Recent research on the machining of wood-based composite materials

Wood-based composite materials are used extensively for interior and exterior construction applications. These materials are typically pressed into sheet form and then machined to the required size and profile. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) is the cutting tool material increasingly used to machine these materials. The major benefit of using PCD is extended tool life resulting from its superior properties over traditional tool materials. This paper presents a brief review of the research into the machining of wood-based composites, with particular emphasis on tool wear investigations. Current research work by the authors into PCD tool wear in wood-based composite machining is also outlined. Tool wear modes are proposed for the machining of these materials. It was found that edge honing could improve the wear resistance of the PCD cutting tool.