Interest in ceramics as a high speed cutting tool material is based primarily on favorable material properties. As a class of materials, ceramics possess high melting points, excellent hardness and good wear resistance. Unlike most metals, hardness levels in ceramics generally remain high at elevated temperatures which means that cutting tip integrity is relatively unaffected at high cutting speeds. Ceramics are also chemically inert against most workmetals.

This book describes the various classes of ceramic cutting tools and their applications. But more than that, this book is about manufacturing and productivity.

Metal cutting, one of man's oldest manufacturing processes (dating back to 1000 B.C. or earlier) assumes a significant role in today's productivity scenario. This is due to significant advances which have been made in both machine tools and cutting tool materials. In terms of manufacturing efficiency the two are inseparable. Advances in technology in one area require that corresponding technical advances be made in the other.

In terms of the cutting tool itself, development of more wear resistant tool materials for application in high speed machining has a profound impact on productivity .This increase in cutting speed has been made possible through the progressive evolution of tool materials.

The ceramic cutting tool represents a different class of cutting tool material with unique chemical and mechanical properties. Thus, there may be a tendency to avoid the use of ceramic tools where they may be applied advantageously. In order to realize the full potential of ceramics, it is essential to have a clear understanding of all the variables which affect theperformance of these tools.

There is not now and probably never will be a "universal" cutting tool material. Many of the new ceramic tool materials today have very specific applications for which they are particularly suited. When properly applied, these new tools can provide the manufacturing engineer with a means of reducing machining costs and increasing productivity.

This book breaks new ground in that it introduces the very latest ceramic cutting tool material: chemically vapor deposited diamond coated tools. These tools perform exceptionally well in the machining of aluminum, composites, and other non-ferrous metallic and non-metallic materials.

In summary:
1. First readily available and practical book on ceramic cutting tools to appear in 26 years
2. Introduces and provides an understanding of how different classes of ceramic tools perform in machining operations based upon material characteristics.
3. Provides the results of field tests and case histories in the use of different types of ceramic tools in practical machining operations, thus providing a basis for proper tool selection.
4. Emphasizes the important aspects of tool geometry, surface finish and edge preparation on tool life.
5. Introduces the latest in tool material development, chemically vapor de- posited diamond tools.
6. Each chapter written by a world-wide recognized authority in ceramic cutting tool material development and application.