We all know cutting tools play an important role when using a CNC router. The right cutting tool, speeds and feeds can cut your machining down dramatically and increase the life span of your cutting tool – and we all know finishing a project before the deadline is a great way to keep customers happy.

This is where the close relationship Coastal Enterprises shares with LMT Onsrud comes in handy. LMT Onsrud is a cutting tool manufacturer, specializing in manufacturing tools for high-speed machining of aluminum, plastics and composite materials. Over the years, many samples of Precision Board Plus have been sent to LMT Onsrud to add to the excellent database they maintain for choosing the right cutting bit for the right material.

Why is it so important to set your router to certain speeds and feeds for each bit?

The proper cutting tool, speeds and feeds let you achieve optimum chip load. Proper chip load allows the cutting tool to move in and out of the material quicker, leading to more efficient CNC machining.

Several of our customers have mentioned their machining system is not set up to handle chips and they prefer producing dust when CNC routing Precision Board Plus. According to Gary Burgus, Engineering Technician at LMT Onsrud, if dust is desired the speeds and feeds settings vary slightly.

Cuts are done using the Onsrud 52-624 1/4″ Solid Carbide Two Flute Upcut bit.

Speeds and feeds differ as shown:

To really dispel the myths between chips and dust, two videos were recently filmed at LMT Onsrud documenting the differences between producing dust and chips when CNC routing PBLT-15. The video shows a CR Onsrud 98HD18 3-axis CNC router cutting PBLT-15 at the settings mentioned in the table above.

PBLT-15 being cut with the Onsrud 52-624 cutting tool to produce chips:

As you can see, running the CNC machine at too high of a speed has a negative impact on the surface of the HDU.

PBLT-15 being cut with the Onsrud 52-624 cutting tool to produce dust:

The cuts seen in this video are much smoother, and in the case of PBLT-15 it’s clear that the smoothest cut can be achieved by using the speeds and feeds settings to produce dust.

LMT Onsrud started in 1945 as Onsrud Cutter Manufacturing Company. They originally produced high speed steel cutting tools for the woodworking industry and were the first in the industry to produce carbide tipped high speed steel cutting tools for hand routers. The business eventually evolved into producing bits for exotic metal and composite machining. In 1998 Onsrud became LMT Onsrud, which stands for Leading Metalworking Technologies.

LMT is a tooling organization comprised of six individual tooling companies offering a range of products including precision tools and cutting materials for the most diverse applications in cutting and forming processes, as well as tool reconditioning and tool maintenance programs. With locations in Germany, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, China, Korea, Russia, India, France and the United States of America, LMT Onsrud is an industry leader for tomorrow’s tooling technology.

Coastal Enterprises would especially like to thank Fred Phillips and Gary Burgus at LMT Onsrud for all of their filming, photography, logistics and CNC machining expertise. Working together, our goal is to make improvement of your production and machining efficiency a reality!