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Cutting tool wear detection apparatus and method

  • US 4,831,365 A
  • Filed: 02/05/1988
  • Issued: 05/16/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for automatically detecting worn cutting tools used in machining workpieces comprising the steps of:

  • (a) sensing data during a machining operation and generating at least one electrical signal indicative of said data;

    (b) utilizing said at least one electrical signal to obtain at least two component signals, a first component signal indicative of data of high frequency vibration having a frequency range of from about 25 kHz to about 100 kHz at the tool-workpiece interface and a second component signal indicative of data corresponding to energy consumed during the cutting process;

    (c) sampling said sampled first component signal to converting said sampled first component signal to digitized values and deriving a tracking cutting vibration signal corresponding to at least one statistical value of said first component signal that tracks changes in the vibration energy in that signal;

    (d) sampling said second component signal, converting said sampled second component signal to digitized values, and deriving a tracking signal corresponding to at least one statistical value of said second component signal that tracks changes in the energy in that signal;

    (e) using said tracking first component vibration energy signal and said tracking second component energy signal to obtain a ratio signal representative of the ratio of said tracking first and second component energy signals; and

    (f) producing an output indication when said ratio signal representative of said ratio reaches a predetermined threshold level indicative of a preselected amount of cutting tool wear.

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