Fräsers

Fräsers are cutting tools used on milling machines to remove material from a workpiece by rotating at high speed. In German, Fräser refers to a milling cutter, and Fräsers is the plural form.

A typical fräser has a cylindrical shank and one or more helical cutting edges, or flutes, arranged around the periphery and sometimes at the tip. They are produced in high-speed steel (HSS), cemented carbide, or ceramics, and may receive coatings such as TiN, TiCN, or AlTiN to improve wear resistance. Geometries vary, with 2-, 3-, or 4-flute designs and different helix angles to suit metals, wood, or plastics. Sizes range from submillimeter to several centimeters in diameter.

Common types include the end mill (Endfräser), which has cutting edges on the periphery and at the end for plunge milling, profiling, and pocketing; ball-nose cutters (Kugelkopffräser) for 3D contouring; flat end mills or face mills (Flachfräser/Planfräser) for flat surfaces and heavy stock removal; groove cutters (Nutfräser) and thread mills (Gewindefräser) for grooves and threads; and profile cutters (Profilfräser) for specialty contours.

In operation, cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and coolant must be matched to the material, cutter geometry, and machine rigidity. Fräsers are used on CNC and manual milling machines across metalworking, woodworking, and plastics processing to create slots, pockets, contours, and threads with varied finishes.