Products
LMT-Fette has long been recognized as a premier supplier in the HSS and powdered metal end mill market. Now, LMT-Fette is pleased to announce the introduction of our first solid carbide end mill product for the North American market, our new AIR LINE® Solid Carbide end mill. This unique end mill, some of which have “coolant-through” capability, is designed for roughing and finishing in non-ferrous materials, as well as finishing in steel, stainless steel, and nickel-based alloys.

Application Area
The AIR LINE® Solid Carbide end mill is designed primarily for use in roughing and finishing of non-ferrous alloys such as aluminum, magnesium, brass, etc. The AIR LINE® geometry, with its unique “stepped-relief,” 20° rake angle, and dead-sharp cutting edge, allows for trouble free slotting and shouldering, even in softer aluminum alloys. This geometry combined with LMT-Fette’s new super-fine grain-grade substrate, provides unmatched, economical removal rates in all non-ferrous materials.

The AIR LINE® product also performs exceptionally in finishing applications on more difficult materials that benefit from a positive, up-sharp geometry. This geometry, when combined with our PVD TiAlN coating, also performs excellent in finishing of low-carbon steels, austenitic stainless steel, and nickel-based alloys. The versatile design of the AIR LINE® Solid Carbide end mill performs even the most difficult end milling operation with ease.

Materials
The AIR LINE® Solid Carbide end mill is generally designed for materials commonly used in the Aerospace industry, especially aluminum and magnesium alloys. However, the AIR LINE® end mill has also shown exceptional versatility and excellent performance in brass, copper, and finishing of 300 series stainless steels and nickel-based alloys such as Inconel and Hastelloy.

Advantages
The primary advantage of the AIR LINE® Solid Carbide end mill is its ability to run at 50% higher feed rates, leading to shorter machining times, specifically when combined with“ coolant-through” capability. The slow-helix design of the tool, combined with the “steppedrelief,” leads to excellent edge strength, while maintaining a positive, up-sharp edge. Additionally, the AIR LINE’s® unique “coolant-though” capability leads to simplified chip removal, thus improving process reliability.