Key Features

• Four flutes produce a better finish than fewer flutes
• Double-end square end mills create sharp, unrounded cuts and have cutting edges on both ends for longer tool life
• Titanium nitride (TiN) is a general-purpose coating that combines high-temperature resistance and increased hardness compared to uncoated end mills
• High-speed steel is compatible with a variety of materials
• Center-cutting design allows the end mill to plunge into material like a drill bit while also performing conventional surface milling

Product Description

The Niagara Cutter DC402 TiN-coated high-speed steel double-end square end mill has four flutes and a 30-degree helix angle for general-purpose machining on a range of materials. Four flutes produce a better finish than fewer flutes. The general-purpose TiN coating combines stability at high temperatures with hardness for wear protection, increasing tool life and performance compared to uncoated end mills. (TiN is suitable for a range of materials, but TiCN or uncoated end mills are recommended for machining aluminum.) High-speed steel (HSS) is a common general-purpose steel for cutting tools and is compatible with a variety of materials. The double-end design has cutting edges on both ends, allowing a new cutting surface to be substituted when the first shows wear, which doubles the tool’s life compared to single-end square end mills. The tool’s square end has straight cutting edges that create sharp, unrounded cuts.

The 30-degree helix angle supports general-purpose applications. It balances lower angles’ strong cutting edge for difficult-to-machine materials with higher angles’ increased cutting action. The center-cutting design has cutting teeth at the end of the tool, so it can be fed into the workpiece like a drill bit, and used for applications such as slotting and profiling. The cutting diameter tolerance is +0.0000” to -0.0015”. The tool has a Weldon shank.

End mills are designed to remove material and create multi-dimensional shapes and profiles. They have cutting edges along the outside diameter and flutes that remove chips from the cutting area and allow cooling fluids to enter. If heat is not reduced effectively, the tool’s cutting edges will dull and additional material buildup can occur. The number of flutes can range from two to eight. Two-flute designs offer the most efficient chip removal, but more flutes provide a smoother finish. The shank is the end of the tool held in place by a tool holder or machine. Center-cutting end mills can create three-dimensional shapes and profiles, and make plunge cuts similar to a drill bit. Non-center-cutting end mills are for applications such as peripheral milling and finishing, but cannot make plunge cuts.

Niagara Cutter has been designing and manufacturing precision cutting tools since 1954. Specializing in end mills, cutting mills, and saws, the company is based in New York and manufactures its tools at facilities in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. This allows the company control over production, from substrate to coating, which is essential for customers in a variety of industries, especially aerospace and automotive.