Investigation of tool geometry in nanoscale cutting single-crystal copper by molecular dynamics simulation

Molecular dynamics has been employed in this paper to investigate the nanoscale cutting process of single-crystal copper with a diamond tool. The behavior of the workpiece during material removal by diamond cutting has been studied. The effects of tool geometry including rake angle, clearance angle, and edge radius are thoroughly investigated in terms of chips, dislocation movement, temperature distribution, cutting temperature, cutting force, and friction coefficient. The investigation showed that an appropriate positive rake angle (30∘), a suitable clearance angle (10∘), or a smaller edge radius tip resulted in a smaller cutting force and a better subsurface finish. It was found that a tool with a rake angle of 30∘ generated more chips, had a higher cutting efficiency, and produced a lower temperature in the workpiece, but a smaller rake angle tip was more conducive to protecting the groove compared to a large rake angle tip. Compared with a tool with a small clearance angle, the tool with a larger clea...