CUTTING METHOD AND CUTTING TOOL IN CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE BY OXYGEN ENRICHMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutting method and a cutting tool in controlled atmosphere capable of preventing the cutting tool from being worn in cutting a material including a material forming an oxidation-based protective film. SOLUTION: In the cutting method for cutting a work while supplying gas into a working section atmosphere, the damage and wear of the tool are lowered by supplying the high concentration oxygen-containing gas as atmospheric gas to bring the working section atmosphere into an oxidized atmosphere state so as to generate oxides between the edge of the cutting tool 4 and the work. The atmospheric gas is an oxygen-riched air formed by concentrating oxygen in the air, and the oxygen concentration of the atmospheric gas exceeds the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere and includes the range of up to 40%. A gas supply hole 4b communicating with the supply side of the atmospheric gas is formed in the body of the tool 4 such as an end mill used for performing the method above, the jetting port 4c of the gas supply hole 4b is opened on the tip side of the tool 4 body in a direction for jetting the atmospheric gas to the edge 4a of the cutting blade of the tool 4. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI