Widia’s 70NS Victory X-Feed series of high-feed end mills has now been extended to cater for the machining of stainless-steel and heat-resistant alloys.

Available in the UK from Tamworth-based Industrial Tooling Corporation Ltd (ITC — www.itc-ltd.co.uk) and already proven on a wide variety of materials, the extended AlTiN-MT coated 70NS series provides a significantly increased radial engagement when compared to ball-nose end mills.

The geometry of these latest cutters has been designed for circular plunging, 3-D machining, face milling and pocketing applications.

The six-flute tools have a 3xD neck reach and an optimised corner radius for heavy-duty high-feed machining; they also offer improved tool life and a smooth cutting action that reduces spindle load by minimising radial forces on the cutting tool.

These tools are available in diameters of 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20 and 25mm, with neck diameters from 5.5mm on the 6mm-diameter tool through to 23.5mm on the 25mm-diameter tool; neck lengths range from 17.75 to 74.25mm.

Furthermore, the geometry of the extended 70NS series offers a radial engagement of 55%, compared to 5-10% with ball-nose tools.

This significantly reduces tool wear and subsequent tool changeovers, while efficiently dissipating heat through the tool and the chips.

The geometry of the 70NS series has a head radius and a shoulder radius that combine to create an engagement area that maximises material removal rates while minimising tool wear.

The dual-radius geometry incorporates a shoulder radius from 0.38 to 1.56mm and a head radius from 0.67 to 2.9mm (depending on the tool diameter).