Industrial Artificial and Natural Fibers' Cutting Mechanism-A Review

Industrial synthetic and natural fibers play an indispensable role in modern manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and textile engineering. However, the enhanced mechanical performance of advanced industrial fibers has introduced significant challenges in cutting processes, since brittle, high-tensile, and viscoelastic fibers exhibit totally different fracture behaviors from conventional solid materials. At present, the complex motion coupling mechanisms between fibers and cutting tools under free-form conditions are insufficient; there is no unified framework for understanding the mechanisms of fiber cutting; it is difficult to effectively link the microscopic fracture physics of different fiber types with their macroscopic cutting properties. Furthermore, research into the dynamic interaction between the cutting tool and the fiber, cross-scale cutting characteristics, and tool wear mechanisms has not been sufficiently systematic, and non-contact cutting methods have not yet been the subject of systematic study. Through a systematic review, this review identified three primary categories of difficult-to-cut industrial fibers and summarized the distinctions in their fundamental material properties. The static, kinematic, and dynamic characteristics of fiber cutting under both free and fixed forms were discussed. The fracture mechanisms of fibers under diverse loading scenarios were also systematically revealed. Furthermore, this review summarizes the effects of cutting tool wear characteristics, geometric parameters, and material types on cutting performance. Finally, non-contact methods for cutting fiber were listed. Based on the above analysis, three critical directions for future research were proposed to bridge the existing knowledge gaps in the literature. This review of the interdisciplinary interactions among mechanics, materials science, and textile engineering provides a theoretical foundation and research directions for achieving high efficiency and a long tool life during cutting industrial fibers.