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In the context of machining, a cutting tool (or cutter) is any tool that is used to remove material from the
workpiece by means of shear deformation. Cutting may be accomplished by single-point or multipoint tools.
Single-point tools are used in turning, shaping, plaining and similar operations, and remove material by means
of one cutting edge. Milling and drilling tools are often multipoint tools. Grinding tools are also multipoint tools.
Each grain of abrasive functions as a microscopic single-point cutting edge (although of high negative rake
angle), and shears a tiny chip.
Cutting tools must be made of a material harder than the material which is to be cut, and the tool must be able
to withstand the heat generated in the metal-cutting process. Also, the tool must have a specific geometry, with
clearance angles designed so that the cutting edge can contact the workpiece without the rest of the tool
dragging on the workpiece surface. The angle of the cutting face is also important, as is the flute width, number
of flutes or teeth, and margin size. In order to have a long working life, all of the above must be optimized, plus
thespeeds and feeds at which the tool is run.
Contents
[hide]
1 Types
1.3 Holder
2 Materials
3 References
[edit]Types
Linear cutting tools include tool bits (single-point cutting tools) and broaches. Rotary cutting tools include drill
bits, countersinks and counterbores, taps and dies, milling cutters,reamers, and cold saw blades. Other cutting
tools, such as bandsaw blades, hacksaw blades, and fly cutters, combine aspects of linear and rotary motion.
[edit]Cutting
Cutting tools are often designed with inserts or replaceable tips (tipped tools). In these, the cutting edge
consists of a separate piece of material, either brazed, welded or clamped on to the tool body. Common
materials for tips include tungsten carbide, polycrystalline diamond, and cubic boron nitride. [1] Tools using
inserts include milling cutters (endmills, fly cutters), tool bits, and saw blades.
[edit]Solid
cutting tools
The typical tool for milling and drilling has no changeable insert. The cutting edge and the shank is one unit and
built of the same material. Small tools cannot be designed with exchangeable inserts.
[edit]Holder
To use a cutting tool within a CNC machine there is a basic holder required to mount it on the machines spindle
or turret.
[edit]Tool
setup
The detailed instruction how to combine the tool assembly out of basic holder, tool and insert can be stored in
a tool management solution.
[edit]Materials
To produce quality p, a cutting tool must have three characteristics:
Cutting tool materials can be divided into two main categories: stable and unstable.
Unstable materials (usually steels) are substances that start at a relatively low hardness point and are then
heat treated to promote the growth of hard particles (usually carbides) inside the original matrix, which
increases the overall hardness of the material at the expense of some its original toughness. Since heat is the
mechanism to alter the structure of the substance and at the same time the cutting action produces a lot of
heat, such substances are inherently unstable under machining conditions.
Stable materials (usually tungsten carbide) are substances that remain relatively stable under the heat
produced by most machining conditions, as they don't attain their hardness through heat. They wear down due
to abrasion, but generally don't change their properties much during use.
Most stable materials are hard enough to break before flexing, which makes them very fragile. To avoid
chipping at the cutting edge, most tools made of such materials are finished with a sightly blunt edge, which
results in higher cutting forces due to an increased shear area. Fragility combined with high cutting forces
results in most stable materials being unsuitable for use in anything but large, heavy and stiff machinery.
Unstable materials, being generally softer and thus tougher, generally can stand a bit of flexing without
breaking, which makes them much more suitable for unfavorable machining conditions, such as those
encountered in hand tools and light machinery.
Tool material
Properties
Carbontool
steels
Unstable. Very inexpensive. Extremely sensitive to heat. Mostly obsolete in today's commercial
machining, although it is still commonly found in non-intensive applications such as hobbyist
or MRO machining, where economy-grade drill bits, taps and dies, hacksaw blades, and reamers
are still usually made of it (because of its affordability). Hardness up to about HRC 65. Sharp
cutting edges possible.
High speed
steel(HSS)
Unstable. Inexpensive. Retains hardness at moderate temperatures. The most common cutting tool
material used today. Used extensively on drill bits and taps. Hardness up to about HRC 67. Sharp
cutting edges possible.
HSS cobalt
Unstable. Moderately expensive. The high cobalt versions of high speed steel are very resistant to
heat and thus excellent for machining abrasive and/or work hardening materials such as titanium
and stainless steel. Used extensively on milling cutters and drill bits. Hardness up to about HRC
70. Sharp cutting edges possible.
Castcobalt
alloys
Stable. Expensive. Somewhat fragile. Despite its stability it doesn't allow for high machining speed
due to low hardness. Not used much. Hardness up to about HRC 65. Sharp cutting edges possible.
Cemented
carbide
Stable. Moderately expensive. The most common material used in the industry today. It is offered
in several "grades" containing different proportions of tungsten carbide and binder (usually cobalt).
High resistance to abrasion. High solubility in iron requires the additions of tantalum
carbide and niobium carbide for steel usage. Its main use is in turning tool bits although it is very
common in milling cutters and saw blades. Hardness up to about HRC 90. Sharp edges generally
not recommended.
Ceramics
Stable. Moderately inexpensive. Chemically inert and extremely resistant to heat, ceramics are
usually desirable in high speed applications, the only drawback being their high fragility. Ceramics
are considered unpredictable under unfavorable conditions. The most common ceramic materials
are based on alumina (aluminium oxide), silicon nitride and silicon carbide. Used almost
exclusively on turning tool bits. Hardness up to about HRC 93. Sharp cutting edges and positive
rake angles are to be avoided.
