Institute of Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Workshop/Manufacturing Practices

Machine Shop: Milling Machine

Milling Machine
 A milling machine is a machine tool which is used to make
surface by removing metal as the work piece is fed against
rotating multipoint cutting tool.

 The cutting motion is provided on the milling cutter which is a

rotation.
 The feed motion is provided to the job which is a linear motion.
 Milling is used to make surface having good surface finish, slot,
keyways and also generate gear tooth profile.
 The first successful milling cutter was developed by Eli Whitney
in the year 1818.
Machining in milling
Description of Milling Machine

cutter
Basic Components of Milling Machine
• Base: The base is the rigid cast iron structure attached on the shop
floor which takes the entire load of the column.

• Column: the column is the main supported frame mounted vertically

to the base. It is box shaped and consisted with all the driving
mechanisms.

• Overhanging arm: It is situated at the top of the column and It

extends beyond the column face provides the bearing support in one
end of the arbor.

• Spindle: It is located at the upper part of the column and receives

power from the motor through belt pulley drive and transmit it to the
arbor.
Continued..
• Arbor: An arbor may be considered as an extension of the machine
spindle on which milling cutter is situated. The arbor may be
supported at the furthest end of the overhanging arm. It is made
with taper shanks for proper alignment of the machine spindle.

• Knee: It is the rigid grey cast iron supporting which carries saddle
and table and moves up and down along the guide ways of column.

• Saddle: Saddle is placed at the top of the knee which can slides
exactly at right angle to the column face.

• Table: The table rests on the ways of saddle which carries the vice
or holding device to hold the work piece.
Specification of Milling Machine
 The size of the milling machine is designed by the
dimensions of the working surface of the table and its
maximum length of longitudinal, cross and vertical travel
of the table.

 In addition to that following are also required to specify-

1. number of spindle speed
2. number of automated feeds
3. spindle nose taper
4. power required floor space
5. number of axis of revolution
TYPES OF MILLING MACHINE
The usual classification according to the general design of the milling machine.
(1) Column and Knee type:
(a) Hand milling machine
(b) Plain milling machine
(c) Universal milling machine
(d) Omniversal milling machine
(e) Vertical milling machine
(2) Manufacturing or Fixed Bed type:
(a) Simplex milling machine
(b) Duplex milling machine
(c) Triplex milling machine
(3) Planner type:
(4) Special type:
(a) Rotary table milling machine
(b) Drum milling machine
(c) Planetary milling machine
(d) Pantograph, profiling and tracer controlled milling machine
UP MILLING
In up-milling, the feed direction of the work-piece is opposite to
its rotation of cutter.
 The chip thickness starts at zero and increases toward the end of the
cut.
 This process is called Conventional milling process.
 Forces, mainly radically upward, will tend to lift the work piece from
the table. The surface finish is poor in this process.
 Thick chips at the exit from the cut will reduce tool life.
DOWN MILLING
In down-milling, the feed direction of the work-piece is same to
its rotation of cutter.
 The thickness of the chip is maximum when the tooth begins its cut
and reduces to minimum when the cut terminates.
 The direction of the cutting force is radial downward. So the fixture
design is easier
 The particular milling is called climb milling.
 The tool life is more and the surface finish is good.
VERTICAL MILLING
 In the vertical machine, the cutting tool and spindle move up and
down
A vertical milling machine's spindle
axis is aligned in a vertical manner to
the machine's bed. That means that the
cutting tool is arranged vertically to
shape the metal or other material into
the desired form.

The vertical mill moves while the

part remains stationary. 

The vertical milling machine is used

to produce slots, key ways etc.
 HORIZONTAL MILLING
Horizontal milling machines have a spindle or cutters mounted on a
horizontal arbor above an X-Y table
The cutter used here are circular
type having teeth at the periphery of
the cutter.

The horizontal milling machine is

used to mill the surface, cut the slot,
chase the thread generate the gear
etc.

This is the most common type

milling machine. The speed of the
cutter is slightly more than the
vertical milling machine
Milling operations
 In milling machine following operations can be done-

 Making of horizontal, vertical and angular flat surface

 Making of keyways, slots, grooves etc.
 Making of external and internal thread
 Most importantly generation of gear tooth.
Milling operations
Thank you