A new technique for studying the chip formation process in diamond turning

A new technique to examine the chip formation process has been developed. This experimental method involves cuffing along the interface of two workpieces that have been joined, stopping the cut, retracting the tool and then separating the two halves of the workpiece. By viewing the cross section of the chip in the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the angle of shear and structure of the chip can be observed. The value of the technique is increased by measuring the fool forces while producing the chip. The shear and normal stresses on the shear plane and the forces attributable to elastic deformation of the workpiece can be calculated from this shear angle and the measured tool forces.