SPECIFICS OF GRANITE-BASED STONE MICRO-CUTTING MECHANISM

Abstract

The paper shows the results of investigations performed in the brittle materials micro-cutting at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade University. The interactions between a single diamond grain and the machined marble and granite are analyzed. The change in the normal cutting force as a function of cutting speed and grain penetration depth was experimentally established in micro-cutting of two types of stone, marble and granite, originating from Serbia. Based on the grain traces on granite and the generated cracks, the critical grain penetration depth for the formation of brittle fracturing was established. The investigations mentioned should assist in the optimization of the grinding and polishing processes as technologies dominant in the granite finishing.