When to Use Single-Flute Tooling
Single-flute end mills are ideal for high-speed machining operations and capable of cutting a variety of materials, including aluminum, brass, copper, and engineering plastics. The single-flute geometry offers more space for chip evacuation and this enables machinists to program faster feed rates and higher chip loads. This also allows machinists to better manage heat during milling operations because single-flutes are well-suited for high-speed machining (HSM) operations.
Datron 6mm single-flute end mill performing a tool touch-off.
Our desktop CNC machines were specifically designed for high-speed machining in aluminum 6061. For instance, we comfortably hit a material removal rate 0.42 cubic inches per minute using the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine, and on more than one occasion hit a much higher MRR.
For these HSM operations, we often go with a single-flute because it allows us to program efficient toolpaths and because this tooling plays to our mill’s strengths. Of course, this logic isn’t limited to only our machines. Rather, to get the most out of any CNC or tool in your shop, taking the time to determine strategies and techniques that suit them will help you optimize your process.
However, while single-flutes may be versatile, they’re not well-situated for machining steel. Again, looking at the geometry, while single-flute tooling allows for high chip loads, the additional space the single flute creates takes away from the end mill’s core. Machining ferrous metals requires stronger tooling because of the hardness of these materials. Tooling with more flutes and larger cores enables you to program toolpaths that run at a slower surface feet per minute (SFM), which are better suited for machining metals like steel, stainless steel, or titanium.
When asked about whether steel is a supported material on our Bantam Tools milling machines, we always point out that for the lowest spindle speed on both the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine and Bantam Tools Explorer™ CNC Milling Machine is 10,000 RPM. And, like we mentioned above, milling steel and other ferrous metals requires a lower SFM and in turn programming your spindle speed at a much lower RPM.
Now, does this mean you can’t or shouldn’t use multi-flute end mills with Bantam Tools milling machines and they’re only meant for ferrous metals? Of course not! We’ve been using multi-flute tooling since the Desktop PCB Milling Machine days and for good reason: 2- and 3-flute end mills are excellent for roughing operations engineering plastic, FR-1, and machining wax. Not to mention, we use multi-flute tools for a lot of our finishing passes.
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