Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a pilger mill having a crankshaft driving rolls with a reciprocating motion to reduce a tube over a mandrel. A linear sensor coupled to the mandrel supplies a mandrel position signal. A rotary sensor coupled to the crankshaft supplies a crankshaft angle signal. A processor for combining the mandrel position signal and the crankshaft angle signal provides a mandrel motion signal characteristic of the tube reduction.

Abstract: Breaking of a cutter insert in a multiple insert metal cutter is detected by selecting a periodic vibration generated electrical signal having components which track individual insert contribution. These components are filtered to provide RMS values whose predetermined ratio values indicate insert breakage.

Abstract: A composite low frequency high frequency electrical signal from a metal cutting tool in a metal cutting operation is processed through separate high frequency and low frequency systems and the resulting signals digitized and combined for analysis of a tool break event.

Abstract: An ultrasonic gauging apparatus is disclosed suitable for dynamic ultrasonic gauging in the harsh environment of a tube forming operation. An ultrasonic transducer is positioned in a tubular member by a ferrule mount. The tubular member is attached to a platform having spring biasing that permits limited motion of the transducer while maintaining a preselect orientation of the transducer relative to the tube.

Abstract: This invention utilizes a system of interlinked modular hardware and modular software for continuously controlling the manufacture of a workpiece. By using a modular architecture, the system capabilities can be expanded or modified without requiring major redesign.

Abstract: A Machine Tool Monitor detects significant characteristics of workpieces such as roughness, scale, metal hardness and workpiece shape and does this by monitoring vibration signals produced by the machining of parts and interpreting patterns in these signals. Information from the part program improves the performance of the detector and optimizes it for the cutting conditions called for by the machine tool control. The analog channel gain of the monitor is adjusted and parameters controlling the digital pattern recognition logic are selected using part program information on machining parameters. Efficiency is improved for example by decreasing the amount of time wasted in cutting air.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring machine tool operations provides a multi-level tool break alarm and uses information from multiple sensors of different types. Signal processing and pattern recognition logic techniques are applied to a cutting process high frequency vibration signal to detect major tool breaks requiring prompt stoppage of the cut. False alarm resistant detection of minor tool breaks, for which the response may not be an immediate stop of the cutting process, is obtained with information from a low frequency vibration sensor, an axis drive current sensor, or an axis velocity sensor. A minor tool break alarm is generated when signal transients in both a high frequency and low frequency channel signal are in close time coincidence, and a major alarm when the high frequency channel transient is followed by a persisting mean vibration level shift.

Abstract: A tool break detection system has an automatic gain control to adjust the analog signal channel gain and hold the cutting vibration signal at a desired average level. The AGC time constant is long enough that the detection of abrupt tool breaks and sudden large signal level transistions by the digital signature recognition logic is unaffected. However, the gradual decrease in signal level produced by a crumbly-type break would be removed by AGC action. In a system with a hardware AGC, crossing a high gain threshold resets gain to a low value and the resulting abrupt and persisting change in signal level is detected by the abrupt tool break logic. Another embodiment uses the gain command output by a software AGC and generates a break detected signal directly, without resetting the gain command, as gain rises above a high gain alarm level which is recalculated at the start of each cut.

Abstract: A Machine Tool Monitor detects significant cutting tool breakage and the first contact of an advancing tool to a workpiece, and does this by monitoring vibration signals produced by the machining of parts and interpreting patterns in these signals. Information from the part program improves the performance of the detector and optimizes it for the cutting conditions called for by the machine tool control. The analog channel gain of the monitor is adjusted and parameters controlling the digital pattern recognition logic are selected using part program information on machining parameters. The tool touch or tool break detection mode is selected by the part program.

Abstract: Substantial cutting condition changes that occur gradually, as opposed to the more usual sudden large change, are detected by setting upper and lower cutting noise mean level thresholds. When the mean cutting noise exceeds the upper threshold or stays below the lower threshold for a preset number of signal samples, a tool break alarm is generated. Techniques are given to reduce false alarms at the start and end of the cut and on runout on initial rough surface cuts. The system comprises an accelerometer or other sensor whose signal is preprocessed to attenuate lower frequency machinery noise and detect the signal energy in a band below 100 KHz, then sampled, and the digitized signal samples analyzed by pattern recognition logic.

Abstract: This tool break detection system relies on monitoring changes in the cutting noise itself, rather than detecting the tool fracture acoustic signal. A broken tool capable of damaging the workpiece is detected, and tool break events that do not affect cutting conditions are ignored. The signal from a sensor such as an accelerometer is preprocessed to attenuate low frequency machinery noise and detect the signal energy in a band below 100 KHz, then sampled, and the digitized signal samples analyzed by pattern recognition logic. Runout false alarms during rough surface cutting are prevented; after detection of an abrupt increase or decrease in signal level, the confirmation period to test for a persistent shift in mean level is set longer than the workpiece revolution period.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring vibrations of a machine tool metal-cutting tool insert and interpreting them to promptly detect the initial touch to the workpiece and signal the tool to stop advancing before marring the surface. The signal generated by a sensor such as an accelerometer is preprocessed to eliminate lower frequency machine noise and detect the energy in a higher frequency band, then sampled and analyzed by digital circuitry. In order to avoid false alarms on high amplitude spiky noise pulses generated by traverse operation of the machine tool, the tool touch alarm is delayed longer than the maximum duration of the noise pulses. Two techniques are given to ignore the noise spikes while still detecting the tool touch signal.