Abstract: A cutting insert includes a body made of a ceramic material. The body has a first surface, a second surface and at least one flank surface extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first surface includes a chip forming feature extending in a radially outwardly direction to a cutting edge and extending in a radially inwardly direction to an inner edge. The chip forming feature includes a front wall that slopes downward from the cutting edge radially inward toward a rounded bottom surface and a back wall that slopes upward from the rounded bottom surface radially inward to the inner edge. The chip forming feature can include an optional land surface between the cutting edge and the front wall.

Abstract: A cutting insert includes a body made of a ceramic material. The body has a first surface, a second surface and at least one flank surface extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first surface includes a chip forming feature extending in a radially outwardly direction to a cutting edge and extending in a radially inwardly direction to an inner edge. The chip forming feature includes a front wall that slopes downward from the cutting edge radially inward toward a rounded bottom surface and a back wall that slopes upward from the rounded bottom surface radially inward to the inner edge. The chip forming feature can include an optional land surface between the cutting edge and the front wall.

Abstract: A cutting insert incorporates a pre-formed discrete cutting tip which wraps around a curved cutting corner of the insert. The cutting tip includes a top layer and a bottom layer made of a relatively harder material than the top layer. In one embodiment, the bottom layer is made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (CBN) material and the top layer is made of cemented carbide. The cutting insert may further incorporate a chip control structure formed in the cutting tip including a plurality of facets formed on each side of a centerline for providing chip control during a cutting operation. The chip control structure can be formed in a two-step process to expose a portion of the bottom layer. The discrete cutting tip can be brazed to the cutting insert prior to forming the chip control structure.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A cutting assembly that is useful in an operation for chipforming removal of material from a workpiece. The cutting assembly includes a holder having a seat and containing a coolant delivery passage. A locking pin, which has a longitudinal locking pin bore, is affixed to the seat so the longitudinal locking pin bore is in communication with the coolant delivery passage. A cutting insert has a rake surface, a corner cutting edge region, a central cutting insert aperture, and a radial coolant trough with an orientation toward the corner cutting edge region. At least a portion of the locking pin is within the central cutting insert aperture. A clamp assembly attaches to the holder and engages the cutting insert. The clamp assembly has a diverter plate, which has a bottom surface defining a diverter bowl and a diverter channel.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A toolholder assembly includes a toolholder body having a coolant passage and a cutting insert seated within a recess of the body. The cutting insert includes an insert orifice extending between a top face and a bottom face that aligns with the coolant passage. A lock pin includes a lock pin orifice that aligns with and is in fluid communication with the coolant passage of the body. The lock pin orifice has an outlet port to allow the fluid to flow through the lock pin orifice and exit through the outlet port. A lock pin ring includes a coolant port in fluid communication with the outlet port of the lock pin to effectively discharge cooling fluid in the direction of a cutting area of the cutting insert.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A toolholder has a head portion including a slot separating the head portion into a lower extension with a lower seat and an upper extension with an upper seat to retain a cutting insert. The head portion contains a coolant entrance passage, which receives coolant from a coolant source, and a coolant delivery passage, which discharges coolant toward a cutting insert. The cutting insert includes a top surface with an upwardly extending protuberance that can be engaged by the toolholder to rigidly mount the cutting insert in the head portion of the toolholder. The cutting insert further includes a coolant channel formed in the top surface of the cutting insert that is positioned directly opposite of the coolant discharge to enhance the flow rate of the coolant delivered to the cutting insert-workpiece interface.

Abstract: A tool holder includes a tool holder body with an insert-receiving pocket and a clamp for clamping a cutting insert. The clamp includes a pair of downwardly extending nubs that engage a pair of notches in the cutting insert when the clamp is brought into pressing engagement with the insert, thereby securely clamping the cutting insert in the insert-receiving pocket of the tool holder.

