Custom End Mill and Cutting Tool Manufacturing
Geometries outside the sizes listed in the catalogue, together with different material and coating combinations, are manufactured on request. The requested dimensions, the workpiece material and the operating conditions are assessed together by the technical team; manufacturability, price and lead time are reported in writing once the assessment is complete.
The form below collects the minimum data required for a tool to be ground. The dimension fields carry the same names as the columns of the catalogue size table. When the order code of a series published on the site is entered, the request is treated as a derivative of that series and only the changed dimensions are examined.
When custom manufacturing is required
Custom manufacturing is rarely a tool designed from scratch. Cases where a single dimension of a standard tool does not fit account for most of the requests received.
The catalogue size does not fit
The diameter and the flute count are suitable, but the length of cut or the overall length does not reach the depth of the part.
The geometry is not in the catalogue
The corner radius, the taper or the neck form is not covered by the published series.
The material calls for a different combination
Hardened steel, titanium, nickel based alloy or high silicon aluminium calls for a choice other than the standard coating.
A duplicate of a sample tool is needed
The dimensions of an existing tool are taken and manufacturing in the same geometry is requested.
Four starting points for a request
A request does not always start with a finished technical drawing. Four separate starting points are accepted and the choice is made in the first field of the form. The choice defines which data is treated as decisive.
- Derived from a catalogue seriesThe order code of a published series is given and only the changed dimensions are stated. This is the shortest route; the known values of the series are carried over to the request and only the differences are assessed.
- From a tool drawingWhere a dimensioned tool drawing exists, the geometry is read directly from the drawing. Since tolerances and surface symbols are carried only on the technical drawing, the tolerance question is settled from the outset in requests that include one.
- From a workpiece drawingWhere no tool drawing exists, the geometry is determined from the drawing of the part to be machined, the pocket depth and the machine data. On this route the tool dimensions come out as the result of the request.
- From a sample toolThe dimensions of an existing tool are measured. Measuring time is shorter when a photograph and any code readable on the tool are added to the request.
How manufacturability is assessed
Manufacturability depends not on a single dimension but on how the dimensions relate to one another. The ratio between overall length and cutting diameter, the clearance left between the end of the flute and the shank, the ratio of the neck diameter to the cutting diameter and the ratio of the corner radius to the cutting diameter are the main constraints that determine whether the grinding program can be written. A through-tool coolant channel is a separate manufacturing step that cannot be added afterwards, and the smallest diameter in which it can be applied is limited.
For this reason no fixed manufacturing range is published on this page. Every request is assessed together with the set of dimensions supplied. Where one of the dimensions falls outside the manufacturing limit, the closest applicable value is reported with its reasoning instead of the request being rejected.
Two checks are carried out by the form itself. The overall length has to be greater than the length of cut. The corner radius cannot exceed half the cutting diameter. These two rules are geometric necessities and do not represent a manufacturing limit; they make sure an impossible geometry is caught at the form stage.
Dimension symbols
The form fields use the same symbols as the catalogue size table. The abbreviations in brackets are the ISO 13399 equivalents and stay unchanged whatever the language of the page. The distance each symbol marks on the tool is numbered on the diagram.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| D1 | Cutting diameter (DC) |
| D2 | Shank diameter (DCON) |
| L1 | Length of cut (LCF) |
| L2 | Neck length (LU) |
| L | Overall length (OAL) |
| R | Corner radius (RE) |
| Z | Number of flutes (NOF) |
Dimensions are stated in millimetres. Both a comma and a full stop are accepted as the decimal separator. Inch values are converted to millimetres by multiplying by 25.4.
From request to dispatch
Request record
When the form is submitted a number is assigned to the request and the number appears on screen. The same number is also sent to the requester by email. All further correspondence runs through this number.
Technical assessment
The geometry supplied, the workpiece material and the operating conditions are examined together. Where data is missing or contradictory, the question is put in writing; the request is not left waiting.
Quotation
Once manufacturability is confirmed, the price, the quantity breakdown and the lead time are reported in writing. In custom manufacturing the setup cost is divided across the quantity, so the unit price changes with the quantity.
Drawing approval
After the quotation is accepted and before manufacturing starts, a dimensioned drawing of the tool is submitted for approval. Manufacturing does not start until approval is given.
Manufacturing and dispatch
Manufacturing is carried out from the approved drawing. Dispatch details are sent together with the request number.
Custom manufacturing request form
The form has three sections. The first section covers the tool itself, the second the operating conditions and the third the contact details and technical files. All fields in the second section are optional; when they are left blank, the coating, the helix angle and the flute count are recommended according to the workpiece material and the recommendation is stated in the quotation.
About technical files
Accepted formats: DXF, DWG, STEP, STP, IGES, IGS, PDF, PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP and ZIP.
Up to 15 MB per file, up to 6 files per request and up to 30 MB in total are accepted. These limits are enforced on the server as well; a submission that exceeds them is rejected and the reason appears on screen.
Uploaded files are not published at a publicly accessible address. They are used only in the assessment of the quotation and are reachable only through the administration panel. A technical drawing is the intellectual property of the requester; it is not shared with third parties.
A file attachment does not replace the dimension fields, it sits alongside them. When the fields are left blank and only a file is sent, the request cannot be assessed until the file is opened and the reply takes longer. Where a STEP or IGES model is available, all of the stated dimensions can be verified against the model.
Tools available before a request
Diameter, flute count, speed and feed ranges can be tried out on the tools on this site before a request is created. The detailed explanation of the dimension symbols is in the technical guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum quantity in custom manufacturing?
The minimum quantity varies with the geometry and the material of the request. Since the setup cost is divided across the quantity, the unit price falls as the quantity rises; this is why the quantity field sits in the first section of the form. The minimum quantity that applies to a request is reported with the quotation.
How long does a quotation take?
The time depends on how complete the request is. A request with all dimension fields filled in is concluded sooner than one that waits for a technical drawing or whose dimensions have to be measured from a sample. Once the assessment is complete, the reply is given in writing under the request number.
Can only the length of a catalogue product be changed?
This is the most common form of request received. When the order code of the series and the dimension to be changed are given, the known values of the series are carried over to the request and only the differences are assessed.
Can a request be created without a technical drawing?
It can. The dimension fields on the form collect the minimum data required for a tool to be ground. Where a workpiece drawing or a photograph of a sample tool is available, the assessment is quicker.
What happens when the coating and the helix angle are not stated?
When these fields are left blank, a recommendation is made according to the workpiece material and the recommendation is stated in the quotation. The coating choice is closely tied to the material; a wrong match shortens tool life.
Where are the submitted files kept?
Files are not held at a publicly accessible address. They are reachable only through the administration panel and are not used outside the assessment of the quotation.