A chipbreaker or chip breaker is a contour just behind the

cutting part Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scalpel and m ...

of a

cutting tool Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scalpel an ...

that directs away any chips that are generated. Metal chips are hot, sharp, and can spin at high speeds, especially if they get caught in machinery. Breaking up the chips into smaller pieces is an important safety feature since long chips that get caught in people and machinery can lead to serious workplace accidents. It can also damage

tools A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ...

, workpieces and

machinery A machine is a physical system that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to natural biological macromolec ...

, and make removal of the finished product more difficult. Chips can be particularly challenging with ductile materials. Many geometries can be used depending on the given cutting conditions. For example, a high-positive

rake angle In machining, the rake angle is a parameter used in various cutting processes, describing the angle of the cutting face relative to the workpiece. There are three types of rake angles: ''positive'', ''zero'' or ''neutral'', and ''negative''. ...

will help to make shorter chips. On many ceramic cutting tools, the chipbreaker is sandwiched between the cutting plate and the clamping jaw, as this eliminates the need for a wide variety of special cutting plates. On roughing cutters or milled

files File or filing may refer to: Mechanical tools and processes * File (tool), a tool used to remove fine amounts of material from a workpiece. **Filing (metalworking), a material removal process in manufacturing ** Nail file, a tool used to gentl ...

, the cutting edge is given a profile with chipbreakers to break the chips. On handplaners, there is usually also a chipbreaker to reduce tear-out.{{Cite web , date=2007-12-31 , title=Chipbreakers: The No. 6 Way to Reduce Tear-out - Lost Art Press , url=https://blog.lostartpress.com/2007/12/31/chipbreakers-the-no-6-way-to-reduce-tear-out/ , access-date=2025-02-23 , language=en-US

References

Machining