The quality of MDF workpieces machined in CNC milling
machine in cutting speeds, feedrate, and depth of cut

Priscila Roel De Deus . Manoel Cleber de Sampaio Alves .

Fabio Henrique Antunes Vieira

Received: 23 May 2014 / Accepted: 22 April 2015 / Published online: 11 July 2015

� Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Abstract Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is an

industrial product created from lignocellulosic fibers

and resin through the combined action of pressure and

heat. Have homogeneity, dimensional stability and

mechanical strength similar to solid wood. Milling is a

machining method widely used within furniture

industries; and despite the noteworthy relevance of

the subject, there are few specific works dealing with

the MDF milling process using computerized numer-

ical control machines. It is increasingly necessary a

programmed machining able to generate suitable

surface to coatings, allowing for minimum waste and

maximum efficiency, besides the decrease of the tool

wear. The irregular surface after machining reduces

the quality of the final product; this characteristic is

defined by measuring the roughness of MDF panel

workpieces. Thus, it is possible to quantify the surface

quality and improve the machining process with

cutting speed, feed rate, depth cut among others. It

was observed that roughness exhibited lower values in

higher cutting speeds and low feed rates. The 1 mm

depth of cut showed optimized surface results. It was

concluded that the parameters studied here signifi-

cantly influence the finishing, resulting in irregular

surfaces that can reduce the quality of products.

Keywords Roughening � Panels � Wood

1 Introduction

Medium density fiberboard—MDF is an industrial

product made of lignocellulosic fibers and resin

through the combined action of pressure and heat. It

is quite used in the furniture industry, once it presents

homogeneity, dimensional stability and wood strength

near to solid wood. It easily receives various types of

coatings while maintaining quality, and respond

positively to machining processes. These qualities

are decisive for the industry based on solid wood, such

as furniture industry, construction, partitions, floors,

doors and other products.

To be used on these applications, a key processing

step is necessary for a final quality product: machin-

ing. With technological innovation processes in the

wood sector, automatic machines that provide automa-

tion produce better surface quality of machined

workpieces and increase productivity. Machining is

an operation aimed at the generation of size, shape and

P. R. De Deus (&) � F. H. A. Vieira
Post Graduation Program in Mechanical Engineering of

the Engineering Course, UNESP, Guaratingueta Campus,

São Paulo, Brazil

e-mail: priroel@hotmail.com

F. H. A. Vieira

e-mail: professorfabiohenrique@gmail.com

M. C. S. Alves

Mechanical Engineering Course, UNESP, Guaratingueta

Campus, São Paulo, Brazil

e-mail: manoelcsa@feg.unesp.br

123

Meccanica (2015) 50:2899–2906

DOI 10.1007/s11012-015-0187-z

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finishing or a combination of these characteristics in

one workpiece producing chip [1].

Milling is a machining method widely used in the

furniture industry in operations involving machines

like planers, routers, thicknessers. Despite the consid-

erable importance of the topic, there are few works

dealing with the specific MDF milling process using

computerized numerical control (CNC) machines.

This study aimed to investigate the influence the

quality os surface of cutting speed, feed rates, and

depth of cut in MDFmilling through machining center

with CNC using hard metal helical endmill.

2 Milling

It is evident the growth in demand for industrial

wood products and therefore it increases the need of

technological innovations in order to reach market

competitiveness. Among these innovations, machin-

ing stands out, because it is the most noticeable

change among the mechanical metal processes and

the timber industry develops machines that provide

process automation, resulting in better surface qual-

ity of machined workpieces. In [2] commented that

the milling is often used in the manufacturing

industry. With technology, progress has been made

in the procedure, but still there is room for

improvement.

Programmed machining, which is able to generate

suitable surface for coatings, is increasingly necessary,

allowing for minimum waste and maximum effi-

ciency, besides the reduction of tool wear.

Irregular surfaces after machining reduces the

quality of the final product. This characteristic is

defined by measuring the roughness of workpieces of

MDF panels. Thus, it is possible to measure the

surface quality and improve the machining process

with adjustments to the cutting speed, feed rate,

power, and others.

