Interest in ceramics as a high speed cutting tool material is based primarily on favorable material properties. As a class of materials, ceramics possess high melting points, excellent hardness and good wear resistance. Unlike most metals, hardness levels in ceramics generally remain high at elevated temperatures which means that cutting tip integrity is relatively unaffected at high cutting speeds. Ceramics are also chemically inert against most workmetals.

This final report contains the results of a continued effort designed to develop new and improved ceramic cutting tool inserts for the more efficient and economical machining of the refractory hard metals required in the fabrication of aerospace devices. (Author).