How brittle material is cut?

Many of brittle materials, such as amorphous materials, single crystal materials, and sintered
alloys and ceramics, are utilized for a variety of new products because of their unique physical
and mechanical properties. Especially, demands for ultraprecision micromachining of those
brittle materials are increasing, which realizes sophisticated optical parts, functional components
and their dies for mass production. Mechanical micromachining, i.e. cutting, grinding and
polishing, can be employed for micromachining as well as electrical discharge machining and
chemical etching [1]–[2]. However, it is difficult to obtain optical quality mirror surfaces of
those brittle materials by the conventional ultraprecision diamond cutting because of brittle
fractures [3]. Electrical discharge machining and chemical etching cannot be applied to machine
optical quality mirror surfaces, and ultraprecision grinding and polishing are not suitable to
machine microstructures with sharp edges and complicated three dimensional shapes.

Ultraprecision micromachining of brittle materials with a single point diamond tool, which is
extremely difficult due to brittle fracture and rapid tool wear, is realized by applying 'Elliptical
Vibration Cutting' technology, which has been developed by the authors.

A single-point cutting tool can be used for increasing the size of holes, or boring. Turning and
boring are performed on lathes and boring mills. Multiple-point cutting tools have two or
more cutting edges and include milling cutters, drills, and broaches.

Single-point tools are used in turning, shaping, planing and similar operations, and remove
material by means of one cutting edge.

Relief or clearance angles must be provided to prevent the tool surface below the cutting edge
from rubbing against the workpiece. Rake angles are often provided on cutting tools to cause a
wedging action in the formation of chips and to reduce friction and heat.
High-speed steel (HSS or HS) is a subset of tool steels, commonly used as cutting tool material.
It is often used in power-saw blades and drill bits. It is superior to the older high-carbon steel
tools used extensively through the 1940s in that it can withstand higher temperatures without
losing its temper (hardness).

Machining vibrations, also called chatter, correspond to the relative movement between the
workpiece and the cutting tool. The vibrations result in waves on the machined surface. This
affects typical machining processes, such as turning, milling and drilling, and
atypical machining processes, such as grinding.