CUTTING EDGE RADIUS EFFECTS ON DIAMOND-COATED TOOLS

Cutting edge geometry has compound effects on diamond-coated tools. Specifically, the edge radius affects the deposition stresses and machining loads in an opposite way. Therefore, there may exist an edge radius for optimal tool life. Moreover, such an optimal radius may be different from one cutting condition to another, as the edge radius effects on machining loads are dependent upon machining parameters. In this study, tungsten carbide cutting inserts with different edge radii were investigated. Finite element simulations were used to evaluate the interface stresses along the rounded cutting edge. The inserts of different edge radii were diamond coated. The coated tools were further tested in composite machining for tool wear evaluations and cutting forces analysis.