A New Method of Tool Wear Measurement

In NC milling process, tool wear measurement is an integral part of establishing tool wear model. In this paper, a new method of measuring tool wear is presented. This method maps tool wear into a kind of material which has no or less influence on tool wear, such as aluminium alloy, to reflect the wear status of milling tools. The reflection is completed by milling hole on this material using the worn tool after each machining experiment and so that a series of reflection profile are formed. These reflection profiles are measured on the Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). Thus we can acquire tool wear along radius of tool´s cross-section, which is called radial wear. Tool flank wear can be easily calculated based on the radial wear, rake angle and clearance angle. In order to verify this method of tool wear measurement, a series of machining experiments are designed and finished on 5-axis high speed machining center for cemented carbide cutting tool milling stainless steel. Experiments show that this method is effective and feasible, and can easily and efficiently conduct tool wear experiment.