Flute Count

Chip Evacuation

For a given cut diameter, the fewer flutes the tool has, the more room there is for chips to escape from the cut, preventing recutting of chips. "Gummy" materials, such as aluminum, require better chip evacuation to prevent the welding of chips to the cutter. Proper chip evacuation is crucial to prevent tool breakage and ensure a smooth, efficient milling process. It's also important to use appropriate cutting parameters (like feed rate and spindle speed) and coolant strategies to aid in chip evacuation.

Core Size

For a given cut diameter, the more flutes the tool has the larger the "core" of the cutter is making the tool stronger allowing it to handle larger cutting forces and reducing tool deflection.

Feedrate

For a given cut diameter, the more flutes the tool has you must increase the feedrate to keep the same surface cutting speed.

Surface Finish

The more flutes a tool has the better surface finish it will leave.

Workpiece Hardness

Tools with 3 Flute and less are ideal for Non-Ferrous materials.

Tools with 4 Flute and more are typically better for harder materials likes steel.

1 Flute

1 Flute

1 Flute