MILLING IN PRECISION MECHANICS

The level of accuracy achieved by precision mechanical machining is always higher. This is because the machines available today have revolutionized all production phases, simultaneously and quickly performing the many operations necessary during the production cycle of a mechanical component. These machines are able to perform complex processes through which different shapes are produced by removing the excess material. Machines and techniques for the modeling of objects and tools exist known since the dawn of engineering, but today it is made with workbenches with multiple axes, which work simultaneously and in a fully automatic way.

The most popular modelling technique: milling

The most widely used and flexible modelling technique is milling. It is a working applicable to every material, metals as plastic. Milling machines, called milling machines, remove the excess material to obtain planes, grooves or holes through the rotation of special tools, the cutters, and the translation of the entire bench to which the workpiece is anchored. Modern milling machines are numerical controlled (CNC milling machine), which allow the entire process to be organized automatically. The technological processes allow to create so-called multitasking machines, in which milling and turning operations are integrated. This is the current trend of large car manufacturers.

The action of the milling machine

Milling involves two fundamental phases: the initial roughing phase and the finishing phase, which gives the component maximum definition. Its activity can be linear or circular: in the first case the machining is carried out on two axes to obtain very clear and precise surfaces; in the second case, however, the process is more complex and replaces drilling. The cut is radial to remove the chips.
In the production cycle of the mechanical component, machining can also be carried out on: thread, necessary to obtain a helical coupling between two objects (a classic example is the screw); profiling, that is the milling process used to finish the detail (essential for the most precise minute pieces)