Cold Forming
Drawing (Sections, Wire, Tube)
Notes:
Machining is a cold-working operation in which the cutting tool forms chips or shavings by producing a continual series of fractures of the metal being cut. The ease of machining depends on the design of the cutting tool, the cutting lubricant and the micro- structure and properties of the material being cut.
Whilst all brasses are intrinsically easy to machine, the addition of small amounts of lead to brasses further improves this property and the well-known "free machining brass" is universally accepted as setting the standard by which other materials are judged when machinability is being assessed. Higher machining speeds and lower rates of tool wear mean that overall production costs are minimised, tolerances are held during long production runs and surface finish is excellent.