The Niagara Cutter SMM850 uncoated (bright) high-speed steel square nose mill has four flutes and a metric cutting diameter for general-purpose machining. Four flutes produce a better finish than fewer flutes. With no coating or surface treatment, this uncoated tool can be used on a broad range of materials. High-speed steel (HSS) is a common general-purpose steel for cutting tools and is compatible with a variety of materials.
The 30-degree helix angle supports general-purpose applications. It balances lower angles’ strong cutting edge for difficult-to-machine materials with higher angles’ increased cutting action. 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. While the cutting diameter is metric, the shank is sized in inches. Cutting diameter tolerance is +0.025 mm to -0.000 mm. This tool has a Weldon shank.
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 two facilities in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. This allows the company control over production, an essential benefit for customers in a variety of industries, especially aerospace and automotive.
