Aluminium cutting

[JAZZCNC]

Chip load is wrong it should be more like 0.05 not 0.003. As a rule of thumb for chip load for roughing(50% stepover) divide the cutter diameter by 80. For slot cutting divide by 120.
15000rpm would give feed rate around 800mm/min with DOC 50% cutter diameter.

There are so many variables to working out speeds & feeds and the ridgidty of machine plays large factor so it's very difficult for anyone to work out F&S for someone else.
Also when getting into smaller cutters the material plays big part because while in theory the Grade of aluminiun should mean uniform hardness it doesn't and it's not uncommon for the same grade of aluminium to cut differant from batch to batch and even from same sheet.!! Only experience can help with this and unfortunatly this does mean wrecking a few cutters to learn.!

One thing you don't mention is how your entering the material.? You mention plunge rate and this makes be think your plunging straight down into the material.?
This is bad for tools and Esp single flute cutters so it WILL be knocking the edge off the cutter resulting in more heat.! . . . HEAT is the enemy and you want to aim for chips that are very hot but cool/warm material and cutter. When you have it corrrect you'll get a better idea of what I mean becuase the chips really burn when they hit you.
So when entering material either pre drill a hole and plunge into this. OR use ramping or spiral entry stratergy. Never plunge aluminium with a single flute cutter as it just kills them.

Loads of air and coolant are a must when slot cutting with small cutters and even when stepping over 45-50% they still need good chip clearing to prevent heat build up from chip re-cutting.

Edit: Bugger didn't see Jonathan had beat me to it but never hurts to get it said twice. .Lol . . . .. . Oh and I think Jonathan ment to say it's much kinder on spindle to Ramp rather than "Not Ramp".!