Cutting tools are tools which are used to remove excessive material through shear deformation. While performing various operations on a work-piece it is cutting tools that are used to bring the work-piece in the required shape and size. The research on cutting tools is an evergreen topic. As the manufacturing industry is only getting bigger and bigger the need for new cutting tools which are more efficient is only increasing. The latest research papers stress on improving the toughness, hardness, less tool-wear,etc.
other properties on cutting tools. Some scientists are focusing on creating new materials for the cutting tools. Other are focusing on improving the geometry of the cutting tools used.One way to improve the basic properties of tools are to coat them with new compounds, as the scientists in one case did where they coated the tungsten Carbide coating with ZrC/Ni ultra-disperse diamond coating.
This improved the durability of the tool when used for wood related milling operations.In one research paper, researchers studied the potential of Niobium Carbide as a substrate for the cutting tools. They the substrate under high speed conditions. Researchers found that the tool wear was substantial and the tool presented high rate of discontinuity.
One of the paper was a experimental data set where the experimenters studied tool wear while machining Al-1061 using high speed steel tool. The experimenters had predicted the tool wear using a mathematical model and by virtue of the experiment they wanted to show the similarities between the theoretical figures and the actual values. A paper focused on the increasing the cutting tool life while machining Iconel-718. Iconel-718 is a alloy of nickel and chromium and which found particularly difficult to be machined upon. The cutting tool is highly stressed which leads to high temperature and pressure on a small area.
The researchers showed the importance of machining this compound at a specific geometry. They also found how the polishing and other finishing operations increased the tool life.In the end I would like to say that cutting tools are essential parts of the manufacturing industry and more research should be done so that the manufacturing process not only becomes more efficient but also more economical.
