The Factors Influencing on Cutting Edge Radius of Ultra-Precision Diamond Cutting Tools in Mechanical Lapping

A brittle-ductile transition lapping mechanism is proposed for the mechanical lapping of ultra-precision diamond cutting tools, and then the critical depths of cut for brittle-ductile transition in different orientations and on different planes are deduced in theory. Combined the critical lapping depth with the contact accuracy between rotating scaife and lapped tool surface, the influences of processing factors on cutting edge radius are studied. Both the theoretical analyses and experimental results indicate that the vibration of lapping machine tool and surface quality of scaife have enormous influences on the sharpened cutting edge. And lapping compression force has an optimal value. Lapping rate should be considered when lapping velocity is selected. But the smaller the lapping velocity is, the littler the cutting edge radius sharpened. Finally, the optimal selections are performed for each influencing factor and a perfect diamond tool is lapped in ductile mode with a cutting edge radius of 30~40nm and a surface roughness Ra of 0.7nm.