Precision Mould Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel

📈 Cutting Chip Formation - effectively remove cutting heat, and cutting chips can be easily cut off by ultrasonic | ⚙️ Tool Life - greatly reduced tool wear and the occurrence of BUE
  • Difficulties in Machining
  • HIT Achievements
  • Industry Application
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What makes STAVAX Mould Steel difficult to machine?


STAVAX mould steel, produced by Sweden Uddeholm as part of their stainless steel series STAVAX ESR, is a high-quality stainless plastic mould steel with excellent corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and machinability.  This material is widely applied across various high-precision industries, mainly for mould-making applications, such as plastic moulds (optical lenses, cosmetic packaging), medical device moulds (syringes, artificial joints), and automotive part moulds (light housings, trims).

However, STAVAX has high hardness and toughness, which can increase tool wear during cutting operations.  Furthermore, during high-temperature processing, residual stress can cause material deformation, affecting machining precision.

 
 

☑️ Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Machining Information

 
    Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Machining Information          
  Material   STAVAX mould steel
  *material hardness around HRC68
  Feature   Side milling
  Total axial cutting depth 6mm
  Total radial cutting depth 1mm
  Ultrasonic Machining Process & Parameters   Vc 100~120m/min _ S 7,950rpm _ F 1,250mm/min
  Ap 6mm _ Ae 0.2mm _ Ultrasonic Power Level 100%
  *Process time: around 2.5 minutes /Ae 1mm
  Ultrasonic Tool Holder        HSKA63-R30-06
  Tool Selection   OSG Φ4mm _ 4-flute carbide end mill for high-hardness steels


 
HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module was used on side milling of STAVAX mould steel
(Figure 1. HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module was used on side milling of STAVAX mould steel)



 

HIT's Goal in Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel


The goal is to improve tool wear while maintaining great workpiece quality under high cutting speed with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module.




 

Ultrasonic-Assisted Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Machining Results

 

Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Chip Formation

with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, cutting heat can be effectively removed
(Figure 2. with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, cutting heat can be effectively removed)


with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, cutting chips became shorter and smaller
(Figure 3. with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, cutting chips became shorter and smaller)

 
  • To optimize the side milling process of STAVAX mould steel with HIT ultrasonic module, the change in cutting mechanism helped reduce cutting heat.
  • Cutting chips were easily cut off by ultrasonic due to poor material ductility and malleability.
  • Under high cutting speed without ultrasonic, it generated high cutting heat, causing drastic color change in the cutting chips.



 

Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Tool Life

with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, it helps reduce the occurrence of BUE
(Figure 4. with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, it helps reduce the occurrence of BUE)

 
  • Using HIT ultrasonic module to optimize the side milling process of STAVAX mould steel, cutting chips were easily cut off and removed with the cutting mechanism of ultrasonic.  This helped avoid BUE (Built-Up Edge) from getting stuck on the tool, reducing tool wear on the rake face.
  • Under high cutting speed without ultrasonic, more BUE was stuck on the rake face due to excessive cutting heat.


with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, it helps reduce the width of flank wear
(Figure 5. with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, it helps reduce the width of flank wear)

 
  • Using HIT ultrasonic module to optimize the side milling process of STAVAX mould steel, the high frequency micro-vibration helped remove cutting heat, which brought reduction in tool wear.
  • Under high cutting speed without ultrasonic, the high cutting heat and cutting chips increased the cutting force.  This caused serious tool wear with thicker width of flank wear (VB).


with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, low cutting speed would increase cutting force instead, causing serious tool wear
(Figure 6. with HIT HSKA63-R30 ultrasonic machining module in side milling of STAVAX mould steel, low cutting speed would increase cutting force instead, causing serious tool wear)

 
  • Certain amount of force (given from cutting speed) is required for the workpiece to break, while dealing with hardened steel materials such as STAVAX.
  • Based on the tool condition with and without ultrasonic, low cutting speed (3,975rpm, and the optimized parameter is 7,950rpm) is not recommended for this process.




 

HIT Ultrasonic Machining Technology Achievements in Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel



📈 Cutting Chip Formation - effectively remove cutting heat, and cutting chips can be easily cut off by ultrasonic
⚙️ Tool Life - greatly reduced tool wear and the occurrence of BUE

 

Side Milling of STAVAX Mould Steel: Industry Application



Side milling of STAVAX mould steel is often applied in the Precision Mould industry, especially for the mould-making of plastic, medical devices, and automotive parts.


STAVAX mould steel, produced by Sweden Uddeholm as part of their stainless steel series STAVAX ESR, is a high-quality stainless plastic mould steel with excellent corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and machinability.

Due to its unique material properties, STAVAX is suitable for special environments that demand high wear resistance or require molds with a long lifespan.  Additionally, its outstanding polishability makes it widely used for moulds in optical product manufacturing.

This material is widely applied across various high-precision industries, mainly for mould-making applications, such as plastic moulds (optical lenses, cosmetic packaging), medical device moulds (syringes, artificial joints), and automotive part moulds (light housings, trims).

However, STAVAX has high hardness and toughness, which can increase tool wear during cutting operations.  Furthermore, during high-temperature processing, residual stress can cause material deformation, affecting machining precision.


HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Module offers a comprehensive solution in machining these difficult-to-cut materials.  With the assistance of HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Technology, it helps effectively remove cutting heat and changes the cutting chip formation.  This achieves reduction in tool wear and prolongs tool life.  HIT assures its clients of matching up with their requirements and achieving even better outcomes!




💡 Learn more about HIT ultrasonic-assisted machining of other metal, heat-resistant alloy, and hardened steel case studies


💡 Introduction on HIT ultrasonic-assisted machining of other metal, heat-resistant alloy, and hardened steel