THE ULTRAPRECISION MACHINING WITH TOOLS OF MONOCRYSTALINE DIAMOND IS A MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH GROWING IMPORTANCE, MAINLY IN THE PRODUCTION OF PARTS WITH EXTREME SURFACE, FORM AND DIMENSIONAL QUALITIES - IN METALLIC AND POLYMERIC MATERIALS, FOR THE OPTICAL, ELECTRONIC, AND MECHANICAL FIELDS. HOWEVER, FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY TO BE APPLIED ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURING OF PARTS MADE OF MATERIALS OF BRITTLE BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS INFRARED CRYSTALS, A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE PHENOMENA WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE MACHINING OF THESE MATERIALS IS NECESSARY. AN USEFUL TOOL IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE PHENOMENA IS, AMONG OTHERS, AN ANALYSIS OF THE CUTTING FORCES. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS AND DISCUSSES THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR THE MEASURING OF FORCES IN ULTRAPRECISION MACHINING, AND SOME OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED IN MEASURING THESE FORCES DURING THE MACHINING WITH MONOCRYSTILINE DIAMONDS OF THE INFRARED CRYSTALS ZINC SULFIDE, CLEARTRANÒ, AND GERMANIUM.
KEY WORDS: ULTRAPRECISION MACHINING, MACHINING FORCES, INFRARED CRYSTALS
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