Partially Removed Tip Coating for Drill and Ball End Mill Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cutting tools like drills and ball end mills experience reduced lifespan due to micro-brittle wear in the ultra-low speed region, particularly at the center portion, which is exacerbated by high-pressure conditions during high-feed drilling.
Innovation Solution
A wear-resistant layer is formed on the tip end of cutting tools, and a portion or the entirety of this layer is selectively removed within a specific radius range (0.01 R to 0.8 R) from the center to prevent micro-brittle wear, using techniques like lapping or polishing, thereby creating a partially removed region and a non-removed region with a specific thickness ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a wear-resistant layer is formed on the tip end of the cutting tool, then wear resistance is improved, but micro-brittle wear is generated in the ultra-low speed region at the center portion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different surface conditions in different regions of the tip end. The center portion (ultra-low speed region) has the wear-resistant layer removed to prevent micro-brittle wear, while the outer regions maintain the wear-resistant layer for wear protection. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to have the property it needs for its specific operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip end surface is segmented into multiple regions based on cutting speed characteristics. The center portion is separated from the outer regions, with the center having the coating removed and the outer regions retaining the coating. This segmentation allows the tool to simultaneously address wear resistance needs and micro-brittle wear prevention needs in different zones.
2Reliability
If the wear-resistant layer is completely removed from the center portion, then micro-brittle wear is prevented, but wear resistance is reduced in that region
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly applying wear-resistant properties across the entire tip end, the patent applies local quality by selectively removing the wear-resistant layer only from the center ultra-low speed region where micro-brittle wear occurs. The outer regions retain the wear-resistant layer, creating a localized solution that prevents micro-brittle wear without compromising overall wear resistance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cover layer is formed on the wear-resistant layer for decoration or identification, then additional functionality is added, but the cover layer damages the wear-resistant layer when removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a separation layer as an intermediary between the cover layer and the wear-resistant layer. This intermediate layer facilitates easy removal of the cover layer for decoration or identification purposes without causing damage to the underlying wear-resistant layer, thus preserving the integrity of the wear-resistant coating while enabling additional functionality.
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 significantly improves the cutting lifespan of drills and ball end mills by restraining micro-brittle wear and wear propagation, with the removed region preferably between 0.02 R to 0.5 R for optimal results, maintaining wear resistance while preventing tool degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a portion or the entirety of the wear-resistant layer is removed within a specific radius range (0.01 R to 0.8 R) from the center to prevent micro-brittle wear, using techniques like lapping or polishing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cutting tool, which performs, like a drill or a ball end mill, cutting while rotating in a state in which the center of the tip end is in contact with a work material, and includes a wear-resistant layer formed at the tip end thereof, wherein a portion of the wear-resistant layer is selectively removed through tip end polishing from the center of the tip end of the drill or the ball end mill to a predetermined area, so as to restrain micro-brittle wear generated in an ultra-low speed region, and thus remarkably improving the cutting lifespan of the cutting tool such as the drill or the ball end mill.