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Laser-based Inspection Of Cutting Tools For Advanced Manufacturing

Systems

Conference Paper · November 1994

Source: IEEE Xplore

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LASER-BASED INSPECTION OF CUTTING TOOLS FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
G F Dalgleish, R D James and K H Randeree
University of Hull
D R Aitchison
University of Teeside
1. BACKGROUND
Advanced manufacturing systems using computer-
based technologies are now wellestablished
particularly for metal cutting activities. Such systems
typically comprise machining centres supported by
automated transport and handling systems for
workpieces and tools. The level of sophistication of
these systems is such that completely unattended
operation for extended periods is technically feasible
provided that a ready supply of suitable workpieces and
tools is ensured. It is this latter constraint that the
present paper addresses.
To operate successfully, advanced computer-controlled
manufacturing systems rely on a number of obvious
prerequisites. For example, the correct CNC part
program must be associated with a particular
workpiece; the workpiece must be correctly located and
restrained in the machining centre; a particular cutting
tool not only needs to be available on demand but must
also be in a suitable condition for use. Failure to satisfy
these deceptively simple requirements can lead, at best,
to expensive rework or, at worst, scrapped components.
Current tool management systems are most frequently
based on an expired life criterion whereby the usage of
a particular tool is automatically logged and, provided
this doesn't exceed a predefined limit, the tool is
assumed to be fit for further use. The limitations of
such an arrangement, which relies on completely
predictable conditions of operation, are self-evident. A
more sophisticated approach is that dependent upon
monitoring changes in cutting conditions via sensors
recording cutting tool deflection or drive motor current.
Finally, acoustic emission techniques have been
employed, whereby acoustic 'signatures' from normal
and abnormal cutting operations are compared. These
latter systems are potentially more useful than expired
life systems but will still only indicate that something
has changed in the cutting conditions or in the tool
itself.
The devices described in the current paper are
presented as an enhancement to existing tool
management systems in that they rely upon deviations
in the physical form of a particular cutting tool from a
predefined standard. Such devices are of interest to
Factory 2000 -Advanced Factory Automation, 3-5 October 1994, Conference Publication No 398,O IEE 1994
both tool manufacturers and users with only the scale
of the physical defects involved differing between the
two groups. In one implementation, the tool inspection
system is intended as a production control facility for a
tool manufacturer and, in the other, the device is
integrated with a small CNC machining centre.
2. THE LASER SCATTERING TECHNIQUE
The technique is based on the well-known fact that the
interaction of a light beam with a solid object will give
rise to characteristic reflections directly related to the
physical form of the object. This phenomenon can be
used to good effect in automatic component recognition
systems by comparing reflected light patterns, or
signatures, with previously stored patterns. Whilst in
principle any light source could be utilised, in practice
a low-powered laser is most suitable because it provides
a coherent, single wavelength, beam. The laser
scattering method, shown in Figure 1, exploits the
spectral reflectance from a roughened surface, Tanner
and Fahoum (l), and with an appropriate optical
system, can form the basis of a very accurate
monitoring device, Ichiro (2), Peponen et al(3).
The relatively rough surfaces of cutting tools and
inserts would usually be regarded as diaise reflectors
of light, Torrance and Sparrow (4). However, at
moderate to large angles of incidence, surface
roughness effects give rise to a peak in the reflected
light distribution at an angle greater than the spectral
angle. Thus, for cutting tools the reflected light pattern
comprises both cliffuse and specular reflection. In
practical terms, the effect of increasing the angle of
incidence is to reduce the apparent surface roughness
relative to the wavelength of the light source, Peiponen
and Tsboi (5). In applying the light scattering
principle to defect detection, it is therefore important to
ensure that the wavelength of the incident beam is
large compared with the surface roughness, Bechmann
and Spizichino (6).
3. CUTTING TOOL INSERT INSPECTION
The inspection of cutting tool inserts for defects at the
manufactwing stage is a considerable challenge both in
terms of the small scale of the defects encountered and
the numbers of inserts produced.
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The manufacture of cutting tool inserts typically
comprises three main stages; a powder metallurgy
sintering process, grindinglpolishing operations and
final surface coating. These processes can be
automated but still require human intervention to
