Cutting Tools for Cnc Milling Machine
CAT Tool
The CAT cutting tool was developed by the Caterpillar Company. CAT tools are most commonly used with CNC milling machines in the United States. There are several different types of CAT tools. They differ by the amount of taper. For instance, CAT-50 has more taper than CAT-30. The taper is defined by the Association for Manufacturing Technology. The CAT tools are also called V-flange tools. These use an Imperial thread to hold the pull stud.
BT Tool
The BT cutting tool was designed in Japan and is very similar to the CAT design. Aside from the CAT tool, this is the second most commonly used cutting tool on a CNC milling machine. The main difference between the CAT and BT are thickness, flange style and that they use different retention knobs. The main improvement of BT tooling over CAT tooling is that it has symmetry around the tool's spindle axis. This symmetry provides increased balance and stability at high speeds. BT also uses a metric thread to hold the pull stud.
HSK Tool
HSK is the newest design for CNC milling tools. HSK stands for "hollow shank tooling," which was made specifically for high speed milling machines. At higher speeds the cutting tool is able to grip the material better. This type of cutting tool is used more in Europe, as it was invented in Germany. There are six different types of HSK cutting tools denoted by the letters A through F. The choice of the HSK tool type depends on the spindle speed and torque of the cutting application.
ISO Tools
ISO tools are "Industry Standard Operating" tools. These tools are low cost and can easily be changed but are much slower than the other available cutting tools. ISO tools are constrained in that they must meet specific thickness, shape and inscribed circle when cutting. They also can only be used with specific wedge clamps and holding cartridges. Many of the cutting tool standards are published and it is possible to find other cutting tools that meet these standards but have better performance.
