CNC Tools Series

CNC milling cutters are the primary material-removal tools in CNC glass working centers. Unlike fixed-profile diamond wheels, milling cutters can create any edge profile — ogees, bullnoses, duponts, chamfers, and custom contours — by following programmed toolpaths. This flexibility makes them indispensable for architectural glass processors who need to produce varied edge profiles without changing wheels. Hanwin's CNC milling cutters use solid carbide bodies with CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond coatings or brazed PCD (polycrystalline diamond) tips, depending on the application. Carbide bodies provide the rigidity needed for high-speed profiling, while diamond cutting surfaces deliver the hardness (HV 6000–8000) required to machine glass cleanly. The flute geometry is optimized for glass swarf evacuation — critical because glass dust is extremely abrasive and recutting it damages both the tool and the workpiece. Each cutter is dynamically balanced to G2.5 precision, eliminating vibration that causes edge chipping and surface defects. For 5-axis CNC centers, Hanwin offers ball-nose and tapered mill configurations that create complex 3D profiles in a single setup.

Internal cutouts are among the most challenging features in glass processing. Unlike external edges, which are accessible from the outside, internal cutouts require tools that can reach inside holes and pockets to grind and finish surfaces that are invisible during processing. The consequences of poor internal finishing are severe: stress concentrations from rough-cut edges propagate through tempering, causing spontaneous breakage; hardware fitted into poorly finished cutouts develops play and misalignment over time. Hanwin's internal-wall grinding wheels solve these challenges with a purpose-built design. The wheel body is a thin-walled diamond cylinder — typically 2–5mm wall thickness — that reaches inside cutouts to grind internal surfaces. Diamond grit on both the outer diameter and the leading edge provides simultaneous wall grinding and bottom finishing. The wheel is mounted on a CNC spindle that traces the cutout perimeter, maintaining constant contact pressure against the internal wall. For through-holes (door handles, lock cylinders), the wheel completes the grinding in a single pass. For blind holes (hinge pockets), a stepped tool with both roughing and finishing zones processes the pocket in one operation.

Mill-plus-edge tools represent a fundamental efficiency breakthrough in CNC glass processing. Traditional CNC operations require two separate tools and two separate passes: a milling cutter for profiling, then a diamond wheel for edging. This sequential approach means the glass must be repositioned between operations, adding cycle time and introducing alignment errors. The mill-plus-edge tool combines both functions in a single body: the upper zone is a profiling section that creates the desired edge profile, while the lower zone is an edging section that grinds the profile to final dimensions. Both zones work simultaneously as the tool traces the glass edge, completing what traditionally required two operations in a single pass. The result: 30–50% reduction in cycle time per piece, fewer tool changes, and improved edge consistency because both operations reference the same tool path. Hanwin's mill-plus-edge tools use a segmented design where the profiling zone features coarser diamond grit for material removal, and the edging zone features finer grit for surface finish. The transition between zones is engineered to blend seamlessly — there's no visible line between the profiled and edged surfaces. Each tool is custom-configurable: choose profile geometry, grit combination, and overall diameter to match your specific edge specification.