Machining With Ceramics

Volume 1, Issue 1.............................................................MAY 1, 2002

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR CERAMIC USE

THE PROPERTIES OF CERAMIC BASED CUTTING MATERIALS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS, SUCH AS CEMENTED CARBIDES OR HIGH SPEED STEEL. BASICALLY THERE ARE TEN MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE APPLICATION OF CERAMIC CUTTING TOOLS.

1. BEST EFFICIENCY IS ACHIEVED IN LARGE QUANTITY METAL REMOVAL OPERATIONS.
2. BEST EFFICIENCY WITH CERAMIC TOOLS IS ACHIEVED WITH THE HIGHEST CUTTING SPEEDS FEASIBLE AND THE STRONGEST INSERT GEOMETRIES.
3. RIGID MACHINE TOOLS, SAFE CLAMPING DEVICES, RIGID WORK PIECES ARE RECOMMENDED FOR MACHINING WITH CERAMIC TOOLS.
4. CLUTCHES AND BRAKES OF THE MACHINE TOOL SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR "HIGHER OPERATING FREQUENCY" OR SHORTER MACHINING CYCLES.
5. CHIP CONVEYORS SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE MACHINE TOOL, CAPABLE OF HANDLING LARGE AMOUNTS OF CHIPS (20 LBS. PER MINUTE MINIMUM).
6. GAIN EXPERIENCE WITH CERAMIC CUTTING TOOLS BY MACHINING MATERIALS WITH GOOD MACHINABILITY, SUCH AS GREY CAST IRON OR CARBON STEEL. DO NOT EXPECT IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS FOR EXOTIC MATERIALS OR COMPLEX WORK PIECES.
7. CONVERSION TO CERAMIC CUTTING TOOLS REQUIRES A REVIEW OF THE MACHINING SEQUENCE. AT THE ENTRY POINT OF THE CUTTING EDGE A PRECUT CHAMFER OR A REDUCED FEED RATE IS RECOMMENDED.
8. MACHINE OPERATORS NEED ADEQUATE TRAINING TO ACCEPT THE USE OF THE HIGH PRODUCTIVE RATES OF CERAMIC TOOLS.
9. MACHINING PARAMETERS SHOULD BE PRECISELY DEFINED TO PREVENT MISAPPLICATIONS.
10. LAST BUT NOT LEAST RETHINK YOUR THINKING.

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