The use of ceramic materials in mechanical cutting and machining tools has marked a significant technological revolution. For the first time, ceramic materials have been used to reform the mechanical cutting and machining of materials. In the early 20th century, Germany and Britain initiated research to develop ceramic tools to replace conventional carbon or steel tools.

Ceramic materials have high hardness and are resistant to high temperatures, making them a new generation of tool materials. However, their well-known brittleness has limited their application. Overcoming the brittleness of ceramic tool materials and improving their toughness has been the primary research focus of ceramic tool studies for the past 100 years.

One of the primary reasons for investing in the development and promotion of ceramic cutting tools is to improve production efficiency. The use of ceramic tools in machining can greatly improve production efficiency, making them an attractive option for the engineering and technology industry. In addition, the depletion of tungsten resources, the primary components of high-speed steel and cemented carbide, has also played a role in promoting the development of ceramic cutting tools. In the early 1980s, it was estimated that the world's proven tungsten resources could only last for 50 years. As tungsten is the scarcest resource globally, yet it is heavily consumed in cutting tool materials, the price of tungsten ore has increased several times in the last few decades, further promoting the development of ceramic cutting tools.

So far, the materials used as ceramic tools have silicon nitride ceramic, formed alumina ceramics, alumina-metal ceramic, alumina-carbide ceramic, alumina-carbide metal ceramic,  aluminum nitride ceramics, and the latest research on the success of boron nitride ceramic cutting tools. German ceramic tools are not only used in ordinary machine tools but have also become efficient and reliable tools for NC machine tool processing and automatic production lines. Japanese ceramic blades have achieved an internationally advanced level in the product category, yield, and quality. The United States has been the world leader in the development of oxide-carbide-nitride ceramic tools. Many important achievements have also been made in the development and application of Chinese ceramic tools.

Read more: Silicon Nitride Cutting Tools used in Machining Superhard Materials

In conclusion, the use of ceramic materials in cutting and machining tools has revolutionized the mechanical cutting and machining of materials. Despite their brittleness, the development of ceramic cutting tools has continued, making them an attractive option due to their high hardness, high-temperature resistance, and potential to improve production efficiency. The development of ceramic tools has also become increasingly important due to the depletion of tungsten resources. The use of ceramic cutting tools in machining has become a global trend, with countries such as Germany, Japan, the United States, and China leading the way in the development and application of ceramic cutting tools.

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