Walter has extended the range of its Walter FMT standard polycrystalline diamond (PCD) milling cutter line with the addition of the MP270, MP271, and MP470 tools. FMT is the designation referring to Walter’s PCD subsidiary Frezite Metal Tooling, which specializes in high performance tooling for aluminum.

The MP270 is a high-performance ramping cutter for pocketing, the MP271 a new shoulder/slot milling cutter and the MP470 is a ball-nose end mill for finish profiling. All three cutters feature a solid carbide shank.

The new cutting tools with brazed PCD cutting edges are for milling operations that require the highest surface quality. The cutters are suitable for machining non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum, aluminum-silicon alloys, magnesium, and magnesium-based alloys, as well as plastics and fiber-reinforced plastics (ISO N and other non-ISO material groups).

They can be used with emulsion, oil, and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). The targeted areas of use are the automotive industry, aerospace industry, and general mechanical engineering. The high service life for these PCD cutters is primarily the result of Walter’s wear-resistant WDN20 grade.

Potential benefits of the MP270, MP271, and MP470 cutters include cost-effective, precise milling, reduced cutting forces, and minimal vibration tendency due to optimized geometries, and low cutting tool material costs because tool life is 20 to 200 times longer than carbide tools. The PCD tools can be reconditioned and/or reconfigured.

Other tools in the Walter FMT PCD milling cutter range include the MP060 face milling cutter with diameters from 40mm to 125mm, the MP160/MP170 shoulder milling cutters with diameters from 16mm to 40mm, with three or four cutting teeth, and the MP260/MP270 routing cutters available in diameters from 4mm to 20mm the MP170 with three or four cutting teeth. The MP160 and MP260 are cylindrical shank, while the MP170 and MP270 are screw fit adaptations.