Prediction of Drill Bit Breakage Using an Infrared Sensor

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Engineering
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Drill bit wear and breakage pose significant challenges in machining operations, leading to increased costs and reduced efficiency.
• Conventional methods for monitoring tool wear often rely on indirect measurements or post-process analysis, lacking real-time predictive capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel, low-cost method for predicting drill bit breakage using infrared sensor technology.
• To establish a reliable criterion for drill bit breakage detection based on infrared light reflection analysis.

Main Methods:

• A commercial infrared sensor was employed to measure the intensity of reflected infrared light from the drill bit's outer corner during titanium drilling.
• Reflected infrared light data, correlated with drill bit rotation angle, were analyzed to identify patterns indicative of wear and impending breakage.
• Gradient vectors derived from the slopes of reflected infrared light curves were utilized to establish a breakage prediction criterion.

Main Results:

• Two critical positions were identified from reflected infrared light graphs that reliably predict drill bit breakage.
• The proposed method demonstrated the influence of wear, edge shape, and surface roughness on infrared light reflection.
• The system proved resistant to electromagnetic noise and ambient temperature fluctuations due to optical fiber signal transmission.

Conclusions:

• The developed infrared sensing method provides an effective and low-cost solution for real-time drill bit wear monitoring and breakage prediction.
• This technique offers a significant advancement over conventional tool wear studies by enabling early detection and preventing catastrophic failures.
• The ease of installation, signal robustness, and simplified analysis make this method highly practical for industrial applications.