SBIR Phase I: Tricontinuous Diamond WC/Co Cutting Tools for High Rate, High Precision Machining of Nonferrous Material, Composites, and Ceramics

9860480这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将探索使用由三连续金刚石-碳化钨(WC)-钴(TDWC)新材料制成的刀具对硬质有色合金、复合材料和陶瓷进行高速/高精度加工。目前，聚晶金刚石(PCD)用于机械加工，但抗冲击性低，不能加工断续切割的零件，且PCD的大颗粒尺寸限制了其在精密加工中的应用。TDWC是一种由金刚石和WC-Co组成的连续复合材料，既具有PCDS的花岗岩切割体积特征，又具有WC-Co的抗冲击性能。第一阶段将专注于基于TDWC的刀具的设计和制造，并将展示其用于难以制造的材料的高速加工的性能。第二阶段将开发用于高精密工具的纳米颗粒材料的TDWC烧结，按比例制造常规尺寸的工业刀具。基于TDWC的刀具有望为有色、复合材料和陶瓷制造行业的机械加工带来革命性的变化，从而实现这些先进材料的高速高精度加工，并显著降低制造成本和提高生产率。基于TDWC的插件的商业销售预计将在第三阶段进行。

9860480 This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project wil explore high rate/high precision machining of hard nonferrous alloys, composites, and ceramics using cutters made from a new material, tricontinuous diamond-tungsten carbide (WC)-cobalt (Co) (TDWC). Currently, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is used in machining; however, low impact resistance does not allow machining of parts with interrupted cuts, and PCD's large grain size limits its application in precision machining. TDWC is a continuous composite consisting of intercalated diamond and WC-Co that exhibits granite cutting volumes characteristic of PCDs and will have impact resistance characteristic of WC-Co. Phase I will focus on design and fabrication of TDWC based cutters and will demonstrate their performance for high rate machining of difficult-to-manufacture materials. Phase II will develop TDWC sintering of nanograined materials for high precision tools, scaled for fabrication of conventional-size industrial cutters. TDWC based cutters are expected to revolutionize machining in the nonferrous, composite, and ceramics manufacturing industries, allowing high rate high precision machining of these advanced materials with significant reduction in manufacturing cost and increase in productivity. Commercial sales of TDWC-based inserts are anticipated for Phase III.