Rotary cutting tool with enhanced damping
AssigneeMcDonnell Douglas Corporation
InventorJohn D. Kinton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary cutting tool such as an endmill includes a coating on its radial relief surfaces for enhancing damping of vibratory motion of the tool at speeds which permit the relief surfaces to rub on the workpiece being machined. The coating has a hardness substantially less than that of the remainder of the tool. In a preferred embodiment, the tool is made of tungsten carbide, steel, or ceremet, and the coating is aluminum or an alloy thereof, having a thickness of about 0.0015 inch for tools with cutting diameters of about 1/4 inch to about 1 inch.
Claims17
A rotary cutting tool having enhanced damping, comprising:
- a shank;
- a fluted end portion formed integrally with the shank, the fluted end portion having a plurality of cutting edges extending along an outer surface thereof and including radially relieved surfaces adjacent to the cutting edges;
- and
- a coating of aluminum applied to at least the radially relieved surfaces of the cutting tool, the coating comprising a damping material having a hardness which is less than that of the material from which the cutting tool is made.
A rotary cutting tool having enhanced damping, comprising:
- an elongated shank;
- a fluted end portion integrally formed with the shank, the fluted end portion having a plurality of cutting edges extending along an outer surface thereof and including radially relieved surfaces adjacent the cutting edges;
- the shank and fluted end portion together defining a length-to-diameter ratio of the tool which is at least about 3;
- and
- a coating of aluminum applied to the entire fluted end portion of the tool.
A method of forming a rotary cutting tool to enhance its damping, the method comprising:
- providing a cutting tool having a fluted portion including a plurality of cutting edges extending along an outer surface thereof, the fluted portion having radially relieved surfaces adjacent the cutting edges;
- and
- applying a coating of a damping material to the radially relieved surfaces.
A method of forming a rotary cutting tool to enhance its damping, and comprising:
- providing a cutting tool having a fluted end portion including a plurality of cutting edges extending along an outer surface thereof and having radially relieved surfaces adjacent the cutting edges;
- and
- applying a coating of a damping material over the fluted end portion of the tool including over the cutting edges and radially relieved surfaces;
- the coating of damping material being adapted to be quickly worn off the cutting edges during use of the tool while remaining on at least portions of the radially relieved surfaces.
A rotary cutting tool having enhanced damping, comprising:
- a shank;
- a fluted end portion formed integrally with the shank, the fluted end portion having a plurality of cutting edges extending along an outer surface thereof and including radially relieved surfaces adjacent to the cutting edges;
- and
- a coating applied to the radially relieved surfaces of the cutting tool while the remainder of the cutting tool is free of the coating, the coating comprising a damping material having a hardness which is less than that of the material from which the cutting tool is made.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.