On minimum exit-burr in micro cutting

Advances in product miniaturization lead to size and weight reduction which can substantially increase the convenience and value of many products. Micro machining with mechanical cutting tools is capable of producing high profile accuracy, surface finish quality and sub-surface integrity at reasonably low cost. It is the primary choice amongst various manufacturing processes in fabricating micro components. However, in micro cutting, the main problem is the formation of burrs along the feature edges. This is because the relatively large size of burrs would more severely affect the functionality of the micro components. To reduce the burrs, an extensive study has been carried out both theoretically and experimentally. Nano indentation is employed to analyze the plastic and elastic deformation on the nanometre scale and the results applied to aid the interpretation of cutting experiments. Although the burrs were not eliminated completely, it is shown that they can be minimized to less than 25 nm in height.