ensure that the inserts remain free of defects during
manufacture. Flash from the powder metallurgy process
and the constant manipulation of the inserts throughout
the machining operations give rise to the most common
defect type, edge chipping. The edge chips are usually
in the 5-200 micron range, and it is important that
inserts with these are detected in order to avoid
premature breakage in use.
The use of automated inspection techniques based on
low powered laser diodes and single site photodetectors
offers simplicity, low cost, high speed operation,
durability and low laser-related hazards. However,
operation of such systems is dependent on accurate
manipulation of the insert with respect to the
laserldetector system to ensure the collection of the
relevant data.
Figure 2 shows a prototype laser-based inspection
station capable of dealing with a representative range
of insert geometry. The inspection procedure is
concentrated on the cutting edges, which are of the
greatest functional significance. The laser diode and
photodetector are held at predefined angles and the
inserts are manipulated by means of a computer-
controlled three-axis (X,Y,8) platform. The beam of the
1mW 670nm wavelength (visible red) laser diode is
focused by a lens and directed onto a reference point
preceding the cutting tool insert. An appropriate move
sequence is then initiated to traverse the cutting edges
of a particular insert under the laser beam and the
reflected light is received by the photodetector. The
analogue output from the photodiode is amplilied to
give a voltage in the range in 0-1OVand then digitised
and processed by the computer. The inserts exhibit
typical sintered material topography and the scattered
light pattern is highly diffuse at the specular reflection
angle. Consequently, the photodetector needs to be
positioned in close proximity to the insert and a light
collecting lens is required.
In the work reported here, one side of a 12.7" square
insert was compared with other inserts of the same size
containing chip-type defects on the scanned edge. A
typical signal obtained from the laser diode beam along
the cutting edge is shown in Figure 3, in relation to a
typical chip-type defect. As can be seen, the
photodiode signal, inclusive of background noise,
depicts the defect as a large peak in comparison to the
surface profile.
The various stages of the signal processing technique
are listed to demonstrate its essential simplicity.
Firstly, a control sample is scanned in order to calibrate
the system. To do this, raw data are filtered by an
averaging function over five points to increase the
signal-to-noise ratio and the mean of the data
calculated by the least squares method. To obtain the
threshold values for use in defect identification, the
deviations of the filtered data from the mean line are
calculated and the resultant flattened data plotted.
Upper and lower tolerance limits can then be applied to
the normalised signal and all subsequent scans
performed on similar insert types are compared with
this for detection of abnormalities representing defects.
Figures 4 shows how chip-type defects are represented
in relation to the control trace. The signals generated
by the chip-type defects show either a peak or a trough
depending on their ]profile. When the system is
scanning an undamaged d a c e profile, the reflected
spectral peak is directled towards the light-collecting
lens of the photodiode hut, when a chip is encountered,
the light is further scattered in accordance with the
chip profile. The incident beam may be directed more
intensely into the photodetector giving rise to a positive
peak, or away from it yielding a negative peak .
Whether the peak is positive or negative, a
representation of the defect is always present, and the
length of defect directly correlates with the number of
sample readings taken, as shown earlier in Figure 3.
4. IN-SERVICE TOOlL INSPECTION SYSTEMS
This aspect of the work relates to the inspection of
complete cutting tools of both insert and monolithic
construction. An imlportant feature of the devices
described is the fact that the tools can be inspected
whilst held in standard tapered holders.
Initially, a two-axis laser-based inspecbon system was
developed for the purpose of demonstrating the
feasibility of the laser scattering method and its
application to condition monitoring of complete tools.
The system comprises a laser diode and photodetector,
mounted in a IV'arrangement above the tool (Figure 5).
The I S 0 35 tapered tool holder is driven by computer-
controlled stepper motors such that it can be
simultaneously translated and rotated. The device is
able to scan both insert and monolithic tools with
helical features. The complexity of the tools amenable
to inspection with a two-axis station is obviously
limited and 'move templates' have to be written and
stored for each tool itype and size. However, the
construction of the device was an important step
towards more versatile systems capable of dealing with
stepped or tapered tools and those with functional radii.
Based on these considerations, a four-axis inspection
system has been built (Figure 6), with a view to its use
either as a toolroom-bzwd device or as an attachment
 504

