A milling machine is a machine that is generally used to produce a flat plane and form a pattern through a rotating blade by removing most of the material.
Milling machines are generally used to form certain materials according to needs, such as threads, spirals, gears, cams, drum scales, star shafts, worm shafts and others.
Milling machines can make it easier to remove metal scraps through rotating cutters. The cutter rotation takes place at a high speed, which helps to cut metal efficiently. In addition, the cutting tool in this milling machine has a cutting edge which plays an important role in cutting materials.
The milling machine can accommodate more than one cutter at a time. This machine is the most important machine that can be found in the workshop.
This machine can perform operations with high accuracy compared to other similar machines, such as forming machines, planners and lathes.
Milling machines are known for their better surface finishing and excellent accuracy, which makes them a necessity for production work. Milling machines are available in various types, including:
1. Vertical Milling Machine
A vertical milling machine is a milling machine in which the cutting tool has a vertical orientation. Generally the cutting tool in this tool is placed on a vertical shaft, and can be raised or lowered.
When lowered, the cutting tool presses the work material beneath it, allowing material ejection. When raised, the cutting tool will move away from the work material.
2. Horizontal Milling Machine
As opposed to a vertical milling machine, a horizontal milling machine is a milling machine in which the cutting tool has a horizontal orientation.
The cutting tool on this machine will move horizontally across the shaft while pressing the work material underneath.
3. Bed Milling Machine
Bed milling machine is a milling machine that has a hanger on the tool. The tool still has a shaft to hold the cutting tool, but the shaft is secured with hangers.
The bed milling machine is basically a variant of the vertical milling machine, with the difference in the bed milling machine that there is a hanger.
4. Box Milling Machine
The box milling machine is a simple low-end machine capable of performing simple milling processes. This machine is also known as box mill.
This machine is called a box milling machine because the cutting tool on this machine has a box-like path. This cutting tool can move up and down to remove material from the target material to be processed.
5. Floor Milling Machine
The floor milling machine is characterized by the use of table rows. The shaft on this tool is horizontally oriented and moves across a series of paths along the table row.
Over time, the use of this machine has been replaced by the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling machine. However, there are still many small industries and hobbyists who use this tool.
6. Rotary Table Milling Machine
The part of the rotary table milling machine consists of a round table. The table can rotate on a vertical axis. There are several cutting blades in this tool, and each cutting blade has a different role.
One cutting knife is in charge of roughing the work material, and the other cutting knife will complete the work on the surface of the work material.
The advantage of a rotary table milling machine is that the operator can continuously load and unload work materials.
7. Tracer Controlled Milling Machine
This milling machine is a modern form of milling machine. On this milling machine, the operator can trace elements and reproduce prints of complex and irregular shapes.
In this machine there is a stylus, which will energize the oil relay system, where the system plays a role in operating the hydraulic system on the milling machine.
These control systems are known as servomechanisms, and are generally quite complex to control unless experienced by experienced professionals.
8. CNC Milling Machine (Computer Numerical Control)
A CNC milling machine is a computer controlled milling machine. This machine can work in three directions and can rotate 360 degree.
This machine has more or less the same features as a bed milling machine, but this machine is a developed version of a bed milling machine.
The movement on this machine is controlled hydraulically by a computer, so the operator only needs to make the desired flat shape design and the system will cut the object according to that design.
9. Drum Milling Machine
Drum milling machines are generally the same as rotary table milling machines, but there are differences in the tabletop. In a drum milling machine, the work material is supported by a table called a drum, and the table can only rotate horizontally.
The cutting tool on this milling machine consists of three or four shaft heads. After one full turn, the operator must remove the finished part and clamp the new work material onto it.
There are several types of milling machines that are commonly used. Each type of milling machine generally works with its own method.
Regarding the results obtained, all will be returned to the operator, both in terms of orientation, efficiency, quality or from an economic point of view of the milling machine user.