Methodology for tool wear analysis by electrical measuring during milling of AISI H13 and its impact on surface morphology

Tool wear is increasingly studied in order to minimize manufacturing costs and improve the quality of the machined parts. This study becomes more important when high hardness materials are machined and a high quality surface topography has to be obtained. A worn tool requires more cutting forces than a new one, which motivates a greater input power. Measuring the power consumed during machining is simple, just inserting a current analyzer connected to a monitoring system into the machine. In the present study the energy consumption of the machined was studied during two machining operations (roughing and finishing) of AISI H13 material with two different hardness in order to relate to tool wear.