ABSTRACT
Machine tool monitoring and control are essential for automated manufacturing. Monitoring is necessary for detection of a process anomaly to prevent machine damage by stopping the process, or to remove the anomaly by adjusting the process inputs. Process monitoring is generally performed through the analysis of process measurements. To provide a representative sample of approaches used in the area, the chapter discusses tool wear estimation, tool breakage detection, and chatter identification as the most investigated topics in machine tool monitoring. Methods used for flank wear estimation can be classified as either direct or indirect. Chatter is the self-excited vibration of the machine tool that reflects the instability of the cutting process. The advent of open-architecture control provides a natural framework for implementation of control systems in machine tools. Control for process regulation has been attempted for one of the following reasons: maintaining constant power or force, safeguarding against chatter, or correcting machine tool errors.
