A method for performing a cutting operation on a workpiece is provided. The method comprises providing a workpiece being made of a metal characterized by a thermal conductivity of no greater than about 100 W100 .sup.W/.sub.(m.Math.K) (approximately 57.8 .sup.Btu/.sub.(hr ft ° F.)), providing a cutting device comprising an internal cooling cavity defined on one side thereof by a thin-walled structure, and performing a cutting operation on the workpiece using the cutting device. The cutting speed is no less than about 500 .sup.m/.sub.min. (approximately 1640 .sup.ft/.sub.min).

A spindle for a machine tool, including a housing, a shaft for driving a cutting tool, rotatably mounted inside the housing with a possibility of axial movement relative to the housing, a single ball, axially interposed between a bearing ring fixed relative to the housing and a bearing ring movable with the shaft, one of these rolling rings defining an inclined bearing surface that is not perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaft, so that the rotation of the ball generates an axial oscillation of the shaft.

A high-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting method includes steps of: (1) installing an ultrasonic vibration apparatus on a machine tool, and stimulating a cutting tool to generate a transverse vibration, so as to realize varieties of machining processes; (2) realizing an interrupted cutting process by setting cutting parameters and vibration parameters to satisfy an interrupted cutting conditions; and (3) turning on the ultrasonic vibration apparatus and the machine tool, and starting a high-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting process. High-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting is able to be realized through the above steps during machining of difficult-to-machine materials in aviation and aerospace fields. A cutting speed is enhanced significantly, and exceeds a critical cutting speed of a conventional ultrasonic vibration cutting method and an elliptical ultrasonic vibration cutting method and even a high speed range of a traditional cutting method.

A high-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting method includes steps of: (1) installing an ultrasonic vibration apparatus on a machine tool, and stimulating a cutting tool to generate a transverse vibration, so as to realize varieties of machining processes; (2) realizing an interrupted cutting process by setting cutting parameters and vibration parameters to satisfy an interrupted cutting conditions; and (3) turning on the ultrasonic vibration apparatus and the machine tool, and starting a high-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting process. High-speed precision interrupted ultrasonic vibration cutting is able to be realized through the above steps during machining of difficult-to-machine materials in aviation and aerospace fields. A cutting speed is enhanced significantly, and exceeds a critical cutting speed of a conventional ultrasonic vibration cutting method and an elliptical ultrasonic vibration cutting method and even a high speed range of a traditional cutting method.

A partial separation continuous high-speed ultrasonic vibration machining method is provided, which belongs to the technical field of machining. Through the method, partial separation continuous high-speed ultrasonic vibration machining further breaks through a limitation on a critical feed rate on the basis of breaking through a critical cutting speed in complete separation intermittent high-speed ultrasonic vibration machining, which can achieve dynamically variable cutting thicknesses through transverse vibration or transverse component vibration during continuous cutting of a cutting edge, so that wave ridge structures are formed on a chip bottom surface and a machined surface to cause completely new partial separation of wave ridge on a cutting interface, to facilitate entering of cutting liquid into a cutting area, and to reduce cutting force and cutting heat during machining. The method significantly improves the material removal rate and prolongs the tool life.

A spindle for a machine tool, including a housing, a shaft for driving a cutting tool, rotatably mounted inside the housing with a possibility of axial movement relative to the housing, a single ball, axially interposed between a bearing ring fixed relative to the housing and a bearing ring movable with the shaft, one of these rolling rings defining an inclined bearing surface that is not perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaft, so that the rotation of the ball generates an axial oscillation of the shaft.