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Common Questions

16 articles

Why isn't this wireless?

Here is the popular wireless bluetooth vibration sensing accelerometer from Fluke. It is 2.67" in diameter! The only way we can have a sensor small enough to attach to a endmill is by using wires.

Do you have to tap-test after every tool change?

The answer is no. If you are replacing the worn tool with a new of the same part number and manufacturer and that you are maintaining the same stick-out with a reasonable tolerance (Boeing says 0.010"). The dynamics of the assembly will not change and the Dashboard values will still work. If you are...

What is the best toolholder?

While balance and concentricity are very important to tool life and finish, there is no "best" toolholder. The same endmill, same machine, same stick-out, in six different premium toolholders. The winner was 5X better than the worst. Change the endmill and the prior winner came in third.

Does chatter affect accuracy?

All endmills deflect from the force of each tooth impact and rebound. If the tooth impact intervals are equal the cut is smooth and quiet. When it is not the variation from one impact to the next vary and increase resulting in chatter and inaccurate surface location.

When I change the feed rate the stable speeds do not change

Feed rate generally does not induce or reduce chatter. The parameters that affect stability are the cutting force (determined by the combination of width and depth of cut) and the tooth impacts per second (RPM x number of teeth). Changing the feed rate does not alter either of these, only the distan...

Can Tap-Testing be used with resharpened endmills?

Yes, tap-testing can dramatically improve an endmill resharpening/reconditioning program.Typically, resharpened endmills are run at much slower speeds than new. When you tap-test you can find optimized and stable speeds that will work for new and resharpened endmills.Here is a stability lobe diagram...

Are more flutes always better?

Theoretically, adding flutes should increase productivity because with the same chip load you will cover more ground, achieving a higher inches per minute.However, physical and design limits of the tool may negate the feed rate benefit. A 5 flute endmill can handle a radial engagement, or width of c...

Are more flutes always better? - Indexable.

Theoretically, more teeth with the same diameter and feed per tooth will yield a higher performance by increasing the inches per minute, but there are physical limitations that will sometimes negate this advantage. More teeth means there is a shorter time between tooth impacts for the tool to deflec...

How repeatable is tap-testing?

This is an overlay of ten measurements made by ten different Metalworking Specialists of the same tool at the Oak Ridge training sessions. As you can see they are almost identical. The key was that each Specialist conducted the "Practice" function before they tapped the tool in the X and Y axes. The...

What if I come across a customer with a full MetalMax kit?

This could work to your advantage. One, they obviously know the technology works. Two, they may be using it for very advanced analysis with one of their most senior engineers which means the kit may not be available for the majority of their tools. Let them know that you will augment their existing ...

Does the tool length or stickout make a difference??

The overall length of the tool assembly changes the frequency at which it will vibrate. A shorter tool will have a higher frequency. The longer the tool the lower the frequency. Boeing recommends holding stick-out to within 0.010" in order to retain stability. Another rule of thumb is to hold the st...

Does the Dashboard care if the coolant is on or off?

Coolant reduces the temperature of the cutting zone which will impact tool life. It may also allow you to run at a higher stable spindle speed than if run dry. It does not change the stiffness of the tool or the frequency at which it vibrates, so the stable speed zones and maximum stable depths of c...

Will this work in 3D (or contour) Milling?

Yes. With 3D milling, the three axes can cut to different depths, and create different shapes typically in die and mold work. The axial and radial cutting depths are usually light, but the tools are also often longer and more flexible. They deflect, vibrate and are prone to chatter. Tap-testing and ...

What effect does balancing have on dynamics?

We are dealing with two different kinds of vibration. FORCED vibrations are those that are introduced to an object. Runout or unbalance in a tool assembly will create a once per revolution frequency. It is consistent, no matter what speed the tool assembly is rotating, it will always be once per rev...

Will extreme temperature (hot or cold) hurt the MillMax kit?

If you leave your MillMax in your car during a hot summer or cold winter day, it will not damage your kit's components. The cables are robust and the manufacturer rates its sensors as follow:Accelerometer: -100 to +356 °FHammer: -30 to 250°FBefore using your kit, however, it should be allowed to re...

Can I get a false positive with a tap-test?

Can you make accepted tap-tests and get an incorrect Dashboard? The Millmax software measures the impact from the hammer and the force received by the accelerometer. If the accelerometer is misaligned from the hammer impact, the hammer impact is at an angle, or the accelerometer has too much wax, th...