HPC milling: High-efficiency roughing of cavities
High-performance cutting (HPC) for maximum material removal rate

In roughing, as much material as possible must be machined as quickly as possible. The entire cutter is often in contact. Therefore, Tebis uses a variety of options for full-cut handling and for full-cut avoidance.
In full-cut handling, feed rates are automatically reduced or full-cut areas are machined trochoidally.
In full-cut avoidance – so-called adaptive roughing – the path layout is automatically adapted to the geometry without full cuts. Adaptive roughing strategies are especially well suited to components with many cavities. Hard materials can also be machined very effectively using these methods.
In adaptive roughing, in contrast to conventional roughing, special HPC tools are used to achieve extremely high material removal rates with higher cutting speeds and feed rates, lower lateral stepovers and very large cutting depths – and time savings of over 60 percent are possible.
Roughing with Tebis
- Trochoidal full-cut handling and adaptive full-cut avoidance
- Integrated re-roughing
- Always optimal feed rates
- Fast repositioning even at high feed rates
- Constant cutting conditions
- High flexibility: Lace cut machining is also possible.
- Different roughing methods can be easily combined
- High degree of expertise in consulting for optimal milling results
Suitable for 2.5D, 3D and 5-axis machining
Adaptive and trochoidal roughing strategies can be used in Tebis for 2.5D, 3D and 5-axis machining operations. The integrated blank transfer allows simple combinations of 2.5D, 3D and 5-axis machining operations.
Integrated re-roughing
The supplemental option "Re-roughing upwards" enables re-machining of residual stock areas from bottom to top with no problems at a lower depth of cut.
Practical test:– machining time calculation
Adaptive roughing strategies can be used to remove large quantities of material in a very short time. But fast machining relies on many factors. Tebis Product Manager Helmut Vergin has the following to say:
"The best way to machine a part depends on the specific geometry, the material and the available tools and machines. Technology parameters like cutting data and feed rates must be precisely adjusted to the machining operation."
In our practical test, we compared different roughing strategies under consideration of part geometry and the technology parameters. Results: The right combination is critical!
Adaptive roughing
In large components with many cavities, adaptive roughing strategies are clearly the most efficient. Our practical test yielded time savings of up to 60 percent.
Tool | Pokolm HPC cutter D16 |
Machine | DMG HSC105 linear |
Material | Steel |
Strategy | Adaptive |
Cutting data | ae: 1.6 mm ap: 30 mm vc: 175 m/min fz: 0.3 mm |
Combined concentric/adaptive roughing
This complex part has flat and steep areas. Our practical test revealed that combined machining with concentric and adaptive roughing strategies achieves the best results: Combined machining is 22 percent faster than straight adaptive machining.
1st machining operation | 2nd machining operation | |
Tool | Pokolm Spinworx D52 R6 | Pokolm HPC cutter D16 |
Machine | DMG HSC105 linear | DMG HSC105 linear |
Material | Steel | Steel |
Strategy | Concentric | Adaptive |
Cutting data | ae: 36 mm ap: 0.9 mm vc: 215 m/min fz: 0.7 mm |
ae: 1.6 mm ap: 30 mm vc: 175 m/min fz: 0.3 mm |
As your technology partner, we will be pleased to advise you on how to best use and combine milling strategies for optimal milling results.
Your benefits in the overall process
- End-to-end roughing with blank tracking across machining operations
- Optimal traverse paths
- Long tool life
- Increased machine run time
- Reliable roughing