) Simplex milling machine
• In the simplex machine, the spindle head or the spindle can travel only in one direction.
• Mostly, it travels in vertical direction.

b) Duplex milling machine

• In this machine, the shaft can travel both vertical and flat way.

c) Triplex milling machine

 • In triplex machine, the spindle can move in all three direction along X, Y and Z, axis.
• Triplex milling machines are very accurate as well as highly productive.
• Applications that are centered on the accuracy of the customer’s requirements are ideally
suited for triplex milling machines.
3. Planer type
▪ It’s mostly used for facing operation in mass production.
▪ This machine is similar to the bed type milling except it can mounted with various cutters and
spindle heads to the machine.