to a machining centre. The device again employs a
laseddetector system but is now able to provide
simultaneous operation of three linear and one rotary
axis via computer-controlled stepper motors. The
simultaneous operation of the four motors and the
provision of appropriate move templates allow complex
tool forms to be automatically inspected for defects. In
a toolroom implementation, tools returned from
machining units can be routinely inspected against
predefined limits of acceptability and refurbished or
scrapped, as appropriate.
The device has been integrated with a Denford 'Triac'
CNC milling machine which is fitted with a six-station
automatic tool changer and a Fanuc OMC controller
(Figure 7). The tools are transferred automatically from
the spindle of the machine to the inspection device via
the carousel of the tool changer, which has been
modified to provide extended linear travel. Additional
control software (M-codes) has been written to enable
the tool inspection cycle to be invoked as part of a
normal NC program. The tool inspection cycle time
obviously depends on the complexity of a particular
tool but is typically less than one minute. It should be
borne in mind that the tool is inspected during the time
it is idle in the storage system and the cutting cycle
would not normally be interrupted. M e r inspection
the tool status is updated in the machine control unit
(MCU) and, depending on its condition, a particular
tool may be returned to the spindle for continued
operation or flagged up as unserviceable. By such a
procedure a tool falling outside predefined limits for
cutting edge defects would be automatically inhibited
from further use.
In order to achieve the required additional functionality
for tool inspection at the machining centre the MCU
had to be modified. Firstly, a 'custom macro' had to be
written to enable the use of passed variables/parameters
from one operatiodprogram to another. Secondly,
software resident in the MCU had to be modified to
overcome an interlock intended to prevent more than
one M-code being executed at a time. Finally, suitable
bi-directional communications had to be established
between the MCU and the PC controlling the operation
of the inspection device.
transfer of the first and subsequent tools to the
inspection device.
5. CONCLUDING REMARKS
The laser-based inspection techniques described above
should help to reduce the incidence of damaged cutting
tools going undetected. This is of direct relevance to
both tool manufacturers and users since in both cases
the likelihood of rework or scrap is reduced with
consequent savings in manufacturing costs. The next
phase of the work will be to build and test suitably
robust systems for use in industrial environments.
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge the continuing
support provided by British Aerospace (Military
Aircraft) Ltd, Brough and Hertel AG. The practical
assistance provided by Mr R W Swain in the
construction of the devices described in this paper is
gratefully acknowledged.
7. REFERENCES
1. Tanner, L.H., and Fahoum, M., 1976, Wear.
& 299-316
2. Ichiro, K., 1990, Sensors and Actuators A -
Phvsical. 22 (1-3)%525-528
3. Peponen, K.E., Silvennoinen, R., Gu, C.,
Asakura, T., and Ikonen, K., 1992, Optics and Laser
Technolom. 24,223-225
4. Torrance, K.E., and Sparrow, E.M., 1967,
Joumal of Optical Society of America. 57 (9)
5. Peiponen, K.E., and Tsboi, T., 1993, Qpt Lasers
Techn010~.18,15-24
6. Bechmann, P., and Spizichino, A., 1963, "The
Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves form Rough
Surfaces", Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK

In configuring the tool inspection facility, the primary

task is to download from the PC to the MCU the
necessary data relating to tool geometry and storage
location. The transferred data are written to
appropriate cells in a tool management data array.
Once this is achieved, the logistics of cutting tool
inspection and usage can be handled locally by the
MCU. Thus, tools canbe automatically passed between
the spindle, the ATC and the inspection device during
the operation of a part program. Figure 8 shows
diagrammatically the sequence of events for the
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Fixed Laser Source

with
LenS

Figure 1: Laser scattering principles.

Fiwre 2: Prototme insoection device for clittinrr tnnl incertc:

 506

Intensitv I

I
I

Distance.

Figure 3: Inspection trace in relation to tool insert defect.

-
-
Control Trace
SampleTrace

insert edge length.

Figure 4: Inspection trace with respect to control trace.

Figure 5: Laser / detector arrangement in the two-axis tool inspection device.

Figure 6: Details offour-axistool inspection device.

 508

Figure 7: Four-axis tool inspection device integrated with CNC machining centre.

Figure 8: Flow chart for M16 custom numerical control command.

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