A decision fusion algorithm for tool wear condition monitoring in drilling

• Published in: International journal of machine tools & manufacture Vol. 41; no. 9; pp. 1347 - 1362
• Main Authors: Ertunc, H.M, Loparo, K.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Automation; Blanking. Shearing; Cutting; Decision theory; Drilling; Exact sciences and technology; Failure analysis; Markov processes; Mathematical models; Metals. Metallurgy; Monitoring; Production techniques; Wear of materials; Drilling; Production system; Automation; Force measurement; Rupture; Machining; Drill; Markov model; Experimental study; Torque measurement; Operating conditions; Surveillance; Tool wear; Cutting tool; Monitoring
• ISSN: 0890-6955; 1879-2170
• DOI: 10.1016/S0890-6955(00)00111-5

Tool wear monitoring of cutting tools is important for the automation of modern manufacturing systems. In this paper, several innovative monitoring methods for on-line tool wear condition monitoring in drilling operations are presented. Drilling is one of the most widely used manufacturing operations and monitoring techniques using measurements of force signals (thrust and torque) and power signals (spindle and servo) are developed in this paper. Two methods using Hidden Markov models, as well as several other methods that directly use force and power data are used to establish the health of a drilling tool in order to avoid catastrophic failure of the drill. In order to increase the reliability of these methods, a decision fusion center algorithm (DFCA) is proposed which combines the outputs of the individual methods to make a global decision about the wear status of the drill. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring methods and the DFCA.