Optimized and additively manufactured face mills for enhanced cutting performance

With the growing acceptance of additive manufacturing (AM) across various sectors, laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) has widely been utilized to create intricately shaped parts from a range of metals alloys. The factors contributing to this reception are limited not only to the achievable geometrical complexity but also enhanced product functionality. Prominent sectors such as aerospace, defense, and biomedical have begun to leverage PBF-LB for a wide range of applications; its use in other industries, such as cutting tool manufacturing, remains more limited. Therefore, to address the potential of LPBF for higher performance in cutting tool applications, this study examines topology optimization and the laser powder bed fusion of face mills with experimental modal characteristics and cutting performance. The objectives in topology optimizations were to decrease the vibration magnitudes of face mills while keeping them stiff against deformation due to cutting forces. Three distinct designs were benchmarked, each with different weight reduction targets, and were fabricated using PBF-LB with M300 maraging steel. The optimized face mills demonstrated better performance with diminished vibration magnitudes and less tool wear patterns.