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Used Milling Machine Buying Guide: Horizontal Vs. Vertical Milling Machine

Milling Machine

One of the common processes in the fabrication industry is milling. It is done by a skilled person for shaping and cutting the rolled steel. If you have plans to purchase used milling machine, you should first know about the different types of milling machines used in the industry. They are horizontal milling machines and vertical milling machines.

If you are searching on the internet by typing used milling for sale near me, ensure to decide the type of milling machine you want to buy before purchasing. In vertical milling machines, the cutting element or the spindle will be aligned vertically. In the horizontal milling machine, the spindle will be aligned parallel to the ground surface.

Both the machine do the same job but the completion and process method will be different. Both machine type has its own advantages and disadvantages. The capabilities of the machine differ. For precise job combine the right milling machine with the best operator. Generally, the used milling machine is designed to work with heavy material. Now let us discuss the differences between horizontal and vertical milling machines.

Vertical milling machine: In this machine type the cutting head is fixed in a vertical orientation and other elements move in one or more axis. The other parts of the machine move the material so that the material is milled in the correct location. There are two types of vertical milling machines. They are Turret milling machines and bed milling machine.

Turret milling machine: In this type, the spindle will be fixed in a particular location. The material is fixed in the bed portion. It moves both horizontally and vertically. Turret milling machine is versatile since the material can be moved in both directions. Only a small piece of job can be done by this machine type.

Bed milling machine: In this type, the material can be moved only in the horizontal axis and the spindle moves in the vertical axis. The height of the spindle can be adjusted in this machine type. Different shape jobs can be done by the bed milling machine. It is best suited for large and heavy work jobs.

Applications: Vertical milling machines are best suited for single side jobs like sinking dies.

Advantages of vertical milling machine:

  • Operation is easy and simple
  • The cost of the vertical milling machine is very less when compared with the horizontal milling machine.
  • Large size metal plates can be worked in a vertical milling machine.
  • The vertical milling machine is used in most of the industries.
  • Finding a skilled operator for operating a vertical milling machine is very easy.
  • It provides great visibility when compared with the horizontal milling machine.
  • It requires less setup time because of the CNC control.

Horizontal milling machine:

In the horizontal milling machine, the spindle is not fixed like a vertical milling machine. The cutting head in the machine is similar to the circular small saws. The arbor of the machine can be stretched across the bed length because of this you can install multiple cutters in it. The most horizontal milling machine has a horizontal movement. Only a few machines have rotary movement. It can be used for milling jobs from different angles.

Applications: Complex projects can be done using a horizontal-vertical machine. It is used for doing precise jobs.

Advantages of a horizontal milling machine:

  • During the process, the chips are easily pulled because of the gravity and machine setup.
  • Horizontal milling machines are used for high volume production since the horizontal milling machines are heavy.
  • It helps to increase productivity since the machine can hold three machine tools in it. It reduces the setup time and improves the cost-efficiency.
  • It can last longer and the function will be very smooth with less vibration.

Large milling machines are used for milling large size parts like fabricated weldments, and heavy components and big size plates. A 60-ton milling machine can be operated in this milling machine and the maximum length that can be operated in a large milling machine is 40 feet. At Hi Tech Machinery Inc., you can buy both new and used horizontal and vertical milling machines. Check the website for more details.

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