Tool monitoring apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a dull/broken tool in a multi-tool spindle executing successive machine cycles. The total machine energy supplied to the spindle is determined. The average total machine energy supplied to the spindle in a plurality of successive machine cycles is also determined. The relative machine energy of the last machine cycle is determined by a ratio of the total machine energy to the average machine energy. A limit of the relative machine energy to the average total machine energy is established. The relative machine energy is compared with the limit to determine a tool condition, i.e., a broken tool. The instantaneous energy supplied to the plurality of machine tools is sampled a plurality of times during each machine cycle, and integrated to obtain the total machine energy for each machine cycle. The average total machine energy is updated with each new machine cycle over a predetermined number of most recent cycles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.