Which process is primarily associated with milling operations?

Milling operations are primarily associated with cutting processes because milling involves the removal of material from a workpiece using rotating cutting tools. In milling, the cutting tools are equipped with multiple edges, which engage with the material to produce the desired shape or finish. This method can create complex geometries and flat surfaces, making it a crucial operation in manufacturing.

Cutting in milling is distinct from other processes such as drilling, where a rotating tool creates holes, turning, which involves rotating the workpiece against a stationary cutting tool to shape cylindrical parts, and grinding, which is a finishing process that uses abrasives to achieve a high degree of accuracy and surface finish. Therefore, the association of milling operations with cutting is due to the fundamental action of material removal through the engagement of edges on a rotating tool.