SURFACE FINISH PARAMETERS AS DIAGNOSTICS OF TOOL WEAR IN FACE MILLING

We describe a systematic series of wear tests in which surface profile s were measured at intervals during face milling of En24 steel, an alu minium alloy and a stainless steel. Profiles were measured by a stylus instrument and, in the case of the aluminium alloy, by a novel optica l fibre instrument mounted on the machine headstock. Spatial frequency analyses are presented that show the long wavelength amplitude increa ses with insert wear, with a similar tendency in the high spatial freq uencies (above the feed per tooth). Variation in tool set affected ins ert wear rate and the evolution of surface profile. insert chipping da mage was seen to increase the low spatial frequency content. The R-a p arameter correlated with insert wear only for single point cutting. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.