Development of an AE-based system for workpiece datum determination on a micro milling machine

Abstract

One of the challenges of micro machine tool’s development is the difficulty associated with the determination of workpiece datum. Touch trigger probes are used in combination with laser measurement systems on standard size machine, but this method is not suitable for micro machine. Hence, in this paper, an acoustic emission (AE)-based system was developed for workpiece datum determination on a micro milling machine, integrated with and implemented on the machine’s controller and evaluated. This system was found to be highly accurate and repeatable on various types of workpiece materials using a variety of tool sizes. In all cases the system was able to detect the tool-workpiece datum to an accuracy of 1 µm, using a step size of 1 µm.