In the context of

machining Machining is a process in which a material (often metal) is cut to a desired final shape and size by a controlled material-removal process. The processes that have this common theme are collectively called subtractive manufacturing, which utilizes ...

, a cutting tool or cutter is typically a hardened metal tool that is used to cut, shape, and remove material from a workpiece by means of machining tools as well as abrasive tools by way of shear deformation. The majority of these tools are designed exclusively for metals. There are several different types of single edge cutting tools that are made from a variety of hardened metal alloys that are ground to a specific shape in order to perform a specific part of the turning process resulting in a finished machined part. Single edge cutting tools are used mainly in the turning operations performed by a lathe in which they vary in size as well as alloy composition depending on the size and the type of material being turned. These cutting tools are held stationary by what is known as a tool post which is what manipulates the tools to cut the material into the desired shape. Single edge cutting tools are also the means of cutting material performed by metal shaping machines and metal planing machines which removes material by means of one cutting edge.

Milling Milling may refer to: * Milling (minting), forming narrow ridges around the edge of a coin * Milling (grinding), breaking solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting in a mill * Milling (machining), a process of using rota ...

and

drilling Drilling is a cutting process where a drill bit is spun to cut a hole of circular cross-section in solid materials. The drill bit is usually a rotary cutting tool, often multi-point. The bit is pressed against the work-piece and rotated at ra ...

tools are often multipoint tools. Drilling is exclusively used to make holes in a workpiece. All drill bits have two cutting edges that are ground into two equally tapered angles which cuts through the material by applying downward rotational force. Endmills or milling bits, which also cut material by rotational force. Although these tools are not made to put holes in a workpiece. They cut by horizontal shear deformation in which the workpiece is brought into the tool as it's rotating. This is known as the tool path which is determined by the axis of the table that is holding the workpiece in place. This table is designed to accept a variety of vises and clamping tools so that it can move into the cutter at various angles and directions while the workpiece remains still. There are several different types of endmills that perform a certain type of milling action.

Grinding Grind is the cross-sectional shape of a blade. Grind, grinds, or grinding may also refer to: Grinding action * Grinding (abrasive cutting), a method of crafting * Grinding (dance), suggestive club dancing * Grinding (video gaming), repetitive and ...

stones are tools that contain several different cutting edges which encompasses the entirety of the stone. Unlike metallic cutting tools, these grinding stones never go dull. In fact the formation of cutting edges of metallic cutting tools are achieved by the use of grinding wheels and other hard abrasives. There are several different types of grinding stone wheels that are used to grind several different types of metals. Although these stones are not metal, they need to be harder than the metal that they grind. In contrast to the grinding stone, if the hardness of the metal exceeds that of the stone, the metal will cut the stone. This is not ideal. Explain Cutting Tools
, https://mechanicalsite.com, retrieved 2019-05-12. Each grain of abrasive functions as a microscopic single-point cutting edge (although of high negative rake angle), and shears a tiny chip.

Cutting tool material Cutting tool materials are materials that are used to make cutting tools which are used in machining (drill bits, tool bits, milling cutters, etc.) but not other cutting tools like knives or punches. Cutting tool materials must be harder than the ...

s must be harder than the material which is to be cut, and the tool must be able to withstand the heat and force generated in the metal-cutting process. Also, the tool must have a specific geometry, with

clearance angle Clearance can refer to: Engineering * Engineering tolerance, a physical distance or space between two components * Ride height (vehicle clearance) * Hydraulic clearance * Engineering tolerance#Clearance (civil engineering), Clearance in civil engi ...

s designed so that the cutting edge can contact the workpiece without the rest of the tool dragging on the workpiece surface. The angle of the

cutting face Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...

is also important, as is the

flute width The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

, number of flutes or teeth, and

margin size Margin may refer to: Physical or graphical edges *Margin (typography), the white space that surrounds the content of a page *Continental margin, the zone of the ocean floor that separates the thin oceanic crust from thick continental crust *Leaf ...

