Machining Laser Hardened Steel

 
A potential customer came to us interested in the FlexCNC, but first, they wanted to see how the FlexCNC handled their parts. They sent in some laser-cut A527 Grade 50 Steel pieces to test out. The parts required a 45-degree bevel on two sides and drilled holes on the top. The end-user wanted to test their current 20mm chamfer mill on the FlexCNC. For the drilled holes, we selected the reliable 45 mm 4TEX® Drill from Allied Machine & Engineering.

Milling

The machining process presented a challenge because the pieces of material are cut to size using a laser, creating a heat-affected zone around the perimeter of the part. In the first cut, we tried to climb mill down the side of the part, which resulted in chatter and vibration due to the insert aggressively engaging into the hard surface of the heat-affected zone. 

Next, we tried conventional milling; this milling style engages the surface at a more forgiving rate, allowing it to get up underneath the heat-affected area and into the material, resulting in a smoother, less restricted cut. Switching from climb milling to conventional milling allowed us to increase the speeds and feeds to the optimum parameters.  

Drilling

For the drilling, we opted for a 45 mm 4TEX® Drill from Allied Machine & Engineering. This is our go-to drill for drilling larger holes on the FlexCNC because it is an efficient tool that creates quality holes with an excellent surface finish. The FlexCNC paired with the 4TEX® Drill had no issues getting through the structural steel. 

With this demo, we were able to show the end-user the functionality and the capabilities of the FlexCNC. If you think the FlexCNC may be the right solution for your application, let us know, we would be happy to do a demo on your parts for you. Request a demo today.