The main goal of this research was to determine the effect of crystal orientation relative to fracture damage, tool wear and friction in the manufacturing process. The proposed experimental program aims to quantify these observations, and result in a substantial increase in our knowledge relative to the effect of the chemically vapor deposited (CVD) crystal orientation on the ductile and brittle behavior of the material. Single point diamond turning (SPDT) was performed on a CVD coated silicon carbide (SiC) disk to improve its surface roughness. The outcome of this project is an evaluation of the effects of crystal orientation in determining the resultant surface roughness, tool wear (due to friction) and material removal rate. Two non destructive techniques were used to study the crystal orientation of the material: (1) Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) and (2) X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results from XRD were preferred as it yielded in a stronger diffraction signal compared to OIM.