Jusheng

Did you ever have a valuable piece of TC4 titanium alloy scrapped after dozens of hours of precise machining due to the last-minute tool mark issues or chatter?This will cause huge project time slippage.The problem cause rarely is your design,but with your chosen milling supplier's inability to work with ultra-hard-to-machine metals.

With increased uses of hard-to-machine metals in high-tech industries such as aerospace and medicine,it is now critical to your project's success that you have a reliable machining partner.In this book,we present to you JS's engineering knowledge of hard-to-machine metal milling to help you overcome your challenges.

Core Answer Summary

Sections	Key Information	JS Advantages	Related Services
Core Challenges	Industry scrap rate exceeds 20%, titanium alloys require a Ra0.2 mirror finish	Scrap rate controlled within 5%, equipped with 20,000 rpm equipment	Custome CNC milling services
Cost Comparison	Compared to competitors (such as xometry)	Unit price is higher, but total cost of ownership is lower	Supports online quote details
Recommendations	Focus on engineering capabilities, product quality, and cost control	High-quality, low-waste, customizable services	Provides aviation/medical-grade parts processing

The following questions will be addressed in this article:

How to overcome the fundamental issues of difficult-to-cut metal milling,JS vs.peers'cost and value gap,what can be concluded from JS's real case studies,and the reasons why JS has become the preferred milling supplier for difficult to machine metal milling.

Why Trust This Guide?

JS has extensive experience in the field of CNC milling, capable of handling over 100 types of materials such as metals, engineering plastics, and high-temperature resins, accurately matching process parameters, and controlling material characteristics and milling fit points.

For complex structural components such as thin-walled and deep cavity parts, by optimizing tool paths and using 5-axis machining technology, the deformation problem is overcome, and the tolerance is stable up to ± 0.005mm.

We also master rich surface treatment processes such as sandblasting, coating, anodizing, etc., endowing the parts with excellent appearance and special performance, fully meeting the requirements of precision manufacturing.

This handbook is founded upon JS's extensive experiential background in hard-to-machine metal milling.According to many experiments and site trials,our technical experts have integrated valuable experience in milling process,parameter control,and hard-to-machine metal tooling.

This guidebook is a valuable reference for you to help you overcome machining challenges.

JS has rich experience in hard-to-machine metal milling,and this guidebook is solid practice experience.As a specialist milling supplier,we pledge the quality of our custom CNC milling manufacturing services and are worthy of your trust.

Central Issues Of Hard Metal Milling And JS's Engineering Solutions

Hard metal machining(e.g.,titanium alloys,nickel superalloys,and high-strength steels)is a technologically challenging area in machining.These hard,resistant,high-strength,and low-thermal-conductivity materials are particularly challenging to mill.

Having spent years as a professional custom CNC milling manufacturing enterprise,JS has applied its engineered solutions to solve these problems.

Challenge 1:Spooky Scrap Rates—How to Get Them Repeatedly<5%

The cause of the massive milling scrap rate in difficult-to-mill metals is the mutual interaction between the mechanical properties of the material and the milling operation.Titanium alloys have tensile strength over 1000 MPa and milling force 30%-50% higher than that of common steel.

In addition,their thermal conductivity is 1/5-1/10 of No.45 steel.Cutting heat elevates the temperature of the tool to 800-1000°C and accelerates wear and failure.

Industry statistics show that for companies first machining hard-to-machine metals,scrap rates are usually over 20%,and even over 50% on sophisticated pieces.Technical measures by JS Company to ensure an even level of scrap less than 5% are:

1.Checking of raw material pretreatment:

Raw materials are thoroughly checked through the use of spectrometers and hardness testers.Cutting speed is regulated depending on variations in hardness between batches of titanium alloys with a 5% maximum deviation.

2.Tool System Optimization:

High-fine-grain carbide tools(3-5μm)with AlTiN coating are used to improve wear resistance by over 40%.Specific rake tool angles(-5°to 10°)and relief angles(5°to 12°)reduce cutting resistance and heat.

