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Tool Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics

Award Information
Agency: Department of Commerce
Branch: National Institute of Standards and Technology
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 206-81
Amount: $75,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2003
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
201 Stable Road
Carrboro, NC 27510
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Donald Esterling
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

A smart machine tool must be able to monitor its condition and report problems. Every CNC machine should provide an alarm for tool condition problems, including tool wear, much as every automobile has a low oil indicator. Tool wear is particularly important for unattended machining as a worn tool can ruin a part. All current tool condition systems operate "blind" without direct information on current cutting conditions. Lacking such information, they are not reliable. Normal cutting conditions can cause sensor output to exceed a pre-set threshold, resulting in false alarms. This tool monitoring system will, for the first time, integrate an NC verification system with sensor data to provide a set of "eyes" distinguishing normal changes in sensor output from abnormal events warranting alarm conditions. We will investigate spindle current as an inexpensive and robust indicator of spindle torque and tool forces to compare with nominal (sharp) tool forces predicted by an enhanced NC verification program. That comparison provides a cutting condition-independent discriminator for tool condition monitoring and diagnosis. Extensive experimental validation will test the reliability of spindle current as a force indicator and the comparison of predicted sharp tool forces versus measured forces as a measure of tool wear.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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