Cutting Temperatures Evaluation in Ceramic Tools: Experimental Tests, Numerical Analysis and SEM Observations

The authors propose a multiple approach for the evaluation of cutting temperatures in ceramic tools. The first approach was the experimental evaluation of equitemperature lines, obtained in three-dimensional cutting by employing constant melting point powders scattered on planes parallel to rake face. In the second approach, a numerical finite element analysis was performed. At this step the determination of the percentage of total heat produced in the operation that flows into the tool was considered and, consequently, the temperature distribution within the whole volume of the insert. Finally, the examination of the crater zone with SEM microscopy confirmed the temperature levels as previous estimated.