Machinability refers to how easy it is to cut certain types of metal. Something which is classed as easy to machine would require less power, and can be cut simply to achieve a good quality finish. These kinds of materials are often described as free machining. However, often some very important materials which are used in industries such as medicine and aerospace engineering are difficult to machine and the processes will be lengthy and inefficient. The categories which dictate machinability are as follows: microstructure, grain size, strength, hardness, fabrication and chemical composition.
It’s important that new processes are found to improve machinability of difficult to machine materials. Manufacturing processes which are inefficient will produce a lot of waste and will not be cost effective. Difficult to machine materials will often damage tools very quickly, so they require continual investment. Processes need to be made more financially viable in order to provide people with the essential resources they need.
It’s also important to improve machinability to help in protecting the environment. Processes can be very draining on natural resources and can cause pollution and other environmental concerns. Research is being carried out which will hopefully help to improve machinability and manufacturing processes in future.