[DDA1986]

Hi Everybody,

My name is Dan and I need some help!
I have a lot of names to engrave in some aluminum tags.
The project is made in Artcam and I am using ISO font. (line font)
The thickness of a letter must be 0.8~1 mm

The problem is that I tried to use DATRON end mills but got them broken or the edges remain ugly.
Also tried to use DATRON 30 degree mills but after 3~4 tags, the mill needs resharpening.

Can anyone give me an advise?

Thanks!

[ErnieD]

What is your spindle speed? This is very important when using small cutters. Also what do you mean by thickness?

Ernie

[louieatienza]

You'll break or dull the tip trying to do that in one pass with a 30° tip... You can try a 90° which should also help with burrs. Chipload should be very small, ao unless you have a high speed spindle you'll have to take it slow...

[br1]

For letters so small I use a non rotating springloaded diamond with medium spring pressure.

[louieatienza]

For letters so small I use a non rotating springloaded diamond with medium spring pressure.

But he's using a single line font and needs 1mm letter thickness so that's out of the equation.

What you CAN do with a spring loaded holder is use a burnishing bit, they should have one with 1mm cut width. Used normally for marking in lacquered brass.

[LongRat]

I suspect something in the set up is seriously wrong if you are wearing out a Datron cutter in aluminium after such little work. What is the total cut time for the 3 parts? Unless it is many many hours, I would almost wonder whether your spindle is running in reverse...

[awerby]

How fast is your spindle going? How many flutes on those endmills? Are you using flood coolant, mist, or cutting dry? What kind of aluminum is it?

For jobs like this, you need high spindle speed, single or 2-flute cutters, lots of lubrication, and heat-treated aluminum, or the metal tends to stick to the cutter.

[DDA1986]

What is your spindle speed? This is very important when using small cutters. Also what do you mean by thickness?

Ernie

My spindle speed is 24000 rpm.
For thickness, lets take the letter I, I need to use a 0.8mm end mill to get the thickness 0.8mm.

[DDA1986]

How fast is your spindle going? How many flutes on those endmills? Are you using flood coolant, mist, or cutting dry? What kind of aluminum is it?

For jobs like this, you need high spindle speed, single or 2-flute cutters, lots of lubrication, and heat-treated aluminum, or the metal tends to stick to the cutter.

Spindle speed is 24000 rpm
1 flute on the end mill DATRON
cutting dry, but was thinking to use some cooling fluid.
I am not sure for the aluminum type, I got it from the client. (I saw one made someone else and it looked great)

[victorofga]

datrons has high rpm spindles.. up to 60K
for aluminum you can go a lot higher rpm then 24K

engraving bit and flat tip, at least 0.5 mm.. the 30 deg bit is ok..
you might go with 2-3 passes, but for engraving don't need real depth..

if your tool is dulled, then only reason I can imagine, the material deposited on the tip and it breaks.. due low rpm or too high feed..

for aluminum you can use denatured spirit, or simply wd40..

[louieatienza]

Remember you really got to take light passes with a sharp 30deg. cutter as the tip is really fragile. Also why I recommend at least 90deg. or more angle, as you won't need to cut as deep to affect a thicker line.

If you use a straight endmill, I'd suggest going pretty light with the passes. I actually engraved a brass name plaque using an .020" endmill, to get into the serifs. I had to use .007" passes to keep the tool from snapping. I'd have used a v-bit, but the sample I was shown had vertical walls in the lettering.

[DDA1986]

Remember you really got to take light passes with a sharp 30deg. cutter as the tip is really fragile. Also why I recommend at least 90deg. or more angle, as you won't need to cut as deep to affect a thicker line.

If you use a straight endmill, I'd suggest going pretty light with the passes. I actually engraved a brass name plaque using an .020" endmill, to get into the serifs. I had to use .007" passes to keep the tool from snapping. I'd have used a v-bit, but the sample I was shown had vertical walls in the lettering.

OK noted.


I was looking for a 90deg tool and found this.
Please check attached.
D1= 3 mm D2= 3 mm L1= 40 mm L2= 2.5 mm α= 60 °
In your opinion, will this work?

[louieatienza]

OK noted.


I was looking for a 90deg tool and found this.
Please check attached.
D1= 3 mm D2= 3 mm L1= 40 mm L2= 2.5 mm α= 60 °
In your opinion, will this work?

Looks like it will do.. I'd agree with the others and brush on a light coat of WD-40...