Ultra-high-speed cutting (UHSC) has emerged as a transformative manufacturing technology aimed at overcoming the long-standing machining challenges associated with high-performance difficult-to-machine composites (HPDMCs). These materials—comprising silicon-based, metal matrix, and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers—are critical to strategic sectors such as aerospace and high-end equipment. This review adopts a distinctive “material-tool-process-equipment” synergistic innovation framework as its core analytical lens. Within this framework, it systematically outlines advances in UHSC, including the fundamental mechanisms of damage suppression and surface integrity enhancement under ultra-high strain rates. Innovative process methods such as laser-assisted and ultrasonic-assisted machining are examined in detail. This review also provides a mechanistic analysis of two key enabling technologies—tool micro-texturing and functional coatings—highlighting their roles in interfacial tribological regulation and physicochemical protection. Furthermore, dedicated equipment systems and stability optimization strategies essential for technological implementation are presented and evaluated. By synthesizing the current state of the field, this review identifies persistent bottlenecks and, guided by the proposed framework, suggests targeted future research directions: deep integration of smart manufacturing technologies, development of synergistic multi-energy-field processing, and enhanced adaptability to extreme service environments. This work not only consolidates the current knowledge in UHSC but also outlines a clear pathway for its evolution into a fully autonomous, efficient, and reliable manufacturing paradigm.
Zou et al. (Thu,) studied this question.