CNC: Negative insert, Positive insert – Zero difference yaar ! Just use whatever’s available !
Every cutting tool catalog has the words Positive and Negative in relation to inserts and tool holders, like in the picture below. If you are ignoring these small words, you are making a big mistake.
Pic. courtesy Sandvik
Selecting the right type of insert can make a BIG difference to productivity and part quality in cnc turning and cnc milling. This short document has an explanation.
Action point
Select the right type of insert for your application, from cutting tool catalogs. We use the right cutting tools in the kitchen, but typically don’t care about the right cutting tool in the shop floor. The difference between the right and wrong cutting tool is the difference between high and low productivity, high and low quality, high and low profits.
Use the right tool
Pic. and text source: CADEM NCyclo multimedia CNC training software.