Measurement of tool internal temperatures in the tool–chip contact region by embedded micro thin film thermocouples

Sensors capable of providing fast and reliable feedback signals for monitoring and control of existing and emerging machining processes are an important research topic, that has quickly gained academic and industrial interest in recent years. Generally, high-precision machining processes are very sensitive to variation in local machining conditions at the tool–workpiece interface and lack a thorough understanding of fundamental thermomechanical phenomena. Existing sensors to monitor the machining conditions are not suitable for robust in-process control as they are either destructively embedded and/or do not possess the necessary spatial and temporal resolution to monitor local tool internal temperatures during machining at the cutting tip/edge effectively. This paper presents a novel approach for assessing transient tool internal temperature fields in the close vicinity of less than 300 μm of the tool cutting edge. A revised array layout of 10 micro thin film micro thermocouples, fabricated using adapted semiconductor microfabrication methods, has been embedded into polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting inserts by means of a modified diffusion bonding technique. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine material interactions at the bonding interface and to determine optimal bonding parameters. Sensor performance was statically and dynamically characterized. They show good linearity, sensitivity and very fast response time. Initial machining tests on aluminum alloys are described herein. The tests have been performed to demonstrate the functionality and reliability of tool embedded thin film sensors, and are part of a feasibility study with the ultimate goal of applying the instrumented insert in hard machining operations. The microsensor array was used for the acquisition of tool internal temperature profiles very close to the cutting tip. The influence of varying cutting parameters on transient tool internal temperature profiles was measured and discussed. With further study, the described instrumented cutting inserts could provide more valuable insight into the process physics and could improve various aspects of machining processes, e.g. reliability, tool life, and workpiece quality.