Flank Wear Model of Cutting Tools Using Control Theory

A model of the flank wear of cutting tools is developed by using linear control theory. The flank wear is assumed to consist of a mechanically activated and a thermally activated component. The wear process is mathematically treated as a feedback process, whereby the progressive wear raises the cutting forces and temperature thereby increasing the thermally activated wear-rate, and contributes to the mechanically activated wear. A mathematical expression for the flank wear growth is derived and shown to be consistent with experimental results. The experimental data is fitted to the wear model for calculating the mechanical wear coefficient and activation energy for the thermally activated wear. The model yielded a new tool-life equation which is valid over a wider range of speed than Taylor tool-life equation.