Manufacturing in a broad range of industries utilizes milling as a versatile fabrication method. Machining mills of varying technological advancement have been in use for metals, woods, plastics, and many other materials for over 100 years. Since the 1960s, the development of CNC technology has expanded to the majority of machining operations, including milling. Milling allows for a wide spectrum of capabilities when it comes to the parts and components that can be fabricated, and MultiSource Manufacturing LLC utilizes horizontal, vertical, and multi-axis machining centers to create parts with even the most intricate designs. The network of MultiSource locations offers comprehensive CNC milling services so our customers can get the full benefits of multi-directional machining technologies.

While we provide up to 5-axis machining, MultiSource facilities have multiple vertical and horizontal CNC mills. All of our mills are on a strict preventative maintenance schedule, and despite their limitations in comparison with 5-axis machines, the capabilities of our vertical and horizontal CNC milling equipment never compromises quality in the components we manufacture.

The differences between a vertical mill versus a horizontal mill lie in their capabilities and the parts they are suited to machine.

 

Vertical Mills

The cutting spindle of a vertical CNC milling machine is placed vertically, or perpendicular to the material that will be machined. The mill height can be adjusted and the spindle itself moves horizontally. Vertical mills are typically less expensive than horizontal mills and perform simpler tasks. Vertical turret mills offer versatile milling of smaller projects as the movement of the bed rather than the spindle offers a greater range of motion. Vertical bed mills allow our technicians to work on heavy, large components with adjustable depth and movement.

 

Horizontal Mills

Instead of the cutting spindle vertical mills utilize, horizontal mills use circular cutting heads on horizontal arbors to machine components. Because of the structure of horizontal mills, they are able to use multiple cutters at different angles. This means they can provide complex, multi-sided machining of the material. Additionally, the mill can move in a wider range across the bed, allowing longer and heavier parts to be machined in one operation.

Overall, horizontal mills are more applicable to complex machining operations on a larger scale, but vertical mills have their place in machining single-side components, such as die sinking or metal plates. The MultiSource network offers vertical, horizontal, and multiple axis CNC milling with added benefits of high-speed machining, thru spindle coolant, 40,000 rpm, Renishaw probing, 84” x 33” travel, and much more.

 

To learn more about our CNC milling services and comprehensive manufacturing capabilities, contact MultiSource at (952) 456-5500, request more information, or request a quote today.