Slot width: determines the diameter (for straight-edge knives) or thickness (for three-sided knives/saw blades).
Slot depth: Determines the blade length of the tool. When machining deep slots, it is necessary to choose a long-blade tool or perform layered cutting.
Slot type: Is it a regular square slot, key slot, T-slot, or dovetail slot? This directly determines the type of tool.
Processing materials:
Wood/plastic: High-speed steel (HSS) or ordinary cemented carbide can be selected, with aggressive parameters.
Aluminum material: It is preferable to use hard alloy, and consider a design with large chip flutes to prevent tool sticking.
Steel: It is necessary to use hard alloy, and it is recommended to choose tools with a coating (such as TiAlN), using lower rotational speeds and feed rates.
Machine rigidity: Slotting involves full-edge cutting, which generates high cutting forces. The machine and fixtures must possess sufficient rigidity; otherwise, they are prone to vibration and tool damage.
