Method for monitoring cutting tool wear during a machining operation
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid A. Anderson, William A. Dias
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The vibration of an end mill (36) is sensed by either microphones (42, 44, 46) or accelerometers (78, 80, 82). A time domain signal is produced by these sensors which is converted into a near-real time frequency spectrum. A certain frequency band in the spectrum is directly related to end mill vibration and certain frequencies in the band will change in amplitude corresponding to certain types of end mill wear. When any of the amplitudes in the band exceed a certain threshold limit the end mill is known to be dull.
Claims6
A method for detecting wear of a cutting tool used for machining a workpiece, comprising:
- sensing vibrational frequencies of said cutting tool during machining, wherein frequencies within a range from approximately 2.5 kilohertz (KHz) to at least 20.0 Khz are sensed;
- monitoring the amplitude of individual sensed frequencies within said range, and wherein when the amplitude of any of such frequencies exceeds a certain threshold amplitude said cutting tool is known to be dull;
- and
- identifying certain types of cutting tool wear by monitoring increases in amplitude of certain specific individual frequencies within said range of frequencies.
A method for detecting wear of a cutting tool used for machining a workpiece, comprising:
- sensing vibrational frequencies of said cutting tool during machining, wherein frequencies within a certain preselected range of frequencies are sensed, and wherein sensing vibrational frequencies includes obtaining a time domain signal indicating cutting tool vibration, and converting said time domain signal into a frequency spectrum indicating the amplitudes of said frequencies within said preselected range by using a fast Fourier transform digital operation, and monitoring the amplitude of said frequencies during machining, wherein when the amplitude of any of such monitored frequencies exceeds a certain threshold amplitude said cutting tool is known to be dull.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.