Bob Warfield from CNCCookbook discusses some toolpath tips to help you get the most from your CAM software in the sixth episode of The CNC Chef, a video series produced in collaboration with Cutting Tool Engineering.

Warfield added the following explanation in response to some who viewed this episode of The CNC Chef and commented that the labels on the deflection diagram suggest climb milling does not push the cutter into the cut while conventional milling does.

Remember, the cutter moves left to right on both Conventional and Climb Cuts. With that in mind, let's look at the force vectors, which show the direction of deflection. Virtually all of the conventional vectors face left. In other words, they face away from the direction of feed. In that sense, they're pulling away from the cut, rather than deflecting into the cut.

The force vectors for climb milling, in comparison, mostly face right, which is the direction of feed. They are deflecting into the cut and and thereby intensifying the cutting action.

Now granted, the length of the vectors is less for climb than conventional. That means the forces are lower and there is likely to be less deflection. That's why I say in the video that you're really going to have to test which one works better.

About The CNC Chef Video Series: Bob Warfield founded CNCCookbook.com and built it up to be one of the most popular CNC Blogs on the Internet. Thanks to his work with CNCCookbook and the G-Wizard software series, Warfield routinely receives questions from shops all over the world. For more information about the CNC Chef, visit his website here.