Cutting tool for face milling composite material, corresponding method of face milling, cutting insert and tool body

A method for face milling a work piece, the method comprising the step of face milling the work piece with a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body, the tool body having at least a first and a second insert pocket each for the fixing thereto of one cutting insert;

• and at least a first and a second cutting insert each fixed in a respective first or second insert pocket, the first and second cutting inserts and insert pockets being arranged such that when the first and second cutting inserts are fixed within the respective insert pocket each cutting insert presents a primary cutting edge for radial machining of the work piece, a secondary cutting edge associated with the primary cutting edge, the secondary cutting edge being a wiper edge for axial machining of the work piece, wherein an intersection between the primary cutting edge and the secondary cutting edge of the second cutting insert is axially inwardly and radially outwardly offset from an intersection between the primary cutting edge and the secondary cutting edge of the first cutting insert, and a lead angle, the lead angle of each cutting insert defined between the primary and the secondary cutting is the same, a radial feed per tooth of the cutting tool with respect to the work piece obeying the inequality:
• Fz
• ≤
• d
• r
• -
• d
• a
• tan
• ⁡
• (
• K
• r
• )
• .
• where Fz is the radial feed per tooth;
• dr is the radial offset between two consecutive offset cutting inserts;
• da is the axial offset between two consecutive offset cutting inserts;
• Kr is the lead angle of the cutting inserts.