Reliability analysis of ceramic cutting tools in continuous and interrupted hard turning

Reliability analysis was carried out for ceramic cutting tools used in continuous and interrupted hard turning. On the basis of micromechanics and damage mechanics, statistical characteristics of the original defects in the tool material microstructure were evaluated and analyzed. A new tool performance indicator was proposed considering the combined effects of the original damage of the tool material microstructure, the macro-mechanical properties of the tool material and the external loads on the cutting tool. Statistical analysis of the tool performance indicator was performed for continuous and interrupted turning. The relationship between tool reliability and the probability distribution of tool performance indicator was identified. It was found that the original damage of the ceramic tool material followed a weibull distribution. The probability density of the original damage decreased as the original damage increased. When interrupted turning was adopted, tool performance indicator was relatively low and the indicator decreased as cutting length ratio became smaller. The indicator followed a weibull distribution and this was invariable when turning condition changed. Relatively low shape parameter and scale parameter in probability density function of tool performance indicator appeared when the tool was tested in interrupted turning and relatively small cutting length ratio was applied. Similar to tool performance indicator, tool lives obtained under different cutting conditions also followed a weibull distribution. When turning condition varied, shape parameter and scale parameter in probability density function of tool life changed in a similar way to those parameters in probability density function of tool performance indicator. Both the probability density function of tool life and that of tool performance indicator first increased and then decreased as the independent variable increased. Shape parameter for tool performance indicator can be used in the calculation of tool reliability when the cutting length ratio in interrupted turning was relatively small.