Improving the Quality of Articles Made of Brittle Materials

We have studied the effect of a deformed surface layer on the quality of articles made of brittle materials, exemplified by beryllium as the most brittle and abrasive material. The smallest depth of the deformed (cold-worked) surface layer in the case of edge cutting machining of beryllium, a brittle material, has been determined as a function of processing conditions and cutting tool geometry. We have proposed processing conditions and cutting tool geometry for processing beryllium workpieces to ensure high quality of the processed surface, without microcracking, with the smallest depth of the deformed (cold-worked) layer, and described a sequence of studies and approaches for improving the quality of articles made of brittle materials, exemplified by beryllium as the most brittle and abrasive material.