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Manufacturing Technology Insights | Friday, December 15, 2023
In addition to its durability and improved surface finish, diamond machining ensures outstanding aluminum machining.
FREMONT, CA: CNC machining has traditionally been considered a high-precision process. However, cutting methods have their limitations. Cutting edges can't compete with grinding wheels in terms of tolerance and surface finish. In spite of this, new techniques and equipment are constantly being developed. The CNC machine tools can now be more precise than abrasive methods, thanks to a new solution. Diamond machining is a solution to this problem.
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Diamond machining has the following advantages:
Outstanding machining of aluminum: High cutting speeds and temperatures are no match for diamond tools. For this reason, diamond techniques are often used to mass-produce aluminum parts. When machining aluminum, diamond inserts can last longer than carbide tools.
The polishing of diamonds: Transparent materials such as glass, polycarbonate, and PMMA can be polished with diamond cutters. As a result, the tip of the tool has very fine diamond grains.
Finish on the surface: For high-quality machining, diamond machining provides a better surface finish than conventional tools. In general, diamond tools add a small grinding feature to machining.
Production of hard alloys: A harder material can cut a softer one as a general rule. As the hardest material known to man, diamonds are useful for processing carbides, ceramics, and other materials with high hardness parameters.
Longevity: The durability of a diamond tool insert is 30-50 times greater than that of a carbide insert.
The following are some diamond machining techniques:
Single-point Diamond Milling: The main difference between single-point diamond milling and conventional milling is the cutting tool and the processing parameters. A mill with diamond-tipped inserts is used. This mill can process complex surfaces made of glass, PMMA, and polycarbonate thanks to its 5-axis machining center. For achieving the best surface finish on automotive lamp lenses and customized window panes, it is recommended to use a diamond mill with high speed, low cutting feed, and sufficient lubrication. In spite of this, vibration is something that should always be remembered, as it can ruin all the surface quality at once. Several SPDM techniques only move in one direction; the mill processes a path and then returns to the initial side of the workpiece to complete the stepover.
Single-Point Diamond Turning: In SPDT, a diamond-tipped cutter is used instead of a simple turning tool. Furthermore, the manufacturing system must be much more rigid. It means shortening fixture lengths, shortening tool supports, and minimizing vibrations. As optical lenses are mostly revolution parts, SPDT is especially useful for manufacturing them because it is easy to fix them on a lathe and use single-tip diamond inserts to obtain clear, transparent surfaces.
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