Abstract
Glass and ceramics are typically hard, brittle materials, so if the depth of cut is less than the ductile/brittle transition critical depth, dc, it can be machined in a ductile mode. This paper describes the development of an ultra-precision lathe to achieve ductile mode cutting of glass. To achieve ductile mode cutting of glass, the machine tool must have positioning resolution and motion accuracy at the level of several tens of nm with high rigidity and high stability. We developed an ultra-precision lathe to clarify the techniques necessary to achieve the above performance. We examined combinations of existing technologies and developed basic elements. Finally, we succeeded in the development of an ultra-precision lathe that can machine glass in ductile mode.
