Cutting Tools and Material Conditioning for Micro End Milling of Tool Steel

摘要

In order to utilize the potential of mechanical cutting by end milling tools for the manufacturing of three-dimensional microstructures in hard tool steel, e.g. in micro mold manufacturing, it is vital to observe the material properties and their interaction with the process parameters. Further, there are particularities to consider concerning the down-scaling of the cutting tools. Using suitable materials and cutting tools it is possible to obtain steel micro-structures with a surface quality suitable for mold making.