The project aims to develop a prototype tooling insert with embedded sensing that can withstand the harsh environmental conditions in metal machining. The next step will be to upscale the prototype in order to collect the data needed for commercial market adoption.

By combining machine tooling expertise from across the UK supply chain, the project will bring together end-users and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), integrating research and technology with industrial manufacturing.

Ultimately, the goal is to print custom configurations of lightweight sensors in high volumes and at low cost. Although the partners expect the design and manufacturing hurdles to be challenging, they are also optimistic that the lessons they learn will be transferrable to other embedded sensor applications.

“Printing will be used where its flexible properties provide great impact,” said project leader Peter Tune, business manager at the Centre for Process Innovation. “Here it is used to apply sensing functionality close to the cutting edge of the tooling inserts. Conventional electronics will be integrated to drive the sensors and transfer data to the control systems.”

Embedded Sensing in Machining

The ability to sense critical process variables, such as temperature, force, acoustic emission and vibration close to the cutting surface offers significant benefits for the capacity and productivity of machining systems. Embedded sensors could reduce cycle times, human intervention and especially process variation.

Small variations in the input parameters of material and tooling properties are often observed only in the final inspection of products, leading to the enforcement of conservative parameters or tool lives. The ability to obtain high-resolution data on the machining process at the time of cutting would allow such variations to be diagnosed and managed within the process.

“Developments like this one are aiming to take machining on to the next level by getting to the heart of the cutting process and then being able to adapt the cutting parameters accordingly,” said Mark Wilson, principal technologist in advanced manufacturing at BAE Systems, one of the project partners.