Machining Properties of Platinum

Platinum is usually considered to be a ductile workable metal readily fabricated by all the usual processes; it is therefore somewhat surprising to discover that the machining of platinum by conventional techniques results in rapid and extensive tool wear, with consequent deterioration of the surface finish imparted to the platinum article. This paper reports the results of an investigation into the behaviour of platinum during machining and the mechanisms by which the tool becomes worn. In addition the techniques devised to alleviate these phenomena, such as preferred tool materials and configurations, are described.