Many projects that involve plastics engineering rely heavily on CNC machining in Missouri. One of the most common types of CNC machining is through a method called milling. There are two main types of milling machines used to shape and design plastic parts: horizontal mills & vertical mills.
In this article, we will explain the differences between the two types of mills and the different types of parts and products that are best suited for these two machines. After reading this, we hope you will have a better understanding of whether horizontal mills or vertical mills will be a good option for your next production run.
CNC Machining in Kansas City Using Vertical Milling Machines
A vertical milling machine is one of the most commonly used machines for customizing plastic parts. Vertical mills have a vertically oriented spindle that holds a rotating cutting tool against the workpiece. The spindle will keep moving vertically along the Y-axis, which differs from many other machines that shift along the X-axis or sometimes even the Z-axis to move the workpiece to the ideal position.
CNC Machining in Kansas City Using Horizontal Milling Machines
A horizontal milling machine also features a rotating spindle, but where it differs from a vertical mill is the spindle is mounted horizontally above the bed. A saw blade or a grinder is used as the cutting tool on a horizontal mill and will move along the length of the spindle. This allows the mill to remove material along the workpiece and finish the entire surface. A horizontal mill can be just as versatile as a vertical mill when it is combined with a rotary table.
How do You Choose Between the Vertical and Horizontal Mills?
Both types of milling have their advantages, so the ultimate decision comes down to what type of milling is necessary. The workpiece’s shape and size will play an important factor in your final decision. Heavier workpieces that require work on multiple sides seem to benefit more from horizontal milling. On the other hand, sinking dies seem to make more sense for vertical mills. In the end, many items can be manufactured and customized using either a vertical or a horizontal mill as long the proper techniques are used.
Horizontal and vertical milling both utilize CNC machining in Missouri to make the milling process more automated. This helps add more fine control for projects where lots of exact repetition is necessary. Milling can also be modified by using add-on parts and cutting heads to add more customization to both horizontal and vertical milling. Add-on parts can be a huge benefit to smaller shops that don’t have the capacity to add a wide variety of tooling services in Kansas City.
If you’re still not quite sure if vertical or horizontal milling is the way to go for your next project, contact LeVic Plastics today. We have been making quality products using the best tooling services in Missouri since 1971 and would love to assist you with all your plastics needs. Whether you’re in Liberty, Lee’s Summit, Overland Park, Olathe, or any other KC Metro community, our team at LeVic Plastics is here for you. No matter if you have a request for 50,000 parts or 50, we can fill the biggest orders while still being able to accommodate limited production runs in Missouri.
Give us a call at (800) 231-1232 or go online and request a free quote today.