3.Adaptive Machining Parameter Control:

Intelligent CNC system maintains cutting force and torque under real-time monitoring.Whenever the rate exceeds 10%,it decreases feed rate by 15%-20% and depth of cut by 10%-15% automatically.

4.Complete-Process Quality Inspecting:

Three-dimensional measurement points are located on each step of machining,using tools that have 0.001mm accuracy to ensure process dimension errors do not exceed 50% of the design tolerance.

Challenge 2:Strict Surface Specifications—Can Titanium Alloys Get a Ra0.2 Mirror Finish?

Achieving a Ra0.2 mirror finish in titanium alloys is part of what makes it challenging.Its chemical reactivity will easily make it create an oxide layer when milling,and that raises the friction.Its plasticity will easily make it create built-up edge,which leads to surface integrity loss.Additionally,even minor equipment vibration(amplitude>0.001mm)will affect the mirror finish.

JS Company's basic technologies for achieving Ra0.2 mirror surface on titanium alloys are as follows:

1.Ultra-precision machine tools:spindle speed 20,000 rpm,radial and axial runout≤0.0005mm,and guideway positioning accuracy of 0.001mm/300mm.

2.Ultra-special cutting fluid:Water-diluted cutting fluid with extreme pressure additives at the concentration of 8%-10%,injection pressure 0.8-1.2 MPa,flow rate 20-30 L/min,and cutting temperature under controlled conditions less than 300°C.

3.Multi-step cutting process plan:'Roughing-Semi-finishing-Finishing-Super-finishing.'Super-finishing uses small depth of cut(0.05-0.1mm)and high feed rate(1000-1500mm/min)with circular interpolation.

4.Mirror polishing:Diamond paste(W0.5 grit)mechanical polishing under pressure of 0.1-0.2MPa and speed of 1500-2000rpm,and micro-removals(0.005-0.01mm)are removed for the elimination of surface flaws.

Challenge 3:Challenging Problems-What other"invisible"problems are there?

Hard-to-machine metals are cut with easily overlooked"hidden"problems that affect processing quality and productivity.

1.Machining residual stress causes part distortion(0.1-0.5mm/m),which is unacceptable on thin-wall parts and intricate components.JS uses finite element simulation of predictive stress distribution and treatments with a low-temperature aging treatment(120-150°C,2-4 hours)to unload over 60% of residual stress.

2.Tool chatter(frequency 500-2000Hz,amplitude 0.001-0.01mm)can produce surface marks due to vibration.JS has a vibration sensor for monitoring(sampling frequency 10kHz)to analyze the chatter frequency and controls the spindle speed or swaps the tools of high rigidity so that the frequency difference is greater than 20% to eliminate chatter.

3.Material anisotropy(e.g.,forged titanium alloys)leads to differences in mechanical properties in different directions(elastic modulus differences of 5%-10%),leading to non-uniform surface roughness(differences in Ra of 0.4 and above).

JS measures the degree of anisotropy by means of testing and reduces the feed rate by 10%-15% where directional anisotropy is very high in an attempt to achieve uniform machining quality.

JS addresses the very issues of milling hard metals,including scrap rates and surface finish requirements.It's simple to order:Tell us what you need online,and we'll design a plan and professionally manufacture precision CNC milling parts.We'd be delighted to be able to assist.

Comparison Of 'True Cost' And 'Project Value'

Project cost and value are among the factors businesses utilize to select their CNC milling suppliers.In this case,we compare JS with others(xometry,protolabs,and rapiddirect)by comparing differences in 'true cost' and 'project value' in quotes,processing fees,and other factors.

JS vs.Other Competitors of Similar Size

Company	Strengths	Weaknesses
JS	Extremely high engineering skill,very capable to solve hard machining problems,outstanding product quality,very low scrap rate,provide customized solutions.	The CNC milling price is relatively high.
Xometry	Easy online portal,quick quotes,large number of suppliers,very broad capability in machining.	Very low capacity to solve hard machining problems,poor quality inspection.
Protolabs	High speed of machining,fast shipping,latest technology,top-of-the-line machinery.	Extremely low level of customizability,not a nice experience with machining hard-to-machine metals.
Rapiddirect	Moderately low prices,very broad range of services.	Quality levels and engineering capabilities should be upgraded,precision machining comparatively low.

