Niagara Cutter’s A345M metric TiCN-coated carbide square nose end mill has three flutes and a 45-degree helix angle, making it suitable for high-performance cuts on aluminum and other nonferrous materials. The 45-degree helix provides increased cutting action and chip evacuation compared to end mills with lower helix angles, as it moves excess material quickly up the spiral and away from the workpiece. The end mill’s three flutes provide better chip-carrying capacity than four flutes and a finer finish than two. They efficiently remove excess material from the cutting area and provide a third cutting edge to create an improved finish that may eliminate the need for a second finishing cut in some applications. The center-cutting design has cutting teeth at the end of the tool, so it can be fed straight into the workpiece like a drill bit. The tool’s square end creates sharp, unrounded cuts. The rounded area behind the cutting edge, called the cylindrical land, minimizes tool vibration when machining nonferrous materials. This end mill is best suited for peripheral milling applications.

The TiCN coating offers the hardness and abrasion resistance required to machine aluminum and other nonferrous materials, providing more abrasion resistance than TiN coating. The carbide substrate is harder than high-speed or cobalt steel, making it more wear resistant at high speeds and providing longer tool life. The tool has an eccentric primary relief feature that provides better support behind the cutting edge than a flat relief, reducing tooth breakage in deep cuts. Cutting diameter tolerance is +0.00 mm to -0.05 mm. The round shank accommodates a range of tool holders.

End mills are designed to remove material and create multi-dimensional shapes and profiles. They have cutting edges along the outside diameter and flutes that remove chips from the cutting area and allow cooling fluids to enter. If heat is not reduced effectively, the tool’s cutting edges will dull and additional material buildup can occur. The number of flutes can range from two to eight. Two-flute designs offer the most efficient chip removal, but more flutes provide a smoother finish. The shank is the end of the tool held in place by a tool holder or machine. Center-cutting end mills can create three-dimensional shapes and profiles, and make plunge cuts similar to a drill bit. Non-center-cutting end mills are for applications such as peripheral milling and finishing, but cannot make plunge cuts.

Niagara Cutter has been designing and manufacturing precision cutting tools since 1954. Specializing in end mills, cutting mills, and saws, the company is based in New York and manufactures its tools at facilities in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. This allows the company control over production, from substrate to coating, which is essential for customers in a variety of industries, especially aerospace and automotive.