Cermets
Stable. Moderately expensive. Another cemented material based on titanium carbide (TiC). Binder
is usually nickel. It provides higher abrasion resistance compared to tungsten carbide at the
expense of some toughness. It is far more chemically inert than it too. Extremely high resistance to
abrasion. Used primarily on turning tool bits although research is being carried on producing other
cutting tools. Hardness up to about HRC 93. Sharp edges generally not recommended.
Cubic boron
nitride(CBN)
Stable. Expensive. Being the second hardest substance known, it is also the second most fragile. It
offers extremely high resistance to abrasion at the expense of much toughness. It is generally used
in a machining process called "hard machining", which involves running the tool or the part fast
enough to melt it before it touches the edge, softening it considerably. Used almost exclusively on
turning tool bits. Hardness higher than HRC 95. Sharp edges generally not recommended.
Diamond
Stable. Very Expensive. The hardest substance known to date. Superior resistance to abrasion but
also high chemical affinity to iron which results in being unsuitable for steel machining. It is used
where abrasive materials would wear anything else. Extremely fragile. Used almost exclusively on
turning tool bits although it can be used as a coating on many kinds of tools. Sharp edges generally
not recommended.
[edit]References
1.
^ Stephenson, David A.; Agapiou, John S. (1997), Metal cutting theory and practice, Marcel Dekker,
p. 164, ISBN 9780824795795.
2.
^ Schneider, George, "Chapter 1 - Cutting Tool Materials," American Machinist, October, 2009
[hide]
Types of tools
Broom
Brush
Feather duster
Cleaning tools
Floor buffer
Hataki
Ice resurfacer
Mop
Needlegun scaler
Pipe cleaner
Pressure washer
Sponge
Squeegee
Steam mop
Tawashi
Vacuum cleaner
Blade
Bolt cutter
Broach
Cutting and
abrasive tools
Chisel
Coping saw
Countersink
Diamond blade
Diamond tool
Draw knife
Drill bit
Emery cloth
File
Fretsaw
Froe
Glass cutter
Grater
Grinding wheel
Hand saw
Knife
Miter saw
Nail clipper
Pipecutter
Plane
Pocket knife
Rasp
Razor
Reamer
Sandpaper
Saw
Scalpel
Scissors
Steel wool
Surform
Switchblade
Utility knife
Wire brush
Wire cutter
Wire stripper
Adze
Axe
Baling hook
Billhook
Bow saw
Garden tools
Chainsaw
Cultivator
Earth auger
Edger
Garden fork
Garden hose
Garden trowel
Hatchet
Hedge trimmer
Hoe
Hori hori
Irrigation sprinkler
Lawn aerator
Lawn mower
Lawn sweeper
Leaf blower
Loppers
Loy
Machete
Mattock
Pickaxe
Pitchfork
Plough (plow)
Rake
Roller
Rotary tiller
Scythe
Shovel
Sickle
Slasher
Spade
Splitting maul
String trimmer
Block plane
Hand tools
BNC inserter/remover
Brace
Bradawl
Breaker bar
Card scraper
Cat's paw
Caulking gun
Clamp
Crimping pliers
Crowbar
Grease gun
Fish tape
Hammer
Hand truck
Hawk
Hex key
Jack
Lug wrench
Locking pliers
Mallet
Mitre box
Monkey wrench
Multi-tool
Nut driver
Paint roller
Paintbrush
Pipe wrench
Pliers
Plumber's snake
Plunger
Punch
Putty knife
Ratchet
Sink wrench
Scratch awl
Screwdriver
Sledgehammer
Socket wrench
Spike maul
Staple gun
Stitching awl
Strap wrench
Tire iron
Torque wrench
Trowel
Upholstery hammer
Wrench (spanner)
Automatic lathe
Ball-peen hammer
Broaching machine
Machine and
metalworking tools
Drill press
Endmill
English wheel
Gear shaper
Grinding machine
Hacksaw
Hobbing machine
Jig borer
Lathe
Metalworking lathe
Milling cutter
Milling machine
Planer
Plasma cutter
Screw machine
Shaper
Thread restorer
Tool bit
Turret lathe
Welder
Architect's scale
Measuring and
alignment tools
Beam compass
Caliper
Chalk box
Compass
Engineer's scale
Flexible curve
Jig
Laser level
Micrometer
Plumb-bob
Protractor
Ruler
Scale
Sliding T bevel
Spirit level
Square
Straightedge
Tape measure
Template
Triangle
Angle grinder
Bandsaw
Belt sander
Blow torch
Chop saw
Circular saw
Concrete saw
Power tools
Crusher
Cutting torch
Die grinder
Drill
Glue gun
Heat gun
Impact wrench
Jackhammer
Jigsaw
Jointer
Nail gun
Power trowel
Reciprocating saw
Rotary tool
Router table
Sander
Scroll saw
Soldering gun
Soldering iron
Steam box
Table saw
Thickness planer
Wood router
Wood shaper
Other
Antique tools
Backscratcher
Bucket
Comb
Flashlight
Halligan bar
Kelly tool
Ladder
Pencil
Tool belt
Toolbox
Vise
Workbench