Cutting Tool Flank Wear Determination via General Function

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for determining the wear of cutting tools are time-consuming and require numerous machining operations to establish thresholds, often leading to premature tool replacement and compromised part quality due to the intrinsic dependence on machining parameters and material properties.

Innovation Solution

A method that calculates the wear of a cutting tool's clearance face using a general function based on operating conditions, integrating time-dependent and predetermined variables to predictively determine the characteristic length of wear, avoiding the need for empirical threshold determination and allowing real-time monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If empirical threshold determination methods are used to monitor tool wear, then tool wear can be detected, but numerous machining operations are required to establish thresholds, leading to time-consuming processes and premature tool replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool wear detection accuracyVSAvoidtime for threshold determination
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing wear thresholds in a lookup table before actual machining operations begin. The system pre-processes the relationship between machining parameters and tool wear, so that during operation, wear assessment is immediate without requiring real-time empirical threshold determination. This resolves the contradiction by performing the time-consuming threshold establishment work in advance, making the actual wear detection fast and efficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses preliminary action by pre-computing wear thresholds based on machining parameters and storing them for direct comparison during operation. Instead of determining thresholds through numerous trial machining operations in real-time, the system prepares the threshold data beforehand, enabling immediate wear assessment without time-consuming empirical analysis during actual machining.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If observed quantities like power or force are used to determine tool wear, then wear monitoring is possible, but the thresholds must be determined beforehand based on machining parameters, requiring extensive predetermination steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool wear monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidpredetermination process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating wear thresholds and storing them in a lookup table before machining operations begin. The system pre-processes the complex relationship between machining parameters and tool wear, so that during operation, wear assessment is immediate without requiring real-time empirical threshold determination. This resolves the contradiction by performing the time-consuming threshold establishment work in advance, making the actual wear detection fast and efficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating a pre-computed lookup table that stores the relationship between machining parameters and tool wear thresholds. Instead of performing complex empirical determinations during each machining operation, the system copies the pre-established threshold data into memory and uses it for rapid comparison. This resolves the contradiction by replacing complex real-time analysis with simple data retrieval and comparison operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If traditional wear monitoring methods are used, then tool wear can be detected, but the intrinsic dependence on machining parameters and material properties requires numerous tests to establish reliable thresholds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear measurement accuracyVSAvoidnumber of machining tests
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing wear thresholds in a lookup table before actual machining operations begin. The system pre-processes the relationship between machining parameters and tool wear, so that during operation, wear assessment is immediate without requiring real-time empirical threshold determination. This resolves the contradiction by performing the time-consuming threshold establishment work in advance, making the actual wear detection fast and efficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses universality by creating a lookup table that stores wear thresholds applicable to multiple different machining scenarios. The pre-computed thresholds can be used across various machining operations with different parameters, eliminating the need to perform separate empirical determinations for each specific case. This resolves the contradiction by making the wear monitoring system universally applicable without requiring extensive repeated testing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3074748B1Method and device for determining the wear of a cutting tool flank
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP3074748B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3074748B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3074748B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for determining the wear of a cutting tool flank, in which said wear is determined by means of a general function which calculates a typical length of said wear depending on at least one time-dependent variable. The invention also relates to a related device.