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Robert Heinemann, Sri Hinduja
International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, Volume 52, Issue 1, January 2012
Abstract
Tool condition monitoring (TCM) systems employed in industry are mostly used to detect tool fracture, although the prevention of it should be the principal aim. This would not only allow for the avoidance of any fracture-related damage to both the workpiece and machine tool, but also for recondition the tool for further use.
This paper presents a strategy, which utilises several features extracted from the spindle power and acoustic emission (AE-RMS) signals recorded when drilling small deep holes using twist drills in order to predict an imminent tool failure. A key to achieving this is the subdivision of the drilling cycle into sections and only monitoring those sections in which the most significant change occurs over the tool life. By doing this it is possible to identify the final (i.e. tertiary) tool life stage and replace the worn out tool shortly before fracture occurs, thus improving the overall tool utilisation to. Of 24 drills tested, the TCM system was able to utilise an average of 84% of the tool life; in only one case it failed to detect tool breakage.
Additional Information:
Dr Robert Heinemann, CV
After finishing an apprenticeship as a machine tool mechanic, Robert studied at the University of Paderborn at Soest, Germany, obtaining a Diplom-Ingenieur degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1999, and an MSc in Electronic Engineering and Engineering Management in 2001. Between 1999 and 2004 he worked as a research assistant at the Laboratory for Machine Tools on a number of projects covering the areas of machine tool design, analysis and optimization, machining process optimization, as well as environmental benign machining. For his work on small diameter deep-hole drilling Robert was awarded a PhD from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in December 2004.
Since 2005 Robert worked as a Research Associate at The University of Manchester, which was created by the merger of UMIST and the Victoria University of Manchester, working on various aspects of metal cutting, with a particular interest in drilling technology, preventive tool and process condition monitoring for drilling, Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings for cutting titanium, as well as machine tool design and analysis. In 2009, Robert was awarded a prestigious 3-year Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, to conduct research on the design, make and test of a new omni-directional drilling technology for minimally invasive (“keyhole”) orthopaedic surgery.
Apart from his research activities, which are supported by a number of undergraduate, MSc and PhD students he supervises, Robert teaches Metrology and Design at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, which he deeply enjoys.
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