Non-Contact Temperature Analysis of Cutting Points

Metal processing is one of the advanced technologies that support Japanese manufacturing.
For example, parts for industrial turbines and various engines used in the aerospace and nuclear industries are made of super heat-resistant alloys that can withstand harsh operating environments.
While these alloys have excellent high-temperature properties such as heat resistance and corrosion resistance, their low thermal conductivity causes, when cutting those materials,  locally generated heat to concentrate on the tool cutting edge. Cutting tools and machining tips made of similar alloys are also used to machine these super heat-resistant alloys.

In machining these metals, optimization of machining conditions has been a longstanding issue.
This is because under conditions where cutting heat tends to concentrate locally, chemical reactions with the cutting tool material and adhesion of adhesives occur, leading to reduced tool life, cutting edge wear and chipping, and reduced quality of the machined surface. Therefore, it is necessary to devise ways to prevent heat buildup in the setting of machining conditions. However, temperature conditions at the cutting point are difficult to measure, and it has been difficult to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between the rotational speed and cutting point temperature.

Against this background, manufacturers of cutting tools have started an attempt to analyze cutting point temperatures with a non-contact, high-speed method using a cooled infrared camera, from our products.