Modelling of tool wear based on cutting forces in turning

Tool wear estimation is essential for on-line process control and optimization. Wear and breakage of the tool are usually monitored by measuring force, load current, vibration, acoustic emission and temperature. These measurements are important for reliability and for the implementation of an adaptive control system. This paper proposes a development of mathematical models to describe the wear-time and wear-force relationships for turning operation. Cutting force components have been found to correlate well with progressive wear and tool failure. The results show that the ratio between force components is a better indicator of the wear process, compared with the estimate obtained using absolute values of the forces. It also eliminates variation in material properties, which was identified as a major noise source in signals measured during machining. This paper presents data on techniques based on force measurement for tool wear monitoring. © 1993.