Milling cutter and a cutting insert for a milling cutter

A milling cutter for cutting light metals, said milling cutter comprising:

• a rotary tool body comprising a light metal;
• said tool body comprising a shank end and a cutting end;
• said shank end being configured to be connected to a tool holder to permit rotation of said tool body about a central rotational axis, and radial and axial movement of said tool body with respect to the central rotational axis, in a cutting process;
• said cutting end having an end face being configured to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• said cutting end comprising a plurality of receiving pockets disposed about the periphery thereof;
• a plurality of cutting inserts;
• each of said plurality of cutting inserts being disposed in a corresponding one of said plurality of receiving pockets;
• and
• each of said cutting inserts further comprising:
• a workpiece face being disposed to extend along a substantially radial direction away from the central rotational axis of said tool body;
• said workpiece face being configured and disposed to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• a front end face being disposed adjacent and substantially perpendicular to said workpiece face;
• a chip-flute wall being disposed substantially transverse to each of said workpiece face and said front end face;
• a cutting edge being disposed at a corner area formed at the intersection of said workpiece face, said front end face, and said chip-flute wall;
• a chip-breaker wedge being disposed to project out of and away from said chip-flute wall;
• said cutting edge being disposed radially further from said central rotational axis of said tool body than said chip-breaker wedge;
• said chip-breaker wedge comprising a chip-breaker surface and a bottom side disposed at an acute angle with respect to said chip-breaker surface;
• said bottom side being configured and disposed to face a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• said bottom side being connected to and disposed to extend from said workpiece face;
• said chip-breaker surface being disposed to face substantially toward said corner area;
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to face away from a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to be disposed at an acute angle to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• and
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to guide a substantial number of chips produced during cutting of a workpiece away from both the workpiece and said tool body in which said cutting inserts are mounted to minimize damage to the workpiece and said tool body caused by the chips.

A cutting insert for a milling cutter comprising:

• a workpiece face being configured and disposed to face toward a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• a front end face being disposed adjacent and substantially perpendicular to said workpiece face;
• a chip-flute wall being disposed substantially transverse to each of said workpiece face and said front end face;
• a cutting edge being disposed at a corner area formed at the intersection of said workpiece face, said front end face, and said chip-flute wall;
• a chip-breaker wedge being disposed to project out of and away from said chip-flute wall;
• said chip-breaker wedge comprising a chip-breaker surface and a bottom side disposed at an acute angle with respect to said chip-breaker surface;
• said bottom side being configured and disposed to face a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• said bottom side being connected to and disposed to extend from said workpiece face;
• said chip-breaker surface being disposed to face substantially toward said corner area;
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to face away from a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to be disposed at an acute angle to a machining surface of a workpiece to be cut during a cutting process;
• and
• said chip-breaker surface being configured and disposed to guide a substantial number of chips produced during cutting of a workpiece away from both the workpiece and a tool body in which said cutting inserts are mounted to minimize damage to the workpiece and the tool body caused by the chips.