Final answer:
For roughing aluminum with a .500 diameter two flute carbide end mill, start with a spindle speed around 7238 RPM and a feed rate of 28.952 IPM, considering 950 fpm as the surface speed and 0.002" chip load per tooth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seeks appropriate cutting parameters for using a .500 diameter two flute carbide end mill on an aluminum workpiece. For roughing applications in aluminum, a general guideline for the speed (also known as spindle speed or surface speed) can be determined by the material and the cutter type used. Typically, the surface speed for aluminum ranges between 250 to 1000 feet per minute (fpm). Since we have a carbide tool, we can start on the higher end: around 900 to 1000 fpm. To calculate the spindle speed in revolutions per minute (RPM), the formula RPM = (Surface Speed x 12) / (π x Cutter Diameter) is used. For example, if we use 950 fpm:
Spindle Speed (RPM) = (950 fpm x 12) / (π x 0.500") ≈ 7238 RPM
Feed rate is dependent on the tool's RPM, the number of flutes on the tool and the chip load per tooth. The chip load can be around 0.001" - 0.005" per tooth for aluminum, but we could start with 0.002" for roughing. Using the formula Feed Rate = RPM x number of flutes x chip load per tooth:
Feed Rate (IPM) = 7238 RPM x 2 flutes x 0.002" = 28.952 inches per minute (IPM)
Remember to adjust these rates based on machine and tool condition, fixture rigidity, and cutting fluid use. Always follow machine and cutter manufacturer's instructions for specific optimizations.