High-speed steel is used to make HSS end mill cutters, a type of milling tool used to machine a variety of materials, including general steel, brass, and aluminium. They are renowned for their durability, affordability, and post-polishing reusability. When stability is not an issue, HSS end mills are especially well-suited for machining. They can also be coated with PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coatings to boost cutting speeds and temperature resistance.

Key Features and Characteristics:

Material:

HSS (High-Speed Steel) is a tool steel alloy known for its hardness, toughness, and wear resistance, making it suitable for high-speed machining applications. 

Cutting Teeth:

HSS end mills have cutting teeth on both the circumference and the end of the tool, allowing for versatile milling operations. 

Applications:

They are commonly used for general milling, profile milling, tracer milling, face milling, plunging, contouring, slotting, drilling, and reaming. 

Advantages:

Cost-effective: HSS end mills are generally less expensive than tools made from more advanced materials like carbide. 

Toughness: They are less prone to breaking compared to some other tool materials. 

Reusability: Worn HSS end mills can be reused by polishing the cutting teeth. 

Limitations:

Cutting Speed: While HSS can handle high speeds, it may not be as durable or have as high a cutting speed as carbide, especially when machining harder materials. 

Variations:

HSS end mills come in various forms, including those with and without PVD coatings, and HSS-PM (Powder Metallurgy) steel mills for increased wear and hardness. 

Common Uses:

HSS end mills are frequently used for machining general materials on machines like MLTR (Metal Lathe, Turning, and Milling) machines at higher parameters than M2 end mills. 

HSS end mill cutters come in various types, each designed for specific applications. These include ball nose, square, parallel shank, and tapered shank end mills, as well as roughing and finishing variations. 

Coatings available