Abstract
In this study to assess chip breaking characteristics of cold-drawn free machining steels a newly developed non-dimensional parameter chip breaking index CB has been adopted. And for comparison with free machining steels chip breaking characteristics of conventional carbon steels were investigated. Properly controlled chips were produced with the CB value of 0.05-0.2 regardless of steel types. In case of cold-drawn free machining steels however cycle times of chip breaking are relatively shorter than those of conventional steels. And properly controlled chips were obtained from wider range of feed rate.