Ceramic cutting tools : materials, development, and performance

Interest in ceramics as a high speed cutting tool material is based primarily on favorable material properties. As a class of materials, ceramics possess high melting points, excellent hardness, and good wear resistance. Unlike most metals, hardness levels in ceramics generally remain high at elevated temperatures, which means that cutting tip integrity is relatively unaffected at high cutting speeds. Ceramics are also chemically inert against most workmetals Ceramic Cutting Tools is the first practical book on ceramic cutting tools to appear in twenty-six years and breaks new ground in a way that previous books did not. It describes the new classes of ceramic tool materials and how they perform from a materials engineering basis. Numerous examples of field tests and case histories in the use of various types of ceramic tools are presented, thus providing a basis for proper tool selection. Special attention is given to the role of surface finish, tool geometry, and edge preparation on overall tool life and productivity. The latest in ceramic cutting tool materials - chemically vapor deposited diamond coated tools - is also introduced. Each chapter in the book is written by a world-wide recognized authority in ceramic cutting tool material development and application.