Influence of Tool Path Strategies and Pocket Geometry on Surface Roughness in Pocket Milling

Abstract

This paper discusses the effect of tool path strategies and pocket geometry to surface roughness due to pocket milling process. The machining processes have been performed on mould steel DF2 using carbide insert end mill as the cutting tool. The cutting parameters for this experiment were kept constant while the variables were cutting tool, path strategies and pocket geometries at three levels each. The effectiveness of different tool path strategy and different pocket geometry is evaluated in terms of measured surface roughness (Ra) of the workpiece. The grade of a pocket is directly proportional with its surface roughness. The lowest surface roughness measurement was produced by pocket geometry B with parallel spiral cutting tool path strategy.