Face Milling and Plain Milling
Face milling creates flat surfaces perpendicular to the spindle axis using a face mill with multiple indexable inserts. This is the most common milling operation and produces excellent surface finishes with high material removal rates. Plain milling removes material from surfaces parallel to the cutter axis using helical or straight-tooth cutters mounted on an arbor for wide surface coverage.
End Milling and Slot Milling
End milling uses cutters with flutes on both the end and sides, enabling plunging, profiling, and pocketing operations. It is the most versatile milling method and handles everything from roughing deep cavities to finishing delicate thin walls. Slot milling creates narrow channels and grooves using end mills or dedicated slot cutters, commonly used for keyways, T-slots, and sealing grooves in industrial components.
Thread Milling and Helical Milling
Thread milling produces internal and external threads using a rotating cutter following a helical toolpath programmed in the CNC controller. Unlike tapping, thread milling can produce any thread pitch with the same tool and handles blind holes without the risk of tap breakage. Helical milling generates spiral features such as oil grooves and helical splines by synchronizing rotary axis movement with linear feed axes.
Advanced Milling Strategies
Five-axis simultaneous milling enables complex aerospace and medical components with undercuts and compound angles. Trochoidal milling uses circular toolpaths to maintain constant tool engagement, reducing heat and extending tool life in hard materials. Plunge milling feeds the cutter axially into the workpiece for roughing deep pockets efficiently. These advanced strategies require capable CAM software and rigid machine construction to achieve optimal results.