Comparison of 'Quotations': Explicit vs. Implicit Costs

Explicit costs are very clearly listed in the quotation,e.g.,cost of material,processing charge,and shipping.Implicit costs are the costs that occur at the machining and not at the quoting,e.g.,rework cost,scrap cost,and loss on account of late delivery.

JS's quote entails relatively high explicit and low implicit costs because it offers good quality products,has low rework percentage,entails low rework expense,and delivers on time.

Some of the rivals,while they might enjoy cost advantages in apparent costs,they suffer from implicit costs due to poor quality of processing,high levels of scrap generation,and high levels of rework.

'Costs of Processing' Comparison: Unit Cost versus Total Cost of Ownership(TCO)

Unit cost refers to the cost of processing one unit of a part,while the total cost of ownership(TCO)includes all the costs throughout the life cycle of a part,ranging from design,processing,usage,to scrapping.

JS unit prices may be more than some of its rivals,but its cost of ownership is less since its parts are of higher quality and will last longer,lowering needs for replacement and maintenance.Its rivals with their lower unit price,however,have lower part quality and durability,and therefore higher cost of ownership in total.

How does engineering capability directly translate into cost advantage?

JS's technological superiority is indeed transformed into cost competitiveness.To begin with,JS can improve machining efficiency and reduce machining time through process optimization of machining and tool design and subsequent reduction of machining cost.

Second,JS can solve complex machining issues,reduce scrap and rework rates,and reduce hidden costs.Third,JS's tailored solutions are able to satisfy customers'special requirements,create value for products,and finally reach market competitiveness.

Implicit and explicit costs are incorporated into our CNC milling price.You may have a breakdown on the Internet before you order so that you can have cost of ownership in mind.We will allow you to have cost as well as engineering advantages when you work with us.

Case Study:Milling A One-Piece Titanium Scanner Mirror Bracket For A Lidar Company

Client Background

The client needed a titanium bracket with a high aspect ratio.They had tried working with two suppliers in the past,but the yield rate was 0%.That was primarily due to the complexity of the structure of the bracket,machining difficulty,and very high precision and surface quality demands.

Problems:Thin ribs were prone to vibration fracture,too much thermal distortion,and poor surface roughness of the assembly.All these issues resulted in the part being below customer standards.

JS Engineering Intervention

1.Design for Manufacturing(DFM):

Through 3D scanning and finite element simulation,the defects in the original design were determined to be the following:

①The right-angle transition of thin ribs was prone to fracture at the 120Hz resonant frequency.

②There was tool interference due to the lack of undercut at the bottom of the deep cavity.

③There was no assembly surface machining allowance and it could not compensate for thermal deformation.

The optimization solution envisaged and suggested was trapezoidal ribs(top 1.5mm,bottom 2mm),0.5mm additional machining allowance,and introduction of an R0.8mm undercut close to the base of the deep pocket,which was more than acceptable to the customer.

2.Tailor-made Solution:

• Fixture System:

A three-point hydraulic self-adjusting clamp was employed with a variable clamping pressure of 5-8MPa.The machining vibration frequency was reduced from 120Hz to below 45Hz by a hydraulic damping unit to avoid the material's resonance frequency range.PTFE pads of Shore A 90 grade were used between the interfaces to avoid scratch marks on the surface of the titanium alloy and also for 30% of vibrational energy absorption.

• Tools and Cutting Methods:

Roughing: An ultra-fine-grain carbide cutter of 16mm having a 4μm AlTiN coating was used.Cutting conditions:80m/min,0.1mm/r feed,oil mist cooling and 5μm drop size,temperature controlled at≤250°C,and removal of 70% material by high-speed removal.

