Abstract To enhance the implementation of micro milling, it is necessary to clearly understand the dynamic characteristics of micro milling so that proper machining parameters can be used to meet the requirements of application. By taking the effect of minimum chip thickness and rake angle into account, a new cutting force model of micro-milling which is function the instantaneous cutting area and machining coefficients was developed. According to the instantaneous rotation trajectory of cutting edge, the cutting area projected to xy-plane was determined by rectangular integral method, and used to solve the instantaneous cutting area. After the machining coefficients were solved, the cutting force of micro-milling for different radial depths of cut and different axial depths of cut can be predicted. The results of micro-milling experimental have shown that the force model can predict the cutting force accurately by which the optimal cutting parameters can be selected for micro-milling application
