Development of sequential optimization method for CNC turning based on in-process tool wear monitoring

A system and procedures are developed to optimize the cutting speed for CNC turning. The current amount of tool wear is estimated based on the in-process cutting force measurement by applying the method developed and reported previously. Once the tool wear is estimated for the different cutting speeds, the coefficients of the Taylor's tool life equation are determined or successively modified based on the estimated tool wear data. The optimum cutting speed is obtained by referring to the criteria of either the minimum production cost or the maximum production rate. The system developed is applied to actual turning of carbon steel with coated carbide tools, and it has been proved that the system runs satisfactory. The method developed here can be readily applied to unknown combinations of the work material and the tool, as it searches the optimum cutting conditions automatically while the process is going on.