In milling occur vibrations occasioned because of

de vibrations in the workpiece. The cutting speed, feed

rate and depth cut influence this variation [3]. The

nonlinear interaction between the tool and the work-

piece causes stability regions which lead to the

jamming up of chip formation and consequently

unevenness in the workpiece surface. Thus, the

stability of cutting influences directly the quality of

surface roughness [4].

A study of ductile workpieces done by Balachan-

dran and Zhao [5] investigated the stability of milling

in relation to cutting speed and depth of cut. Predicting

this pattern can avoid trepidations and separation,

influencing the surface of the materials. It was

concluded that the cutting speed and depth of cut

parameters present instability areas in different

rotations.

High surface quality in machining is very impor-

tance, for it can influence the cost of the final product

in the industry, especially for high durability materi-

als. So, milling operations are almost indispensable,

consuming a great deal of time during processes and it

has significant impact on the quality of surface

finishing, and cost of the final product [6].

This investigation, as the number of revolutions and

the depth of cut is increased, surface roughness

decreases showing that the roughness is affected by

cutting speed, depth of cut, tool conditions and the

workpiece [6].

The industry requires improving on cutting condi-

tions and more machining technological investment in

order to reduce losses and increase quality. In the

study by Shen et al. [7] the roughness of the machined

surfaces showed better results for higher cutting

speeds.

In a investigated the machining of bracatinga

(Mimosa scabrella) for using in the furniture industry

and obtained utilization of 92 %, but it was high-

lighted the importance of knowing the wood during

machining for the correct use of the workpiece [8].

In a study with CNC milling with 15 kW spindle

power, a maximum spindle speed of 32,000 rpm and a

maximum feed rate of 10 m/min. It was observed the

influence of cutting speed and feed rate parameters

through the MDF surface roughness. The surface

roughness decreases with increased cutting speed and

it increases with the feed rate. MDF milling shows the

advantage in using a high cutting speed [9].

The study of the MDF pattern in CNC milling

requires more research in relation to surface finishing.

The parameters of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of

cut should be observed for better roughness.

3 Materials and methods

The analysis of the cutting speed, feed rate and depth

of cut influence in surface quality of the MDF

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workpieces was conducted for the concordant tangen-

tial milling in CNC machining centers and performed

by trials in a machining center with CNC by SCM

model TECH Z1.

Commercial use MDF by Duratex was used with

density of 736.22 kg m-3. The specimens were pre-

pared with dimensions of 300 9 65 9 15 mm for

better use during machining. The MDF specimens

were machined tangentially in the consistent direction

with six replicates, in order to make subsidies for

adequate statistical analysis. Assays were performed

in the tangential direction with depth of cut of 0.5, 1

and 1.5 mm with rotating in the amounts of 16,000,

12,000, 8000 and 4000 rpm, respectively, with values

of cutting speed 201, 402, 603 and 804 m/min. Three

feed rates were used 2, 4 and 6 m/min. A total of 216

tests were performed. It was used a ‘‘top’’ type carbide

endmill for finishing, with three helix cutting teeth,

model HWM-Premium—Upcut Spiral Bit, with a

diameter of 16 m by CMT—number code 193.161.11.

Ra (roughness average) parameter was used for

measuring the roughness average of the workpieces,

obtained with a profilometer by TAYLOR HOBSON,

sultronic 25 model, with measuring rod with diamond

cone-spherical feeler tip, 2 lm radius.

To analyze the results, the statistical analysis was

used, involving analysis of variance and Tukey’s test

to observe the difference between the treatment

averages (Table 2).

4 Results and discussion

The roughness average values listed after the milling

process for the depth of 1 mm, with their respective

values of roughness (Ra) in relation to the cutting

speed and feed rates are organized in Table 1, in which

it is represented the F index that indicates significant

and non-significant statistical difference, the coeffi-

cient of Variation (CV) and the feed rate (f).

