Troubleshooting Guide

Welcome to the Troubleshooting Guide for carbide end mills.

In this section, end milling problems are addressed with potential solutions listed below. Choose from the following problems:


PROBLEM	CAUSE	SOLUTION
Chip Packing	Feed per tooth too high Not enough chip room Not enough coolant	Lower feed rate Use end mill fewer flutes Use more coolant to flush out chips
Rough finish	Feed too fast Slow speed Too much wear Feed per tooth too high	Slow down to correct feed Use higher speed Regrind sooner Lower feed rate
Burr	Dull cutting edge Improper cutting angle	Regrind sooner Change to correct cutting angle
Wandering	Machine/Holder runout Not enough rigidity in machine/holder Not enough flutes Tool deflection	Repair machine or holder Change machine or holder Use end mill with more flutes Choke up on shank or reduce feed rate
Chipping	Feed too fast Feed too fast on first cut Not enough rigidity of machine/holder Loose holder Loose vise Lack of rigidity (tool) Teeth too sharp	Lower feed rate Lower feed on intial contact Change to rigid machine/holder Tighten tool holder Tighten workpiece fixture Choke up on shank; use shorter tool Choose tool with correct primary relief angle
Wear	Speed too fast Hard material Feed too slow Improper cutting angle Primary relief angle too small	Slow down speed, use more coolant Use better grade for cutter material, add coating Increase feed speed Change to correct cutting angle Increase primary relief angle
Breakage	Feed too fast Chip load per tooth too great Flute length too long Long overall length Too much wear	Slow down feed Adjust to smaller chip load per tooth Choke up on shank Use shorter end mill Regrind sooner
Chattering	Feed and speed too fast Poor rigidity of machine/holder Relief angle too large Loose workpiece holder Cutting too deep Flute length too long Long overall length	Adjust feed and speed Use better machine/holder Change to smaller relief angle Hold workpiece tighter Change to smaller depth of cut Choke up on shank Use shorter end mill