In a cutting tool having an indexable lay-down cutting insert with a central body portion and three circumferentially spaced apart cutting portions, the cutting insert is removably secured to an elongated holding portion of an insert holder. Each cutting portion has a cutting edge with first and second cutting end points, the cutting edge formed at the intersection of an upward facing rake surface and a radially outward facing relief surface. In a top view of the cutting insert, parallel imaginary first and second vertical planes containing the first and second cutting end points, intersect the central body portion at first and second body side points, which are located first and second cutting distances from the first and second cutting end points, respectively. Each of the first and second cutting distances is greater than twenty-five percent of the first radius of an imaginary first circle circumscribing the cutting insert.

In one aspect, cutting tools are provided comprising radiation ablation regions defining at least one of refractory surface microstructures and/or nanostructures. For example, a cutting tool described herein comprises at least one cutting edge formed by intersection of a flank face and a rake face, the flank face formed of a refractory material comprising radiation ablation regions defining at least one of surface microstructures and surface nanostructures, wherein surface pore structure of the refractory material is not occluded by the surface microstructures and surface nanostructures.

There is provided a drill tool assembly for drilling metallic or other materials, comprising a holder having a mounting slot in which a cutting insert is positioned, and a through tool coolant supply system. The drilling tool system allows for the application of coolant to the rake surfaces of the cutting insert in a manner which facilitates enabling higher penetration rates while maintaining integrity of the cutting edges of the cutting insert. The drilling tool system comprises a holder having a rotational axis and mounting slot. A cutting insert with sides positioned adjacent the side surfaces of the mounting slot and cutting edges extending from the rotational axis is mounted in the slot. The insert includes rake surfaces adjacent the cutting edges that are positioned above the mounting slot. At least one coolant channel is disposed with at least one coolant outlet directed at the sides of the insert at a position below the rake surfaces. The coolant outlet is configured to disperse coolant in a curtain across the entire rake face of each cutting edge.

In a diamond-coated tool, a flank face of a tool base material includes a first flank face continuously extending to a cutting edge, a second flank face located farther away from the cutting edge than the first flank face and located outside the first flank face when viewed from an inside of the tool base material, and a flank face-side stepped portion connecting the first flank face and the second flank face. A diamond-coated layer is provided on the first flank face and the flank face-side stepped portion.

A cutting insert includes a bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and a cutting edge portion. The cutting edge portion is located on the same side as the top surface. The cutting edge portion is formed of a sintered material including cubic boron nitride particles. A volume ratio of the cubic boron nitride particles to the sintered material is more than or equal to 50 percent. The cutting edge portion includes a rake face, a flank face contiguous to the rake face, and a cutting edge located along a ridgeline between the rake face and the flank face. The rake face is inclined toward the bottom surface so that a distance from the rake face to the bottom surface decreases gradually toward the cutting edge.

A cutting insert includes a bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and a cutting edge portion. The cutting edge portion is located on the same side as the top surface. The cutting edge portion is formed of a sintered material including cubic boron nitride particles. A volume ratio of the cubic boron nitride particles to the sintered material is more than or equal to 50 percent. The cutting edge portion includes a rake face, a flank face contiguous to the rake face, and a cutting edge located along a ridgeline between the rake face and the flank face. The rake face is inclined toward the bottom surface so that a distance from the rake face to the bottom surface decreases gradually toward the cutting edge.

A parting/grooving insert and a method of grinding a parting/grooving insert including rotating a plane grinding surface having a normal vector parallel to the axis of rotation and a tangential direction of rotation; providing a parting/grooving insert including a rake surface, a main clearance surface, and a main cutting edge formed between the rake and main clearance surfaces; orienting/positioning the insert relative to the grinding surface, such that the main clearance surface is parallel to the grinding surface, the normal vector of the main cutting edge being in the plane of the main clearance surface and with a vector component in the direction of rotation forming an angle to the tangential direction of rotation at the insert of at least 20 degrees from parallel orientation; and grinding the main clearance surface to provide grinding marks having an angle to the normal vector of the main cutting edge corresponding to the angle to the tangential direction of rotation.

A parting/grooving insert and a method of grinding a parting/grooving insert including rotating a plane grinding surface having a normal vector parallel to the axis of rotation and a tangential direction of rotation; providing a parting/grooving insert including a rake surface, a main clearance surface, and a main cutting edge formed between the rake and main clearance surfaces; orienting/positioning the insert relative to the grinding surface, such that the main clearance surface is parallel to the grinding surface, the normal vector of the main cutting edge being in the plane of the main clearance surface and with a vector component in the direction of rotation forming an angle to the tangential direction of rotation at the insert of at least 20 degrees from parallel orientation; and grinding the main clearance surface to provide grinding marks having an angle to the normal vector of the main cutting edge corresponding to the angle to the tangential direction of rotation.

This invention relates to finish machining, including a tool and the method of its use. Embodiments of this invention allow a cutting insert to be indexed quickly without loosening the insert retainer (screw or clamp) and not changing the depth-of-cut position of the tooth tip. The indexing motion is achieved by rotating a rotor, either manually or by way of a motor included on the tool. In some cases, between indexes, a small angle may be imparted to the rotor in order to adjust slightly the depth-of-cut position of the tooth tip in order to compensate for it being worn, or in other cases to precisely match the depth of cut of the tooth tips on multiple cutting teeth. The method involves setting up the path the tool will follow, then setting the feed per finishing tooth to be unconventionally large relative to the maximum depth of cut along the path. Using a round cutting insert, in particular a tangentially-mounted one or one that exhibits comparable curved edge profile, provides a large tooth-tip radius of curvature which in turn results in a good/smooth surface finish in spite of the unconventionally high feed per finishing tooth.

A cutting insert according to one embodiment includes: a rake face; a flank face continuous to the rake face; and a cutting edge constituted of a ridgeline between the rake face and the flank face. A coolant flow path is provided inside the cutting insert. One end portion of the coolant flow path opens in the flank face to form a coolant ejection hole. The flank face is provided with a coolant guide groove extending from the coolant ejection hole toward the cutting edge with a base end portion of the coolant guide groove being connected to the coolant ejection hole and with a front end portion of the coolant guide groove being disposed at a position close to the cutting edge relative to the base end portion.