Green ceramic machining involves shaping a dried and extruded part, consisting of a ceramic powder held together by a polymer binder, before it is sintered. This paper investigates the effects of longitudinal turning on the material removal characteristics of green aluminum oxide (alumina) rods, of different binder composition and particle sizes. Forces during machining and the roughness of the machined surfaces are measured and their relationship to the process parameters are analyzed. Results show that low feed, fine alumina particle size, and a positive rake angle tool increased the machining forces. Surfaces were also smoother when the feed was low and the rake angle was positive.
