Prototype of Low-cost Tool Edge Polisher with Handling Any Cutting Tool Shapes

Abstract

In this paper, the authors report on the prototype of the low cost of the cutting tool edge polisher that can correspond to the shape and size of any tool. In a previous study, the authors developed a tool edge polisher for wear research. However, it was difficult to use at the production site because it was an expensive machine that could handle only one size and shape. In this work, we prototyped the low-cost polisher based on a small commercially available milling machine that moves the polishing buff using a numerical control. As a result, the cutting edge of the tool was polished uniformly and smoothly. In addition, cutting experiments with polished tools have shown that the flank wear width of the cutting edge is smaller than with unpolished tools.