SBIR Phase II: Intelligent Tool Wear Monitoring

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop a family of products that will facilitate two-way CAM/CNC integration and First Part Correct technology through: 1) Predictive tool wear monitoring, 2) Intelligent cutting speed (feed) selection, 3) CAM/CNC Integration. The solution integrates the above technologies, monitoring the in situ tool forces and tool wear and using the intelligent feed rate adaptor to modify the cutting process for optimum performance even as the tool wears. Manufacturing is a global enterprise and, as well documented, much is now done outside the US. But this is not a foregone conclusion. The US remains the largest global consumer. Internally US manufacturing has a geographic advantage with lower freight cost and just-in-time delivery requirements. If successful, the technology developed in this project could make a significant positive impact on US manufacturing moving forward. Other broader impacts include graduate students who will be exposed to research of immediate interest to industry.