Some uses of radioactive techniques in the tool wear process

Radioactivity is induced in the wear surface of cutting tools by irradiating with heavy charged particles from a cyclotron. This technique of activating tools has the advantage of producing the desired amount and type of radioactivity and hence is important for operator safety. The depth of activation is about 180 μm and therefore wear of the tools can be assessed by following the radioactivity decrease. This technique of wear measurement has been used in various machining operations and further applications are discussed.