Semi-finishing: Semi-finishing was performed by a 10mm ceramic cutter in a manner that allowed it to make the best use of its thermal resistance to achieve minimum thermal deformation.Cutting speed was increased to 120m/min,with 0.3mm finishing allowance.

Finishing: Finishing was performed by a 6mm PCD cutter with 3μm diamond grit at 150m/min.Circular interpolation was applied in accordance with the required surface roughness specification.

• Process Control:

Vacuum aging treatment(300°C,3 hours,vacuum 10⁻³Pa)was performed after rough machining to reduce 60% residual stress.

Natural aging was performed three times(24 hours at each time,ambient temperature 23±2°C)during semi-finishing.Deformation was checked after each interval of aging to confirm≤0.05mm.

Fine machining: Online three-coordinate measurement(0.0005mm accuracy)was used,and 5-minute readings and real-time feed rate regulated to±0.001mm to ensure a stable tolerance of±0.005mm.

Value and Achievements

Finally,the component yield rate was increased from 0 to over 95%.The key mounting surface flatness was 2.8μm according to measurement,the surface roughness was Ra0.28,and thermal deformation was controlled below 0.03mm/m(below the customer's requirement of 0.05mm/m).

The delivery period was shortened from the originally estimated 45 days to 28 days,saving the customer $280,000 in trial production fees and enabling their LiDAR product to acquire automotive-grade certification on schedule.

The laser radar bracket case witnesses JS's strength.If you need CNC milling parts,contact us.With our tailored solutions,you will be able to break machining barriers and achieve project success.

Why Is JS Milling Supplier Your Best Choice?

Among various CNC milling suppliers,your best choice is JS based on the following reasons:

Excellent Engineering Capability and Wide Experience

JS is able to resolve a variety of problems associated with milling hard metals,such as high scrap rates and near surface finishes.Custom CNC milling manufacturing services in-house by JS offer customized solutions in a bid to meet specific customer specifications.

High-Grade Product Quality Control

JS's high-grade products are high in quality,and an extremely rigorous quality control system ensures part accuracy and surface finish.Moreover,JS's online CNC milling services are convenient,efficient,and quick to quote and deliver.

Competitive Cost-Effectiveness

From a cost perspective,JS's CNC milling price can be relatively higher,but its high product quality,low scrap rate,and low cost of ownership enable customers to achieve a better engineering value.

JS is your go-to supplier for milling with custom CNC milling manufacturing services specifically tailored to meet your requirement.It is simple to order:inform us of what you need,settle on your project,and we start producing.The entire process is fast and reliable.Come and select us.

FAQs

Q1:How do you guarantee a 'scrap rate below 5%'?What do you do if this is surpassed?

This is not a slogan,it's a statement of JS's faith in its engineering control capabilities.If,through our fault,we exceed this rate,we'll reimburse all material and labor expenses and immediately dispatch our best engineering team to visit and enhance the process.

Q2: What are the key considerations when choosing cutting fluid for milling difficult to machine metals such as titanium alloys and nickel based high-temperature alloys? ​

Priority should be given to selecting types containing extreme pressure additives, with concentrations controlled between 8% and 10%. At the same time, sufficient injection pressure and flow rate should be ensured to avoid material oxidation or rapid tool wear.

Q3: If the customer temporarily adjusts the accuracy requirements of the parts during the processing, can JS respond promptly and adjust the plan? ​

Sure. The technical team will immediately evaluate the feasibility of adjustments, re optimize machining parameters, tool configurations, and testing standards, and minimize the impact on the delivery cycle while ensuring quality.

Summary

If you encounter challenging metals which are hard to mill,JS is certainly your best choice.As an experienced CNC milling supplier,JS has greater engineering capability,rich experience,and higher service in customized CNC milling manufacturing.

JS leads the industry in solving the core problems of hard-to-mill metals and providing cost-effective engineering value.Our online CNC milling services offer real-time and easy convenience,assured quality CNC milling parts,and affordable prices.Select JS Precision Manufacturing for your hard-to-mill metal milling requirements.