To reduce tool wear or breakage when machining tough materials, a machinist can:

When machining tough materials, reducing tool wear and breakage is essential for maintaining efficient production and ensuring the longevity of cutting tools. Decreasing spindle speed is effective because it allows for better control over the cutting process, which can help to minimize stress on the tool. At lower spindle speeds, the cutting edges have more time to engage the material without generating excessive heat, which is particularly important when dealing with tough or hard materials that may be more susceptible to damage from high-speed cutting.

In addition, slower speeds can also lead to improved chip formation and removal, which contributes to better cooling of the tool and workpiece. The reduction in heat build-up can further decrease the risk of tool failure due to thermal fatigue. This approach helps extend tool life, maintain surface finish quality, and achieve more accurate machining results.

Increasing spindle speed, using a coarser feed rate, or using softer tooling material could potentially lead to increased wear on the tool, generating more heat or resulting in more rapid tool degradation, which contradicts the goal of reducing tool wear and breakage in tough material applications.