What is Milling?
Milling is a method in which the material is cut by feeding the workpiece under a rotating multiple tooth milling cutter and produces machined surface which may be flat, angular or curved.
The cutting action of teeth on milling cutters can be quickly machined.
Parts of Milling Machine
The main parts of milling machine are following
- Base
- Column
- Knee
- Saddle
- Work Table
- Spindle
- Overarm
- Arbor
- Brace
- Milling Cutter
Base
It is made up of gray cast iron whose top and bottom surfaces are machined in precision and it acts as a foundation member for all other parts of the machine.
Column
A column is the vertical member that is cast with the base.
In these parts of milling machine has an all driving mechanisms for spindle and table feeds.
Its front vertical face is machined in precision and the top of the column is finished to hold the over arm.
Knee
It is a strong casting of gray cast iron that slides up and down on the vertical wedge of the column.
It consists of table feed mechanism and various controls.
A knee is used to support saddles, work tables and workpiece clamping devices.
Saddle
The top of the knee is fitted with a saddle, which slides on the face of the column on the guideways set at exactly 90°.
The top of the saddle is machined in precision to provide guideways for the table.
Work Table
Work table is the most important parts of milling machine on which the workpiece or a job hold tightly and performs many operation.
The top of the table is finished in precision and ‘T’ slots are made to clamp the work and other fixtures.
Spindle
Spindle is located at the top of the column and rotates through receives power from belts, gears and clutches and transmits it to the arbor.
Overarm
It is mounted at the top of the column and rises in front of the column face.
It is commonly used to support arbor and spindle.
Arbor
It is the extension parts of spindles on which milling cutters are held or rotated.
Brace
Brace is an additional support that is fitted between the knee and the over arm to ensure greater strength for the arm and knee.
Milling Cutter
It is the very most important parts of milling machine because though milling cutters different types of milling operation performed.
It is a multipoint cutting tool in a milling machine.
