Deformation behaviour of aluminium single crystals in ultraprecision diamond turning

The physical properties of the machined layer of single crystal aluminium after diamond turning were assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to demonstrate the nature and extent of the plastic deformation process that had occurred in the workpiece. In the range of depth of cut investigated, the microstrain was found to vary with the crystallography of the machined surface, whereas the dislocation density was affected by both the crystallography as well as the depth of cut.