| Abstract Scope |
The brittle nature of >99.95% pure tungsten negatively impacts machinability performance as it relates to the surface finish, accuracy, and over all machining efficiencies. A literature review on machining pure tungsten along with the initial results from drill testing will be summarized along with the machining parameters. Effects of porosity, density, grain size and grain morphology will be compared to tool life, material removal rates and machining efficiency. Mechanical measurements of torque, directional forces and bending moments are compared against microstructural features alongside the evolution of the surface roughness and geometric accuracy of drilled holes. The initial investigation indicates a wide variation in machining performance thus this evaluation examines the influence of microstructure to machinability of tungsten. |