Inhomogeneous Shearing During Continuous Chip Formation

Metallographic examination of chips cut from a directionally solidified eutectic provided direct evidence of discontinuous shearing in continuous chip formation. The built-in grid of the eutectic was deformed into the chevron type pattern associated with a double shearing process, but certain differences indicate that a plastic wave phenomena was involved rather than simple shearing. Observation of the shear zone during the chip formation process provided no evidence of the discontinuous process occurring inside the chip.