Fly cutter type spline milling machine - has cutter slightly skew to cutter rotational axis to produce virtual clearance between cutter and flanks of slot

摘要

The rotational plane of the cutter is inclinable relative to the workpiece axis about an axis z. The cutter (5), which is in the form of a flat plate with square edges, is set at a slightly skew angle to the rotational axis y, and with its cutting face in advance of a parallel radius drawn from the arbor axis y. The arbor is tilted in the reverse direction about the axis z to compensate for the angular setting of the cutter. The effect of this geometry is to create a virtual clearance between the cutter flanks of the slot, thus avoiding the need to grind a clearance face on the cutter. ADVANTAGE - Cutter is simplified and is cheaper to produce and maintain.