Traditional cylinder heads are typically cast from gray cast iron or alloy cast iron. However, to improve vehicle fuel economy, the application of engine lightweighting is becoming increasingly widespread. The use of lightweight materials can effectively reduce engine mass. Aluminum alloy is widely adopted for cylinder heads in light-duty engines (gasoline engines and diesel engines with displacements under 3 liters). Compared to cast iron materials with the same structure, aluminum alloy can reduce mass by 40% to 60%.
In the machining of aluminum alloy planes, face mills equipped with polycrystalline diamond (PCD) inserts are commonly used to achieve high precision, long tool life, and high machining efficiency. Yet, as the requirements for machining surface accuracy and tool life continuously increase year by year, cutting tools must also evolve to enhance their machining precision and durability.
When machining aluminum, insert life is often determined by the burrs generated on the machined surfaces. When burrs become excessive, inserts must be replaced, leading to high machining costs. In many cases, burr suppression is also a crucial factor for cost reduction. The new all-PCD insert face mill, Model DCP90, delivers an optimal manufacturing solution.
Features of the All-PCD Face Mill Model DCP90
The DCP90 all-PCD insert face mill is engineered to achieve the inherent long tool life of diamond by effectively suppressing chipping and fracture at the cutting edges of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) inserts.
This tool ensures exceptional mounting stability through the use of inserts with a thickness of up to 4.8 mm and a unique 90-degree right-angle clamping surface design. The cutting edge features an axial rake angle of +6°. This moderate rake angle allows for a thicker, more robust edge geometry, ensuring sufficient strength. Its effectiveness is particularly pronounced when machining workpieces with casting risers exceeding 2 mm.
Additionally, to facilitate easy installation and removal of reground inserts, the cutter body incorporates a specially designed height adjustment mechanism. This mechanism maintains insert runout within 5 μm, guaranteeing precise mounting accuracy. This not only enhances the reuse rate of reground inserts but also significantly lowers tooling costs.
Machining Case:
The figure below shows a surface milling case of a cylinder head, a core component of automotive engines. During cutting operations, the user's current insert needs replacement after processing only 2,600 workpieces due to chipping or breakage of cutting edges. By replacing it with the DCP90 insert, the tool life was successfully extended to 16,000 workpieces—increasing lifespan by over six times.
| Tool Body Used | Other company's milling cutter body & DCP90-4080R-06 |
| Insert Used | PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond) Insert & C46PPN-W90R |
| Cutting Speed (Vc) | 1,500 m/min |
| Feed Rate (Vf) | 3,200 mm/min (Roughing), 2,200 mm/min (Finishing) |
| Feed per Tooth (fz) | 0.09 mm/tooth (Roughing), 0.06 mm/tooth (Finishing) |
| Axial Depth of Cut (Ap) | 2–3 mm (Roughing), 0.5 mm (Finishing) |
| Coolant | Water-soluble cutting oil |
| Parts Machined | 2,600 pieces (Insert change) & 16,000 pieces (Insert change) |
This case exemplifies how insufficient cutting edge strength in the tool leads to insert chipping, compromising the inherent longevity of PCD tools. Should you seek to resolve similar challenges, we welcome you to contact us anytime for technical consultation!
The pursuit of excellence in machining hinges critically on high-performance cutting tools. As cutting tool specialists, we persistently explore optimal tool-to-application matching solutions. We dedicate our expertise to achieving machining excellence for every user.
