High Speed Machining vs. High Efficiency Machining
High speed machining is a hot topic. But, what is ‘high speed” machining really? Is it simply running at maximum feed rates and taking multiple shallow passes? This strategy is often less efficient than taking few passes at slightly greater depths! Achieving the shortest cutting time is related to feed rate, but the relationship is not necessarily ‘fastest feed rates = most efficient.” High-efficiency machining, cutting a part in the least amount of time, is the real goal. The key to achieving high-efficiency machining is to vary the feed rates to achieve the result each cutting condition encountered.
Cutting at maximum feed rate, with very light cuts, small step-down and step-over can actually require many, often inefficient, passes and can defeat the goal of reducing time. Cutting at a greater depth (in this example .500″vs.100″) is more efficient. But the cutter may encounter an overloaded condition causing breakage or exceeding the horsepower on the machine.
This is where automatic optimization software shines. VERICUT knows exactly how much material will be removed in each segment of the cut and slows the feed rates down where the load is too great. This prevents breaking cutters and keeps the machine from exceeding horsepower limitations. The same high feed rates are maintained where possible, but with greater cutting efficiency and less time than when stepping down only .100″ for each pass.