Drill fracture detection by integrating disturbance observer and rotational digital filter

Tool fracture detection is important to avoid tool breakage and ensure cutting accuracy. However, conventional tool condition monitoring methods use additional sensors that are expensive, increase the failure rate, and reduce the machine-tool stiffness. This study proposes a novel in-process method to detect tool fracture based on disturbance observer theory. It uses only servo information in a ballscrew-driven stage control system. Furthermore, a rotational digital filter is developed and applied to drilling tests to enhance the detection accuracy. Tool fracture is successfully detected without any external sensors by the proposed method.