Research into the processing of cobalt alloys and CoCrMo alloys, which are widely used in manufacturing and aerospace, began a long time ago. Prior to that, all research was focused on improving material properties such as hardness, toughness, strength, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance. Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys are an improved material from the cobalt family and are used in a variety of biomedical applications.

Cobalt chromium molybdenum alloys are considered advanced materials and are popular in a variety of engineering and medical applications. However, it is classified as a difficult material to machine due to its unique combination of properties, including high strength, toughness, wear resistance, and low thermal conductivity.

In general, the term machinability can be defined as how easily the material can be machined or cut to the desired shape in terms of tool and process conditions, taking into account surface finish and tool life. The machinability of cobalt chromium molybdenum alloys is comparable to other advanced materials such as nickel and titanium alloys, which are classified as difficult-to-cut materials due to their unique characteristics of high strength, toughness, wear resistance, and low thermal conductivity.