End-milling is intermittent cutting process performed by a tool with a number of teeth. Its cutting forces are commonly measured by the tool dynamometer which has rectangular coordinates. In this case, the pattern of cutting forces is different according to cutting conditions. At a certain cutting condition, the sign of cutting force changes from positive to negative during a revolution of one tooth. The change of force direction excites a cutting tool and severe vibration arises when radial depth of cut increases. In this study, cutting experiments and simulations were carried out in order to explain the cause of the change of the cutting force direction. In addition, the effect of the cutting force change was discussed in terms of chatter vibration in end milling.
