VHM roughing end mills in various designs from Nachreiner

The VHM roughing end mills (as well as their close relatives, the roughing-finishing end mills and radius roughing end mills) are indispensable and highly efficient tools used in cutting processes in metalworking. They belong to the category of end mills and should be selected based on the material to be machined and the machine being used. VHM roughing end mills made of solid carbide are known for their exceptional durability and resulting long tool life, even at high machining speeds. Roughing (also known as rough end milling in English) involves short cutting edges that are present in large numbers on the tool. The typical arrangement of these roughing teeth makes VHM roughing end mills so effective. Depending on the application and tool design, the roughing teeth can have different angles. For example, 25 and 45 degrees are common angle sizes for roughing end mills.

What are the advantages of VHM roughing end mills compared to other cutters or drills?

Theoretically, you could use several tools for the same task, each having its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. In machining processes such as drilling and turning, the cutting edges of the tools are constantly engaged when being fed into the material. This creates relatively long chips, which must be removed from the workpiece and tool. Heat generation during milling is often a critical factor that needs to be considered when selecting the right process and the potential maximum machining speed. Unlike other cutting tools like spiral drills, VHM roughing end mills do not maintain a constant engagement contact between the cutting edge and the material. As a result, the chips produced are much shorter, making chip removal easier. The quick chip removal is important not only for mechanical reasons, to prevent the tool from jamming, but also due to the need to limit heat generation. Since up to 80% of the heat generated is transferred to the chips, it is crucial to remove them quickly from the workpiece and tool. The solid carbide roughing end mills from Nachreiner also have an extremely high resistance to temperature. However, roughing end mills have their downsides too. The intermittent cuts, which help reduce heat buildup with shorter chips and faster chip removal, can also cause vibrations during machining, leading to potential chatter marks on the workpiece. The choice of method or tool should depend on the requirements and characteristics of all components.

Nachreiner VHM roughing end mill also available in top version primus

Among the VHM roughing end mills in our range, some products feature the additional designation Primus or Primus version. This special version is suitable for applications that require a very high material removal rate as well as extreme feeds. We would be happy to provide individual consultations regarding the properties of our solid carbide end mills.