How much of the cutter's diameter is engaged in the cut, as a fraction or a width.
Radial engagement drives chip thinning. When it falls below half the cutter diameter, the actual chip is thinner than the programmed feed per tooth suggests, so the tool rubs and wears rather than cutting.
The correction is to raise the feed to restore the intended chip load — this is what makes high-efficiency (trochoidal) milling possible, with small radial engagements and very deep axial cuts.
Running a light radial pass at the nominal feed per tooth. The chip thins, the tool rubs, and the finish and tool life both suffer.
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