Tewkesbury-based Quickgrind Ltd (www.quickgrind.com) has introduced its Qplus range of universal end mills; this is aimed at machine shops looking to maximise milling-cutter performance while reducing inventory costs.

Featuring a sub-micron-grain carbide substrate, the four-flute Qplus is said to offer high levels of performance on steel
and cast iron, while the hard-wearing MX coating makes the tool suitable for high-temperature alloys, hardened steels and non-ferrous materials.

Moreover, the substrate and coating combine with the tool geometry to dissipate heat from the cutting area, extending tool life. Here, the tool’s centre-cutting geometry and long flute length help the efficient removal of swarf from the machining zone, eliminating the potential for swarf build-up and re-cutting.

With an ability to undertake both roughing and finishing cuts, the potential operations that can be conducted by Qplus include slotting, profiling and trochoidal milling.

For the end user, this equates to reductions in tooling inventory (and costs) and the number of tool changes required.
Qplus is available in diameters of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20mm, with flute lengths from 12 to 45mm.

To enable the Qplus to undertake deep slot, side and pocket milling operations, Quickgrind has equipped it with an extended neck of 20-22mm for the 3, 4 and 5mm-diameter variants, while the 6-20mm-diameter tools incorporate a 0.25mm radius (that reduces the risk of corner chipping) and a straight-shank design (that offers increased rigidity when performing heavy-duty cutting).