Spindle with built-in acoustic emission sensor to realize contact detection

Recently, the demand for realizing micromachining through small-diameter tools has increased. When performing microfabrication using a numerically controlled machine tool, a machining error may be introduced if the relative position of the tool tip and workpiece surface deviates during tool change. Therefore, it is critical to determine this relative position in an actual machining condition at a specific spindle speed. We are currently developing an air bearing turbine spindle with a built-in acoustic emission sensor that can detect the contact of the tool tip with the workpiece surface in real time. The acoustic emission (AE) signal generated at the tool tip can be accurately detected by placing the AE sensor in direct contact with the tool end surface inside the main shaft floated by air. In this study, we investigated the possibility of contact detection between the tool tip and the workpiece surface at the submicrometer level through the proposed spindle. The results of the performed evaluation experiments indicated that by using the spindle with a built-in acoustic emission sensor, the contact of the small-diameter tool tip with the workpiece surface could be detected with damage to the workpiece at the submicrometer level on average.