. In order to have a long

working life Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a co ...

, all of the above must be optimized, plus the

speeds and feeds The phrase speeds and feeds or feeds and speeds refers to two separate velocities in machine tool practice, cutting speed and feed rate. They are often considered as a pair because of their combined effect on the cutting process. Each, however, ...

at which the tool is run.

Types

Linear cutting tools include

tool bit A tool bit is a non-rotary cutting tool used in metal lathes, shapers, and planers. Such cutters are also often referred to by the set-phrase name of single-point cutting tool, as distinguished from other cutting tools such as a saw or water jet ...

s (single-point cutting tools) and

broach The BROACH warhead is a Tandem-charge, multi-stage warhead developed by Team BROACH; BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions, Thales Missile Electronics and QinetiQ. BROACH stands for ''Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented CHarge''. Development of ...

es. Rotary cutting tools include drill bits, countersinks and counterbores, taps and dies, reamers, and cold saw blades. Other cutting tools, such as

bandsaw A bandsaw (also written band saw) is a power saw with a long, sharp blade consisting of a continuous band of toothed metal stretched between two or more wheels to cut material. They are used principally in woodworking, metalworking, and lumb ...

blades, hacksaw blades, and fly cutters, combine aspects of linear and rotary motion

Cutting tools with inserts (indexable tools)

Cutting tools are often designed with inserts or replaceable tips (

tipped tool A tipped tool is any cutting tool in which the cutting edge consists of a separate piece of material that is brazed, welded, or clamped onto a body made of another material. In the types in which the cutter portion is an indexable part clamped ...

s). In these, the cutting edge consists of a separate piece of material, either brazed, welded or clamped on to the tool body. Common materials for tips include

cemented carbide Cemented carbides are a class of hard materials used extensively for cutting tools, as well as in other industrial applications. It consists of fine particles of carbide cemented into a composite by a binder metal. Cemented carbides commonly use ...

, polycrystalline diamond, and cubic boron nitride. Tools using inserts include milling cutters (

endmill An end mill is a type of milling cutter, a cutting tool used in industrial milling applications. It is distinguished from the drill bit in its application, geometry, and manufacture. While a drill bit can only cut in the axial direction, most m ...

s, fly cutters), tool bits, and saw blades.

Holder

Tool setup

The detailed instructions of how to combine the tool assembly out of basic holder, tool and insert can be stored in a

tool management Tool management is needed in metalworking so that the information regarding the tools on hand can be uniformly organized and integrated. The information is stored in a database and is registered and applied using tool management. Tool data manage ...

solution.

Cutting edge

The cutting edge of a cutting tool is a very important for the performance of the cutting process. The main features of the cutting edge are: * form of the cutting edge: radius or waterfall or trumpet (reverse waterfall) * cutting edge angles * form and size of the chamfers The measurement of the cutting edge is performed using a tactile instrument or an instrument using

focus variation Focus variation is a method used to sharpen images and to measure surface irregularities by means of optics with limited depth of field. Algorithm The algorithm work as follows: # at first images with difference focus are captured. This is done by ...

. To quantify a cutting edge the following parameters are used: * cutting edge radius for symmetric edges * cutting edge ellipse axis for asymmetric edges * factor K, this is the relation between Sγ and Sα. This can also be calculated by the ratio of the two axis of the ellipse. This factor describes the form of the cutting edge. * 3 angles: clearance angle, wedge angle, rake (chipping) angle * Δr * length and orientation of the bevel Schneidkantenprofil

One of the most important cutting edge parameters is the K factor. It specifies the form of the cutting edge. 1 means a symmetric cutting edge. If the value is smaller than 1 the form is called a waterfall. If the value is larger than 1 it is called a trumpet. Depending on the material being cut, feed rate and other factors, a cutting tool with the optimum K factor should be used.

References

{{Authority control Machining Metalworking cutting tools