What is milling process?

- Milling is a machining process in which a rotating cutting tool removes material from a
workpiece to create a desired shape. The cutting tool is typically a multi-point endmill, which
rotates about its axis and moves in a linear direction to remove material from the workpiece.
Milling can be performed on a variety of materials, including metals, plastics, and woods, and
can be used to create a wide range of shapes, including flat surfaces, slots, and complex shapes.
The milling process can also be used to create threads and other features on a workpiece.

Types and kinds of milling machine :

There are several types of milling machines, each with their own unique characteristics and
capabilities. Some common types of milling machines include:

- Vertical milling machines: These machines have a vertical spindle and a horizontal table, and are
designed for making precision cuts on small parts.

- Horizontal milling machines: These machines have a horizontal spindle and a vertical table, and
are used for making large, heavy cuts.

- CNC milling machines: These are computer controlled milling machines that are capable of
cutting complex shapes with high precision.

- Bed mill: They have a horizontal spindle and a vertical table, and are similar to horizontal milling
machines, but with a fixed table.

- Knee mill: They have a vertical spindle, a horizontal table and a knee that moves up and down
and supports the quill.

- Turret mill: They have a spindle in a rotating turret and can hold multiple cutting tools at a time.

- Gantry mill: They have a milling head that rides on a pair of rails located at either side of the
work surface

- Planer-style mill: They are similar to bed mills, but feature a large table that moves parallel to
the cutter.

- Each of these types of milling machines is suited to different applications and materials, so the
choice of which machine to use will depend on the specific requirements of the task at hand.
Milling parts and Function :

Column and base:

Column and base provide supports for the other parts of a milling machine. There is an oil reservoir and
pump in the column to lubricate the spindle. The column rests on the base and also it has a coolant
reservoir and a pump to provide coolant in machining operations.

Knee:

The gearing mechanism is enclosed within a knee. The knee is fastened to the column by dovetail ways.
It is supported and adjusted by a vertical positioning screw also known as an elevating screw. The use of
the elevating screw is to adjust the knee up and down by raising or lowering the lever with the help of
hand or power feed.

Saddle and Swivel Table:

The saddle is on the knee and supports the table. Saddle slides on horizontal dovetail on the knee and
dovetail are parallel to the axis of the spindle (in horizontal milling m/c). Swivel table is attached to the
saddle that swiveled (revolved) horizontally in both directions.

Power Feed Mechanism:

The power feed mechanism is in the knee. The power feed mechanism is used to control in longitudinal
(left and right), transverse (in and out), and vertical (up and down) feeds. For the desired rate of feed on
the machine, the feed selection lever is placed to indicate on the feed selection plates. For some
universal knee and column milling machines, feed is obtained by turning the speed selection handle till
the required rate of feed is shown on feed dial. Almost in every milling machine, there is a rapid traverse
lever which is used when a temporary increase in the speed of the longitudinal, transverse, or vertical
feeds is required. This lever is used when the operator is aligning or positioning the work.

Table:

A table is a rectangular casting that is presented on the top of a saddle. The table is used to hold the
work or for work holding devices. There are several T-slots to hold work and work holding devices (jigs
and fixtures). It can be operated by hand or by power. For moving the table by hand, it engages and
turns the longitudinal hand crank. For moving it by power, it engages longitudinal direction feeds control
lever.

Spindle:

The spindle is used to hold and drive the cutting tools of a milling machine. It is mounted on the bearings
and has the support of the column. The spindle is driven by an electric motor via gear trains and gear
trains are on the column. The spindle face lies near the table and has an internal taper machined on it.
There are two keys at the front face provide a positive drive for cutter holder or arbor.

Over Arm/ Overhanging Arm:

Overarm is a horizontal beam and it is on the top face of the column. It may be a single casting and
slides on the dovetail way which is on the top face of the column.

Arbor Support:

Arbor support is casting with a bearing that supports the outer end of a arbor. It also helps to align the
outer end of the arbor with the spindle. Arbor support prevents the springing of the outer end of arbor
in cutting operations. Generally, there are two types of arbor supports used in the milling machines. The
first one has a small diameter bearing hole of a maximum diameter of 1 inch. The second one has a large
diameter bearing hole of up to 23/4 inch.

Ram:

The ram is an overhanging arm in a vertical milling machine. The one end of the ram is mounted on the
top of the column and the milling head is attached to another.

Link and references:

https://www.market-prospects.com/articles/part-of-milling-machine
Milling operation classification of milling methods ( Direct / simple / angular/
differential) .

Milling operations can be classified into several types, based on the orientation of the cutter and the
workpiece, as well as the type of motion imparted to the cutter. Some common types of milling
operations include:

- Peripheral milling: This is a type of milling where the cutter rotates on an axis that is
perpendicular to the workpiece surface. This type of milling is used to create slots, grooves, and
other similar features.
- Face milling: This is a type of milling where the cutter rotates on an axis that is parallel to the
workpiece surface. This type of milling is used to create flat surfaces and remove large amounts
of material quickly.
- End milling: This is a type of milling where the cutter rotates on an axis that is parallel to the end
of the workpiece. This type of milling is used to create slots, grooves, and other similar features
on the end of a workpiece.
- Gang milling: This is a type of milling where multiple cutters are mounted on a single arbor and
are used to remove material simultaneously. This type of milling is useful for creating complex
shapes and removing large amounts of material quickly.
- Form milling: This type of milling is used to create specific shapes on a workpiece. A form cutter
is used to mill the desired shape into the workpiece.
- Contouring milling: this type of milling is used to create contoured surfaces and complex shapes
on a workpiece.
- Profiling milling: this type of milling is used to create specific shapes on the edge of a workpiece.
- Pocket milling: this type of milling is used to create pockets and slots on a workpiece.
- Straddle milling: this type of milling is used to create parallel grooves or slots on a workpiece.
- Thread milling: this type of milling is used to create threads on a workpiece.

These are some of the common types of milling operations, however, depending on the specific needs
of the application, many more specialized operation can be developed and used.