Using Tukey’s test, it was observed that there were

no statistical differences between the feed rates

(Ff = 1.47; p value[5 %), i.e., within the feed rates

the MDF milling for these conditions, there were no

considerable differences. In relation to the cutting

speed and feed rate there were no differences either

(FCs 9 f = 1.93; p value[5 %). There were signif-

icant statistical differences on cutting speeds

(FVc = 13.34; p value[5 %), as seen in Table 2.

The results for roughness average (Ra) are shown in

Fig. 1, according to the machining in consistent

direction and with depth of cut of 1 mm. It is observed

that there were no significant statistical differences for

feed rate of 2 m/min; the values of surface finishing

maintained very close. Feed rate showed no significant

statistical differences, but the values for feed rate of 4

and 6 m/min were higher. But for all feed rates, the

lowest values for surface roughness occurred at the

highest cutting speed of 804 m/min (16,000 rpm).

For a depth of 0.5 mm, the roughness average

values presented in Table 3 indicate no statistical

differences in the feed rate (Ff = 0.43; p value[5 %)

and the ratio between cutting speed and feed rate

(FCs 9 f = 2.19; p value [5 %). But among the

cutting speeds there were statistical differences

(FCs = 13.34; p value[5 %).

At 0.5 mm depth, there was little variation between

treatments, with no significant statistical differences. The

feed rate of 2 m/min shows lower values for roughness.

The lowest valuesof surfacefinishing for all feed rates are

in higher feed rates of 603 m/min (12,000 rpm) and

804 m/min (16,000 rpm), as shown in Fig. 2.

The average results of roughness for 1.5 mm depth

are presented inTable 3.The feed rate had no significant

statistical result (Ff = 0.08; p value[5 %), different

from the cutting speed (FCs = 9.45; p value[5 %) and

from the relation between the velocities (FCs 9

f = 9.81; p value[5 %), as shown in Table 4.

It is observed in Fig. 3 the statistical differences in

cutting speeds, mainly in feed rates of 2 and 6 m/min. It

is also observed that there was no significant statistical

difference in feed rate for cutting speed of 402 m/min

(8000 rpm) and 603 m/min (12,000 rpm). In 1.5 mm

depth, it is necessary to consider that there is greater

variation in the surface quality of the MDF workpieces.

In machining Coffea arabica [9] noted that the

corresponding feed tooth values to 0.3–0.8 mm

resulted in the quality of fine workmanship. The

results showed that the quality of the machined surface

Table 1 Roughness parameters

Parameters

Cut-off 2.5 mm

Measuring length 12.5 mm

Filter Robust Gaussian

Range (resolution) 300 lm

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Table 2 Tukey’s test for roughness results between different feed rates and different rotations for depth of cut of 1 mm

Tukey for roughness (lm)

f (m/min) 201 m/min 4000 rpm 402 m/min 8000 rpm 603 m/min 12,000 rpm 804 m/min 16,000 rpm

2 19.1a 17.03a 16.66a 15.83A

4 23.13a 19.16ab 14.93b 14.93B

6 20a 15.11b 15.11ab 14.76B

F(f) 1.47 NS

F(RPM) 13.34**

F(f 9 RPM) 1.93 NS

CV 16.38 %

The letters refer to statistics, when they are equal and no significant difference when different exhibit statistically significant

differences

NS non-significant (over 0.05)

* Significant (under 0.05)

** Significant (under 0.01)

Fig. 1 Roughness for tests

with 1 mm depth of cut in

consistent direction. The

letters refer to statistics,

when they are equal and no

significant difference when

different exhibit statistically

significant differences

Table 3 Tukey’s test for roughness results between the different feedrates and different rotations for 0.5 mm depth of cut

Tukey for roughness (lm)

f (m/min) 201 m/min 4000 rpm 402 m/min 8000 rpm 603 m/min 12,000 rpm 804 m/min 16,000 rpm

2 16.07ab 19.1a 13.25b 15.9ab

4 20.12a 15.05a 16.45a 16.3a

6 19a 18.46a 16.75a 13.55a

F(f) 0.43 NS

F(RPM) 3.26*

F(f 9 RPM) 2.19 NS

CV 17.57 %

The letters refer to statistics, when they are equal and no significant difference when different exhibit statistically significant

differences

NS non-significant (over 0.05)

* Significant (under 0.05)

** Significant (under 0.01)

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at a feed speed of 6 m/min was satisfactory with small

fibers surveys and lower feed per tooth (fz) and surface

roughness (Ra).

