DHC end mills: smooth and steady route to increased performance
DHC stands for "different helix cutter". The name refers to the tool's innovative feature: different spiral angles on the sequential cutting edges. These create different chip cross sections which prevent vibration. This technology facilitates high feed rates, increased volume removal and significantly less vibration than would be the case using a roughing and finishing cutter in a normal configuration.
Innovations in the LMT Fette range now include:
- DHC Micro is where the DHC principle was first applied to diameters from 1 millimetre – unique on the market.
- DHC with corner radius enables processing of workpieces using one radius. Additionally, the new corner radiuses protect the tool against wear and significantly increase tool life. If workpieces involve a contour or special geometry, the corner radius can save a processing step with an additional tool.
- DHC SLOT with internal cooling was specially developed for keyhole cutting with three cutting edges and three different helix angles. Coolant feed occurs centrally here.
- DHC Inox with internal cooling is ideal for processing rust- and acid-resistant steels, titanium and nickel-base alloys as well as short-chipping aluminium. Coolant feed occurs radially here.
Background:
"Like soldiers marching out of step"
If you want to accelerate machining using higher volume removal rates, the cutter has to move relatively deep into the workpiece. As a result, however, the cutting forces also increase significantly and vibrations occur. In regular cutters the blades all have the same cutting edge with the same angle. How does a DHC or a cutter with unequal helix angles reduce vibration? This is best illustrated by the example of soldiers crossing a suspension bridge. If they march across in lockstep, this causes vibrations that can even make a bridge collapse. That’s why soldiers should always cross bridges out of step.
DHC - Vibration-free performance