Abstract: A composite milling cutter includes a rotatable adapter plate and ring cutter. The adapter plate has a raised key portion with a peripheral side wall having a plurality of curved abutment surfaces symmetrically located on an inscribed circle, ICAP defined by the raised key portion. The cutter ring has an opening with a peripheral side wall for receiving the raised key portion of the adapter plate. The peripheral side wall has a plurality of curved abutment surfaces complimentary in shape to the curved abutment surfaces of the adapter plate and symmetrically located on an inscribed circle, ICCR, defined by the opening. A tolerance between the abutment surfaces of the peripheral side wall of the raised key portion and the abutment surfaces of the peripheral wall of the opening is such that run-out is minimized.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sidewall support surface of an insert-receiving pocket with a compound radius includes the steps of: 1) tilting a cutting tool at a primary tilt angle with respect to a first plane (x-z); 2) tilting the cutting tool at a secondary tilt angle with respect to a second plane (y-z), the second plane different than the first plane; and 3) rotating the cutting tool about an axis (z-axis) perpendicular to a pocket floor of the insert-receiving pocket while maintaining the first and second tilt angles. A cutting tool including a toolholder with the insert-receiving pocket having a pocket floor and the sidewall support surface formed with a compound radius is also described.

Abstract: An indexable, invertable cutting insert has radially-oriented positioning segments on a front face of the insert and radially-oriented positioning segments on the back face of the insert. The radially-oriented positioning segments are shifted on the front face relative to those on the back face such that, when the cutting insert is engaged within the toolholder, the cutting segment utilized on the front face will never be directly opposite the cutting segment utilized on the back face. A toolholder system is made up of the cutting insert and a toolholder capable of securing and indexing the cutting insert.

Abstract: A cutting tool (has a central, longitudinal axis and a tool body including an insert pocket with a bottom wall, a rear wall and at least one side wall. A cantilevered member is machined from the tool body so as to be integrally formed with the tool body. The cantilevered member extends from one of the walls of the insert pocket. An adjustment screw exerts a force against the cantilevered member to selectively adjust a position of a cutting insert mounted on the cantilevered member with respect to the central, longitudinal axis of the cutting tool. A method for selectively adjusting a position of the cutting insert is also disclosed.

Abstract: A composite milling cutter includes a rotatable adapter plate and ring cutter. The adapter plate has a raised key portion with a peripheral side wall having a plurality of curved abutment surfaces symmetrically located on an inscribed circle, ICAP defined by the raised key portion. The cutter ring has an opening with a peripheral side wall for receiving the raised key portion of the adapter plate. The peripheral side wall has a plurality of curved abutment surfaces complimentary in shape to the curved abutment surfaces of the adapter plate and symmetrically located on an inscribed circle, ICCR, defined by the opening. A tolerance between the abutment surfaces of the peripheral side wall of the raised key portion and the abutment surfaces of the peripheral wall of the opening is such that run-out is minimized.

Abstract: A cutting tool includes a cutter body and a shower cap removably secured to the cutter body. The shower cap includes a cylindrical inside reservoir surface, a cylindrical outside coolant passage surface spaced radially outward from the cylindrical inside reservoir surface, and at least one coolant passage extending radially outward from the cylindrical inside reservoir surface to the cylindrical outside coolant passage surface. The at least one coolant passage is in fluid communication with an inlet opening formed in the cylindrical inside reservoir surface and an outlet opening formed in the cylindrical outside coolant passage surface such that coolant is directed radially outward from the cylindrical inside reservoir surface through the at least one coolant passage to a vicinity of a cutting insert within an insert-receiving pocket of the cutter body.

Abstract: A double-sided, nonagon cutting insert includes a top surface, a bottom surface identical to the top surface, nine side surfaces that are identical to each other, a cutting edge formed at an intersection between each of the nine side surfaces and the top and bottom surfaces for a total of eighteen cutting edges, and nine corner radiuses identical to each other, each corner radius extending between the top and bottom surfaces and each of the nine side surfaces. Each cutting edge has a non-symmetric profile with respect to a central, longitudinal axis. The non-symmetrical profile of the cutting edge has the technical advantage of providing a variable cutting force, particularly during fine finishing cutting operations.

Abstract: A screw head wedge clamp assembly for a cutting tool includes a clamp screw having a screw head with a frustum-shaped portion, and a screw head wedge clamp having a body and a clamp head extending from the body. The clamp head has a frustum-shaped portion that is received in a mounting screw bore of a cutting insert. The wedge clamp contacts a radiused bottom wall of the clamp bore when the clamp screw is threaded into a threaded bore of an insert pocket, thereby causing the clamp head to exert a downward and rearward force against a mounting screw bore of the cutting insert to securely hold the cutting insert in the insert pocket. The screw head wedge clamp does not contact a top surface of the cutting insert, but only the frustum-shaped portion contacts the mounting screw bore of the cutting insert.

