Slice–Push Ratio: Oblique Cutting and Curved Blades, Scissors, Guillotining and Drilling

Publisher Summary Metal-cutting tools often have two cutting edges, both of which are angled to the direction of cutting, and in round-nosed tools the inclination continuously varies. In orthogonal cutting, the cutting edge is always at right angles across the workpiece. When a straight blade is angled to the direction of motion of the workpiece, it is called oblique cutting. The slice–push ratio that is given by blade displacement, or velocity parallel to the cutting edge/blade displacement, or velocity perpendicular to the cutting edge is important in making cutting seem easier. A slice–push ratio is obtained when an orthogonal blade is driven sideways as well as down; driven straight down but at an angle, since the cutting feed velocity has components along and across the inclined blade; and when an angled tool fed into the workpiece with feed has its own independent motion parallel to the cutting edge. Reduction of forces by slice–push produces better surfaces whatever the material. In the laboratory, the best sorts of junctions with fiber-optic cables and scintillators are obtained when a slicing cut is made with a warm razor blade. Lower tractions across a cut surface reduce the tendency for components in the microstructure to separate (fat from meat in bacon slicing).