Study of factors affecting the surface quality in ultra-precision diamond turning

This paper deals with an investigation of the process factors and the material factors affecting the surface roughness in ultra-precision diamond turning. The process factors involve cutting conditions, tool geometry, and relative tool-work vibration which are related to the cutting geometry and the dynamic characteristics of the cutting process. The material factors considered are material anisotropy, swelling, and crystallographic orientation of the work materials. Experimental results indicate that the influence due to the process factors can be minimized through a proper selection of operational settings and better control of dynamic characteristics of the machine. The material factors, on the other hand, exert consistent influence on the surface roughness which can not be minimized solely by an optimization of process parameters and machine design. Based on these findings, some suggestions are proposed for the optimization of the surface qualify in ultra-precision diamond turning.