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Up-Cut: Up-cut end mills 'pull' the chips UP and out of the slot. These tend to leave a smooth finish on the bottom
of the material.
Down-Cut: Down-cut end mills 'push' the chips DOWN into the slot. These tend to leave a smooth finish on the top
of the material.
Compression: Compression-cut end mills have a mixture of up-cut and down-cut flutes, creating a smooth finish on
the top and bottom of the material.
Square End Mills
Square end mills cut a
smooth flat-bottom
surface. They are known
for milling 2D and 2.5D
parts, where flat bottoms
and vertical walls define
the design.
Ball Nose Mills
Scallops: Ballnose end
mills do not cut a flat
bottom surface, instead they will leave
scallops.
Contours: Ballnose end mills are known for
milling contoured or organic shapes. They do
a nice job of getting in the nooks and
crannies of contours.
V-Bit End Mills (Engraving)
A V-bit is a V-shaped cutter used to create
V-carving (engraving) designs. Because of
how V-carving toolpaths are generated, you
can create very fine
and
very wide details
with the same cutter. It is important to know
that the flatness of your material will make a
difference with the results when using a
V-cutter.
PCB Engraving End Mills
PCB engraving bits are designed to take off the very thin layer of copper on raw copper clad boards, along very
narrow paths (for example in-between the copper traces of the circuit design). For optimal results they require the
material to be very flat, and installed on a very flat surface, such that there is no depth difference between
different sides of the PCB.
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