Application of AE and cutting force signals in tool condition monitoring in micro-milling

The paper presents acoustic emission and cutting force signals application in tool condition monitoring in micro-milling of cold-work tool steel. The results obtained revealed strong influence of tool wear on acoustic emission signal, providing acceptable results even while used separately. The signal was easy to register, and showed a very short reaction time to the tool–workpiece contact. As excitation frequency, equal to edge passing frequency, was much higher than in conventional milling, cutting forces, usually the best for this purpose, were strongly disturbed by resonance vibration of the table dynamometer. Despite these disturbances, the signals still show dependence on tool wear, making them useful for tool condition monitoring.