In this study, the effect of cutting edge geometry, such as helix and rake angles, on surface roughness in ball-end milling is investigated by using the Taguchi method. A set of experiments adopting the $L_{27}(3^{13})$ design with an orthogonal array are conducted with special WC ball-end mills having different helix and rake angles. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is performed to analyze the effects of tool geometry and machining parameters, such as cutting speed, feed per tooth, and depth of cut, on surface roughness. The ANOVA results reveal that helix and rake angles are critical factors affecting surface roughness; the interaction of helix angle and cutting speed is also important. This research can contribute to novel cutting edge designs of ball-end mills and optimization of cutting parameters.