When you’re picking out cutting tools, the first challenge is to figure out which style to buy. The second is to select what material and coating combination you’ll need. You might be questioning why coatings matter – surely it’s just a marketing ploy to get you to spend an extra couple bucks, right?

Application: General-purpose Aluminum and Brass machining, both roughing and finishing. Recommended Surface Speed: Up to 1200 SFM in Aluminum Alloy. We've recently started offering a line of 3-flute CrN coated end mills that our machinists really enjoy. These tools have 3-flutes with a cutting geometry optimized for aluminum machining, but what really sets them apart is the performance CrN coating. There are four main considerations when evaluating a cutting tool coating: