Axial strategies for ultraprecise single point cutting of V-grooves

Abstract

One of the versatile microstructures with numerous applications is represented by V-grooves. Their range of the applicability is broad and covers many types of components from mechanical to optical. Their fabrication process is accompanied by challenges related to their tight form accuracy, shape complexity and surface quality requirements. The vast majority of previously-reported axial cutting strategies rely on constant cutting depth approaches characterized by finish passes. The main objective of the current study was to investigate a newer constant cutting area (CCA) approach to be contrasted with a more conventional implementation involving a constant cutting thickness (CCT). However, unlike the previous axial cutting variants, both methods presented in this work lack finish passes that tend to increase the overall V-groove cutting time. The in-depth comparisons of the cutting force and V-groove facet surface quality seem to suggest even if CCA could generate slightly lower areal roughness for certain chip thickness values, its superior productivity might recommend it as the preferred V-groove axial cutting variant. Nonetheless, both CCT and CCA implementations detailed in this study were capable of generating V-groove surfaces characterized by optical surface quality (Sa < 10 nm).