Centercutting

Centercutting refers to a property of certain milling cutters, most commonly end mills, that allows cutting with the tip of the cutter as it is plunged directly into a workpiece. In center-cutting tools, the cutting edges extend to the center of the end face, enabling axial plunging and the creation of pockets or channels without pre-drilled holes.

Non-center-cutting end mills lack cutting edges at the tip and can only cut with the peripheral flutes. As a result, axial plunging into the material is not possible with these tools; material removal must begin from an existing opening or be achieved through side milling. This distinction is important for planning milling strategies such as pocketing, slotting, or contouring.

Applications for center-cutting tools include plunge milling, pocket milling, contouring, and ramping in a range of materials such as wood, plastics, aluminum, and other metals. The ability to plunge directly into the workpiece makes center-cutting cutters versatile for operations that require starting from the surface without pre-drilled holes.

Design and selection considerations involve recognizing that centercutting is a characteristic of the end mill geometry. Tool selection factors include flute count, helix angle, cutting-edge geometry, material (carbide versus high-speed steel), and coating, as well as diameter and overall length. Practical considerations include feeds and speeds, coolant or chip evacuation, and machine rigidity, all of which influence tool life and surface finish.