A Milling Machine for Shaping Metal

If you were to need a machine tool that shapes metal or other solid materials, the most likely tool appropriate for the job would be a milling machine. This type of machine is comprised of a rotating cutter that rotates about a spindle axis to cut a piece of material affixed to a table below it. In some ways this cutter and spindle is like a drill, but it differs in that rather than just drilling up and down, the rotating cutter can move sideways and the table also moves to give variety to the cuts on the piece of material that you are shaping. A milling machine might be useful for a vast number of operations including slot cutting, planning, drilling, die-sinking, rebating, routing and more. Manufactures often own their own milling machines for milling prototypes of new products.