Study of end mill wear on the finished surface under air cooling and semi-synthetic coolant

This research studied the influence of end mill wear on the surface finish of a steel workpiece
as a function of coolant type. The results of this research will lead to a better understanding of end mill
practices suitable for the mold making industry and can be used to analyze costs to determine the
appropriate tool life. Milling experiments were conducted under cutting speed 86 m/min, spindle
speed 2750 RPM, Feed 520 mm/min for 6 hours using air cooling or a liquid semi-synthetic oil
coolant. It was found that air cooling could suitably maintain the temperature of the end mill for the
specified milling conditions. Air cooling resulted in reduced end mill wear which provided a better
surface finish to the steel workpiece, compared to the semi-synthetic oil coolant. It was concluded that
the use of air cooling can extend end mill life time, making it possible to use the end mills more
efficiently and cost-effectively under the cutting conditions in this experiment.