Tooling for Inconel

Nov 08, 2008 8 Replies
B

This is an addendum to my post about hydrogen fuel systems in another thread.



I never paid much attention to discussion here about inconel because, mainly, molds aren't made from the stuff and I thought I'd never have to work with it.



But somehow I managed to get myself sucked into a project which requires machining some inconel. Note: next time you see a bunch of people standing around and scratching their heads while gleaning over some drawings, head in the opposite direction as fast as you can, don't walk over the ad hoc meeting of the minds and say 'hey... wazzup?'!



Anyway, what tooling is typically use to machine inconel? Can it be drilled with plain HSS drills or is M42/cobalt needed. Can it be tapped reliably with HSS, or is thread milling the safest bet. Endmills. Can we get away with standard TIALN coated carbide tools. Or is using high helix / shear high performance tooling necessary? Carbide endmills no good and HSS better?



Any advise?



Flames for not paying attention are welcome too. :)


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B

??

That is a dude in a park playing bag pipes.

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D

Black Dragon wrote in news:gf6lnu$2b3p$ snipped-for-privacy@bdhi.local:

I screwed that up.

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It probably isn't related to what you're doing anyway but it shows some high speed milling of turbine blades.

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B

BD:

I'll reiterate what has been posted by others, sharp tools, no dwelling, no rubbing. For drilling, coolant through drills with NO pecks. Insert drills for large holes. For end milling I'd use a rougher AND a finisher. I'd try Dura-Mill's Whisperkut end mills, they've worked well for us in high nickel alloys like Kovar. Three flute, Titanium-Carbo-Nitride coated for higher heat resistance. I was tapping some inconel awhile back, peck tapping with a coated tap made for stainless, and brushing on Micro-Finish. Even at about 50 RPM the tap/part interface was SMOKING. Tough stuff on a tap. Thread milling might be the way to go, it's just that those thread mills are so damn expensive.

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B

Thanks to everyone who replied. The information you posted is extremely valuable!

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B

Turns out the grade is 625. Have a part which is designed to be a casting but the customer claims can't find anyone in the USA to do it. It's a perfect candidate for investment casting but was told all that was moved to Mexico and this project MUST stay within our borders. Know of any foundries 'in town' who cast inconel?

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S

Try these guys.

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Black Dragon wrote in news:gfeecm$f6p$ snipped-for-privacy@bdhi.local:

Speeds and feeds should be about the same as the ones I gave for 718 then.

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