In a study of machining MDF was observed that the

feed per tooth showed a lower rate of advancement and

higher rotation showed better results in terms of

Fig. 2 Roughness for

testing with 0.5 mm depth

of cut in consistent

direction. The letters refer to

statistics, when they are

equal and no significant

difference when different

exhibit statistically

significant differences

Table 4 Tukey’s test for roughness results between the different feed rates and different rotations for 1.5 mm depth of cut

Tukey for roughness (lm)

f (m/min) 201 m/min 4000 rpm 402 m/min 8000 rpm 603 m/min 12,000 rpm 804 m/min 16,000 rpm

2 20.13aA 17.06bA 14.2cA 13.13cB

4 14.73aB 17.2aA 16.13aA 16.46aA

6 16.46abB 17.06aA 14.06bA 16.73aA

F(f) 0.008 NS

F(RPM) 9.45**

F(f 9 RPM) 9.81**

CV 7.13 %

The letters refer to statistics, when they are equal and no significant difference when different exhibit statistically significant

differences

NS non-significant (over 0.05)

* Significant (under 0.05)

** Significant (under 0.01)

Fig. 3 Roughness for

testing with 1.5 mm depth

of cut in consistent

direction. The letters refer to

statistics, when they are

equal and no significant

difference when different

exhibit statistically

significant differences

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surface quality. The roughness increases with the

growth of feed per tooth [10].

When analyzing the results, it is evident the trend of

lower values of roughness average (Ra) occur at

higher cutting speeds for all depths. The smaller

roughness values occur in cutting speed of 603 m/min

(12,000 rpm) and 804 m/min (16,000 rpm); these

results are equivalent to [11]. It was investigated the

MDF machined surfaces through milling and it was

pointed out that lower roughness is related to 904, 5 m/

min (18,000 rpm) and 527.6 m/min (10,500 rpm) for

5 mm depth of cut tests. In a wood investigation, the

satisfactory results of cutting speed were between

1131 and 1234 m/min [9]. The roughness surface in

[6] had rotation of 3000 until 5000 rpm in depth cut of

0.1 until 3 mm. In 5000 rpm, it was observed the

smaller roughness values were similar in smaller depth

of cut.

High depth of cut values cause high load upon the

tool, and consequently, more vibrations and rough

regions in the workpiece.

Rossi et al. [12] observed in milling with metals that

the parameter depth of cut has little influence in

roughness, as well as Castro and Gonçalves [10] that

found satisfactory surface roughness in MDF milling

with 3 mm value.

In work as measured the surface roughness of

clusters and concluded that the surface quality has

suffered more influences by the feed per tooth than in

cutting speed and depth of cut [13].

Thus, the results of this study proved to be

consistent with the literature. The lowest values of

surface roughness are found in cutting speed 603 m/

min (12,000 rpm) and 804 m/min (16,000 rpm).

With high values of cutting speed each cutter tooth

removes less material, causing less vibration and

during the same conditions of feed rate provides less

rough surfaces.

Because it is MDFmaterial that has packed fibers in

its constitution, the discontinuous chip formation

causes a surface roughness, so high speed has results

that are more satisfactory.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0.5 1 1.5

Ro
ug

hn
es

s R
a 

(µ
m

)

Depth of cut 

Roughness (Ra)

4000 rpm

8000 rpm

12000 rpm

16000 rpm

ab a b ab ab ab ba a b b b

Fig. 4 Roughness of

different depths of cut for

the feed rate of 2 m/min in

consistent direction. The

letters refer to statistics,

when they are equal and no

significant difference when

different exhibit statistically

significant differences

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0.5 1 1.5

Ro
ug

hn
es

s R
a 

(µ
m

)

Depth of cut

Roughness (Ra)

4000 rpm

8000 rpm

12000 rpm

16000 rpm

ababa b ab b b a a a aa

Fig. 5 Roughness of

different depths of cut (ap)

for the feedrate of 4 m/min

in consistent direction. The

letters refer to statistics,

when they are equal and no

significant difference when

different exhibit statistically

significant differences

2904 Meccanica (2015) 50:2899–2906

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The surface roughness (Ra) in the depth of cut of

0.5, 1 and 1.5 mm for the feed rate of 2 m/min are seen

in Fig. 4.

