APPLICATION OF ACOUSTIC-EMISSION TECHNIQUES IN MANUFACTURING

This paper reviews applications of acoustic emission sensing techniques in manufacturing processes. Acoustic emission (AE) has seen a tremendous growth in use in process monitoring and quality control in manufacturing processes since its discovery in the early 1950s in Germany. Originally applied to the destructive testing of structures (especially storage and pressure vessels) it has also become a monitoring technique in manufacturing due to its sensitivity to process parameters. This paper gives some background on the sensing needs in manufacturing for machine diagnostics as well as process monitoring, reviews the potential for AE application in manufacturing and illustrates some of the existing applications dating back to the first process monitoring in the 1970s. Special emphasis is on machining and tool condition monitoring.