Abstract: An indexable cutting insert includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of side surfaces. Each side surface includes a first pair of chip grooves, and a second pair of chip grooves. A planar corner surface is disposed between each side surface. A corner radius extends between the top and bottom surfaces and the planar corner surface. A plurality of primary wiper cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each of the first pair of chip grooves and the top and bottom surfaces. A plurality of secondary roughing cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each corner radius and each of the first pair of chip forming grooves. A plurality of wiper cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each planar corner surface and each of the second pair of chip forming grooves. A milling cutter is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cutting tool (has a central, longitudinal axis and a tool body including an insert pocket with a bottom wall, a rear wall and at least one side wall. A cantilevered member is machined from the tool body so as to be integrally formed with the tool body. The cantilevered member extends from one of the walls of the insert pocket. An adjustment screw exerts a force against the cantilevered member to selectively adjust a position of a cutting insert mounted on the cantilevered member with respect to the central, longitudinal axis of the cutting tool. A method for selectively adjusting a position of the cutting insert is also disclosed.

Abstract: A double-sided, nonagon cutting insert includes a top surface, a bottom surface identical to the top surface, nine side surfaces that are identical to each other, a cutting edge formed at an intersection between each of the nine side surfaces and the top and bottom surfaces for a total of eighteen cutting edges, and nine corner radiuses identical to each other, each corner radius extending between the top and bottom surfaces and each of the nine side surfaces. Each cutting edge has a non-symmetric profile with respect to a central, longitudinal axis. The non-symmetrical profile of the cutting edge has the technical advantage of providing a variable cutting force, particularly during fine finishing cutting operations.

Abstract: A screw head wedge clamp assembly for a cutting tool includes a clamp screw having a screw head with a frustum-shaped portion, and a screw head wedge clamp having a body and a clamp head extending from the body. The clamp head has a frustum-shaped portion that is received in a mounting screw bore of a cutting insert. The wedge clamp contacts a radiused bottom wall of the clamp bore when the clamp screw is threaded into a threaded bore of an insert pocket, thereby causing the clamp head to exert a downward and rearward force against a mounting screw bore of the cutting insert to securely hold the cutting insert in the insert pocket. The screw head wedge clamp does not contact a top surface of the cutting insert, but only the frustum-shaped portion contacts the mounting screw bore of the cutting insert.

Abstract: An indexable cutting insert includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of side surfaces. Each side surface includes a first pair of chip grooves, and a second pair of chip grooves. A planar corner surface is disposed between each side surface. A corner radius extends between the top and bottom surfaces and the planar corner surface. A plurality of primary wiper cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each of the first pair of chip grooves and the the top and bottom surfaces. A plurality of secondary roughing cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each corner radius and each of the first pair of chip forming grooves. A plurality of wiper cutting edges are formed at an intersection between each planar corner surface and each of the second pair of chip forming grooves. A milling cutter is also disclosed.

Abstract: An indexable, invertable cutting insert has radially-oriented positioning segments on a front face of the insert and radially-oriented positioning segments on the back face of the insert. The radially-oriented positioning segments are shifted on the front face relative to those on the back face such that, when the cutting insert is engaged within the toolholder, the cutting segment utilized on the front face will never be directly opposite the cutting segment utilized on the back face. A toolholder system is made up of the cutting insert and a toolholder capable of securing and indexing the cutting insert.

Abstract: An indexable, invertable cutting insert has radially-oriented positioning segments on a front face of the insert and radially-oriented positioning segments on the back face of the insert. The radially-oriented positioning segments are shifted on the front face relative to those on the back face such that, when the cutting insert is engaged within the toolholder, the cutting segment utilized on the front face will never be directly opposite the cutting segment utilized on the back face. A toolholder system is made up of the cutting insert and a toolholder capable of securing and indexing the cutting insert.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sidewall support surface of an insert-receiving pocket with a compound radius includes the steps of: 1) tilting a cutting tool at a primary tilt angle with respect to a first plane (x-z); 2) tilting the cutting tool at a secondary tilt angle with respect to a second plane (y-z), the second plane different than the first plane; and 3) rotating the cutting tool about an axis (z-axis) perpendicular to a pocket floor of the insert-receiving pocket while maintaining the first and second tilt angles. A cutting tool including a toolholder with the insert-receiving pocket having a pocket floor and the sidewall support surface formed with a compound radius is also described.

Abstract: A round cutting insert with a reverse anti-rotation feature that can be manufactured easily and inexpensively is disclosed. The round cutting insert includes a plurality of dimples formed on a first surface and another plurality of dimples formed on a second, opposing surface. The round insert is reversible and indexable. The round cutting insert is removable received in an insert receiving pocket in a tool body. The insert receiving pocket includes a single projection that is capable of being received in one of the plurality of dimples. The cooperation between the projection and one of the plurality of dimples prevents rotation of the round cutting insert when mounted in the insert receiving pocket. The plurality of dimples and the projection can be any desirable complimentary shape, such as a slot, a V-shape, a wagon wheel, a sports wheel, a pyramid, and the like.