Effect of Blade Tip Height on Cutting Characteristics of Polycarbonate Sheet
Subjected to Two-Line Wedge Indentation

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a pushing-cut process using a stack of two polycarbonate (PC) sheets. The cutting line force of a 30° single, or 30°/90° facet blade on the stacked PC sheets was measured, and the cutting deformation of PC sheets was observed using a CCD camera in order to reveal the effect of a stocked structure on the deformation flow of PC sheets. The side view of the PC sheets was observed with respect to indentation of the blade by varying the height of the blade tip and the thickness of the PC sheets. The following results were obtained: (1) the breaking down and local maximum point of the cutting line force were characterized using the ratio of blade tip height h to the sheet thickness t; (2) the sheared profiles described by the inclined angleβ, the elevation angle γ and the necked height η_n were also characterized using the ratio h/t; (3) the sheared profile was classified into three modes with respect to γ and η_n /t when h/t was varied; (4) upper-bound and lower-bound cutting load responses were observed near the local maximum point owing to unstable slipping between the worksheet (upper layer) and the underlay.