1285F Roughing and finishing on AM closed blisks in Inconel 738 Cycle time reduction and tool life improvement

Challenge

Additive-manufactured closed blisks in Inconel 738 present specific challenges in both roughing and finishing operations, especially in terms of process efficiency and tool durability.

A customer in the aerospace sector involved Silmax with a clear objective: reduce cycle time while improving tool life.

Solution

Silmax’s approach focused on a global optimization of tool, strategy and cutting parameters.

In particular, the roughing strategy was completely revised, shifting from a face-milling focus approach to a full-length cutting strategy with low radial engagement, aimed at improving cutting conditions and tool load distribution.

Results

The outcome was clear:

• Higher cutting parameters with stable process behavior
• Significant reduction in machining time
• Excellent tool condition after 1 hour of cutting, with the cutting edge still in optimal shape

A concrete example of how strategy selection and application engineering play a key role in machining additive-manufactured aerospace components, delivering measurable improvements in both productivity and tool life.

Test data excerpt				Current	Тест
Z	Number of flutes			4	5 ↑
D	Cutting diameter [mm]			10	10
F	Feed [mm/min]			450	650 ↑
S	Spindle speed [rpm]			1400	1600 ↑