Organic molecules help cutting: Drilling Performance

By Chris Adam

Cutting “gummy” metals can be difficult. Researchers at Purdue University have come up with a solution, and their findings may help with manufacturing products and reducing component failures.

The researchers previously showed that the application of a permanent marker, glue or an adhesive film made it easier to cut metals, such as aluminum, stainless steel, nickel, copper and tantalum, for industrial purposes. Marking a metal surface beforehand with ink or an adhesive dramatically reduced the force of cutting, allowing a clean cut in seconds. The researchers now have discovered how these films produce the effect.

“We have found that you only need the organic film from the markers or glue to be one molecule thick for it to work,” said Srinivasan Chandrasekar, professor of industrial engineering. “This ultrathin film helps achieve smoother, cleaner and faster cuts than current machining processes. It also reduces the cutting forces and energy and improves the outcomes for manufacturing across industries, such as biomedical, energy, defense and aerospace.”

Purdue University researcher Anirudh Udupa tests the cutting forces on metals coated with various materials. Image courtesy of Erin Easterling

The work is a collaboration among researchers at Purdue, Osaka University and Indian Institute of Science. The research is supported by the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy.