[QuinnSjoblom]

Trying to determine if a specific rotary table is going to work as a 4th axis for me. Holding torque is the concern. Is there a way to estimate cutting forces from an endmill? I'm milling mostly 7075 aluminum using a carbide 3 flute 37 degree helix endmill, usually rough at 10mm depth, 1mm stepover, 13k rpm, 1500mm/m feed. I need to know what kind of forces are going to act on the stock. Any way to ballpark estimate this?

[eman5oh]

Trying to determine if a specific rotary table is going to work as a 4th axis for me. Holding torque is the concern. Is there a way to estimate cutting forces from an endmill? I'm milling mostly 7075 aluminum using a carbide 3 flute 37 degree helix endmill, usually rough at 10mm depth, 1mm stepover, 13k rpm, 1500mm/m feed. I need to know what kind of forces are going to act on the stock. Any way to ballpark estimate this?

You can input your info here https://fswizard.com/www/ to get the cutting force after you enter your cut details, just click on the blue bar near the top of the screen to see the cutting force.

[QuinnSjoblom]

You can input your info here https://fswizard.com/www/ to get the cutting force after you enter your cut details, just click on the blue bar near the top of the screen to see the cutting force.

Excellent, thank you! So when it says "cutting forces" is this purely radial load? In reality the cutter is pushing radially against the stock, but also pulling up on the stock, especially with high helix. Is it calculating the overall force at the specific vector of the combined radial and axial force?

[hanermo]

It depends on the radius of the workpiece, which you did not indicate.
Typical torque is == 100 Nm, and rotaries for milling are 3-500 Nm rated in == 10" sizes.

Look at Haas rotary tables for mass/size/torque guidance.

A light cut of 1-2 kW == 60-100 kgf force, in steels.
The holding force is not the concern, the rigidity is.
If the rotary vibrates then surface finish and endmill life goes way down.