Significant statistical differences occur between the

cutting speeds in 3 depths (ap). For 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mm

smaller roughness values occur at lower rotations at

4000 and 8000 rpm (201 and 402 m/min respec-

tively). The roughness pattern on 1 and 1.5 mm depths

follows an increasing sequence as the cutting speed is

increased. As for the smaller depth, it has unstable

pattern in relation to the rotations increase.

The roughness average for the feed rate of 4 m/min

at the three depths of cut is illustrated in Fig. 5.

It is observed that there are significant statistical

differences in 0.5 and 1 mm depth. A significant trend

for lower values of roughness does not occur in these

depths. As for the 1.5 mm depth, the lowest values of

surface roughness occur.

The roughness average for the feed rate of 4 m/min

at the three depths of cut is illustrated in Fig. 6.

It is observed that no significant statistical differ-

ences occur for all depths in 6 m/min feed rate.

The roughness in different feedrates shows a

tendency to decrease at higher rotations, except in

6 m/min feedrate and 1.5 mm depth of cut. It occurs

because the roughness surface has satisfactory quality

in high cutting speed and low feedrate as [14] that

performed a literature study to evaluate the cutting

parameters that influence the final finishing on the

wood. Savas et al. [15] investigated roughness surface

in tangential milling process and found satisfactory

results in 3.2 m/min feedrate. In the same way, Davim

et al. [11] concluded that lower roughness occur in 0.5

and 2.75 m/min feedrate.

The 2 m/min feedrate is lower compared with the

results in [10], which represented 2.90 m/min. As well

as Castro and Gonçalves [10] who reported 3.2 m/min

feedrate and 804 m/min (16,000 rpm) cutting speed.

There is a tendency of the lowest values of

roughness is related to lower cutting speeds; however

it does not occur at 0.5 mm depth of cut with feed rate

of 2 m/min and 1.5 mm depth of cut with feed rate of

4 m/min.

High values of cutting speed provide greater

material removal by the cutter teeth. Thus, high

cutting speed and low depth of cut result in efficient

cutting. The feed rate should have low values for

efficient performance in finishing, once it reduces

stress on the tool, preventing grooves on the surface of

the wood.

5 Conclusion

The quality of the surface observed through the MDF

milling in CNC, at the conditions mentioned in this

study, showed that the appropriate feed rate is 2 m/min

along with high values of cutting speed 402 m/min

(12,000 rpm) and 201 m/min (16,000 rpm). The depth

of cuts showed significant stability in values 1 mm and

1.5 mm.

It is observed that at higher cutting speeds, the

roughness average values decrease. The depth of cut

and feed rate demonstrate a proportional relationship.

The roughness pattern at different feed rate shows a

tendency to decrease with increased cutting speed.

With increasing feed rate, the roughness values

decrease.

0

5

10

15

20

25

0.5 1 1.5

Ro
ug

hn
es

s R
a 

(µ
m

)

Depth of cut

Roughness (Ra)

4000 rpm

8000 rpm

12000 rpm

16000 rpm

aa a a aaa a a aa a

Fig. 6 Roughness of

different depths of cut (ap)

for the feedrate of 6 m/min

in consistent direction. The

letters refer to statistics,

when they are equal and no

significant difference when

different exhibit statistically

significant differences

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	The quality of MDF workpieces machined in CNC milling machine in cutting speeds, feedrate, and depth of cut
	Abstract
	Introduction
	Milling
	Materials and methods
	Results and discussion
	Conclusion
	References