Abstract: A toolholder assembly includes a toolholder body having a coolant passage and a cutting insert seated within a recess of the body. The cutting insert includes an insert orifice extending between a top face and a bottom face that aligns with the coolant passage. A lock pin includes a lock pin orifice that aligns with and is in fluid communication with the coolant passage of the body. The lock pin orifice has an outlet port to allow the fluid to flow through the lock pin orifice and exit through the outlet port. A lock pin ring includes a coolant port in fluid communication with the outlet port of the lock pin to effectively discharge cooling fluid in the direction of a cutting area of the cutting insert.

Abstract: A tool holder includes a tool holder body with an insert-receiving pocket and a clamp for clamping a cutting insert. The clamp includes a pair of downwardly extending nubs that engage a pair of notches in the cutting insert when the clamp is brought into pressing engagement with the insert, thereby securely clamping the cutting insert in the insert-receiving pocket of the tool holder.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A tool holder includes a tool holder body with an insert-receiving pocket and a clamp for clamping a cutting insert. The clamp includes a pair of downwardly extending nubs that engage a pair of notches in the cutting insert when the clamp is brought into pressing engagement with the insert, thereby securely clamping the cutting insert in the insert-receiving pocket of the tool holder.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A cutting insert for use in a chipforming material removal operation that includes a cutting insert body, which has a seating surface, a flank face, and a corner cutting region at the intersection of a peripheral edge and the flank adjacent corresponding corners thereof. The cutting insert body contains a central aperture. The seating surface contains a coolant delivery trough, which has a radial orientation toward a corresponding corner cutting region. The coolant delivery trough has a radial outward end terminating at the peripheral edge and a radial inward end opening into the central aperture. There are a pair of lateral topographic regions wherein the one lateral topographic region is along one side of the coolant delivery trough and the other lateral topographic region is along other side of the coolant delivery trough.

Abstract: A toolholder has a head portion including a slot separating the head portion into a lower extension with a lower seat and an upper extension with an upper seat to retain a cutting insert. The head portion contains a coolant entrance passage, which receives coolant from a coolant source, and a coolant delivery passage, which discharges coolant toward a cutting insert. The cutting insert includes a top surface with an upwardly extending protuberance that can be engaged by the toolholder to rigidly mount the cutting insert in the head portion of the toolholder. The cutting insert further includes a coolant channel formed in the top surface of the cutting insert that is positioned directly opposite of the coolant discharge to enhance the flow rate of the coolant delivered to the cutting insert-workpiece interface.

Abstract: A cutting insert-shim assembly that has a cutting insert with a bottom surface and a plurality of interior coolant passages wherein each interior coolant passage has a coolant inlet in the bottom surface of the cutting insert. The shim has a first side surface and a second side surface and contains a cavity, which communicates with the coolant conduit. The cavity defines a first opening in the first side surface and a second opening in the second side surface. When the shim is in a first condition, the first side surface contacts the bottom surface of the cutting insert and the first opening provides a first level of coolant communication to the interior coolant passages in the cutting insert. When the shim is in a second condition, the second side surface contacts the bottom surface of the cutting insert and the second opening provides a second level of coolant communication to the interior coolant passages in the cutting insert.

Abstract: A round cutting insert includes a top surface, a clearance side surface and a bottom surface. The top surface includes an asymmetric chipbreaker feature adjacent a cutting edge that includes a finishing portion, a roughing portion, and a transition portion. The asymmetric chipbreaker feature includes a first rake face extending from the cutting edge, a second rake face between a bottom face and the first rake face, and a back face between a central island and the bottom face. The second rake face and the back face are sinusoidal waveforms with different periods to cause the distances from the cutting edge to the second rake face and back face to vary. The first and second rake faces are formed at different rake angles to provide effective chip control during machining operations.

Abstract: A cutting insert incorporates a pre-formed discrete cutting tip which wraps around a curved cutting corner of the insert. The cutting tip includes a top layer and a bottom layer made of a relatively harder material than the top layer. In one embodiment, the bottom layer is made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (CBN) material and the top layer is made of cemented carbide. The cutting insert may further incorporate a chip control structure formed in the cutting tip including a plurality of facets formed on each side of a centerline for providing chip control during a cutting operation. The chip control structure can be formed in a two-step process to expose a portion of the bottom layer. The discrete cutting tip can be brazed to the cutting insert prior to forming the chip control structure.