Flat circuit insulation stripping apparatus

An insulation stripping apparatus for a flat flexible electrical circuit workpiece of soft metal foil conductors laminated between sheets of insulating film, comprising:

• a rotatable cutting tool having a generally cylindrical body portion and sharp cutting lips extending transversely across its end portion and each being inclined convexly to a normal to the axis of said body portion at an angle between 0.degree. and 1.degree. and having a rake angle between about 0.degree. and 8.degree. negative,
• said tool requiring a first value of feed force to cut into said insulating film and a second, larger value to cut into said foil,
• said second value being at least about twice said first value,
• a machine having a rotary spindle, means for driving said spindle, and chuck means driven by said spindle to rotate said tool;
• feed means for imparting a feed stroke to said spindle,
• force-sensing means to sense said feed force and translate it into another analogous variable quantity, and
• means to limit said feed force to a value between said first and second values so that the force is sufficient to permit said tool to cut through said insulating film but insufficient to cut substantially into the underlying metal foil, said tool merely burnishing the foil which it has exposed.