Chip breaking: learn from your chips - Gather data from your turning operation by examining chip size, color

摘要

In a turning operation, you can learn a lot from the chips being produced. Chip appearance will vary based on several factors, but workpiece material is the main driver. The two most important details to watch for are chip color and chip size. The sizes of chips produced when cutting cast iron are vastly different from those made when cutting steel. And, depending on the material you are machining, there are certain colors to look for as chips are created.