Micro End Mill Laser Shaping Superhard Cutting Tips
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is challenging to efficiently manufacture micro cutting tools with cutting tips made of Superhard materials like Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) due to their extremely small cutting diameters, which conventional machining techniques struggle to produce effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves producing a billet of Superhard material using laser radiation, bonding it to a shank of a different material, and then using laser radiation to shape and form the cutting tip, employing techniques such as Laser MicroJet or laser ablation to achieve precise dimensions and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional machining techniques are used to manufacture micro cutting tools with Superhard material cutting tips, then the manufacturing process is simple and well-established, but the manufacturing precision and efficiency deteriorate due to the extremely small cutting diameter (0.5 mm to 10 mm)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical machining techniques with laser radiation technology to manufacture micro cutting tools with Superhard material cutting tips. The laser beam acts as a non-contact cutting tool that can precisely shape Superhard materials like c-BN and PCBN at micro scales (0.5 mm to 10 mm cutting diameter) without the limitations of mechanical grinding, thereby achieving high manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through an established laser processing methodology
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes laser radiation parameters (intensity, duration, focal point) to precisely control the shaping of Superhard material cutting tips. By adjusting laser processing parameters such as power density, pulse duration, and scanning speed, the method achieves accurate control over cutting tip geometry at micro scales, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture
2Productivity
If conventional grinding techniques are used to produce Superhard material cutting tips, then the process is straightforward, but the productivity and efficiency deteriorate due to the extremely small cutting diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical grinding with laser radiation processing to manufacture micro cutting tools. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming nature of conventional grinding at micro scales by using a non-contact laser beam that can rapidly remove and shape Superhard materials, thereby significantly improving manufacturing productivity and reducing production time for cutting tips with diameters of 0.5 mm to 10 mm
3Manufacturing precision
If laser radiation is used to produce and shape the Superhard material billet, then the manufacturing precision and productivity improve, but the device complexity and process difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by first producing a Superhard material billet through laser radiation before proceeding to shape the cutting tip. This preliminary billet formation step simplifies the subsequent shaping process by providing a pre-formed workpiece that requires less complex processing to achieve the final cutting tip geometry, thereby reducing overall process complexity while maintaining high manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the manufacturing process into distinct stages: (1) producing a Superhard material billet using laser radiation, (2) bonding the billet to a shank, and (3) shaping the cutting tip using laser radiation. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, reducing the complexity of any single step while achieving high overall manufacturing precision for micro cutting tools
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the creation of micro end mills with cutting tips made of Superhard materials, overcoming the limitations of conventional machining by achieving precise shapes and sizes, particularly in the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm cutting diameters, with enhanced mechanical properties.
Implementation Method 1
producing a billet made of Superhard material using laser radiation
Implementation Method 2
producing a billet made of Superhard material using laser radiation
Implementation Method 3
removing material from the billet using laser radiation to produce a cutting tip
Implementation Method 4
removing material from the billet using laser radiation to produce a cutting tip made of the Superhard material
Data Source
AI summary
A micro end mill includes a shank made of a first material and a cutting tip made of a second, different material that is bonded to the shank. The first material can be, for example, carbide or high speed steel (HSS), and the second material can be, for example, cubic boron nitride (CBN), polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN), ceramic or polycrystalline diamond (PCD). The micro end mill is manufactured by producing a billet made of Superhard material using laser radiation, bonding the billet to a shank of the end mill, and removing material from the billet using laser radiation to produce a cutting tip made of the Superhard material. The laser radiation may comprise a laser beam encased in a water jet or a laser beam with a non-Gaussian intensity profile.