PVDF sensor based monitoring of single-point cutting

A low-cost, high fidelity measurement system consisting of a thin film polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric strain rosette and data logging electronics has been designed, fabricated and evaluated for monitoring the dynamic cutting forces and torque in single-point cutting processes, specifically turning and boring. Physics-based models are used to relate the measured voltage to the process forces and the torque. Using assumptions about particular strain components, simplified strain sensor rosettes are developed to isolate particular strains of interest. Wired and wireless communication methods are demonstrated to transmit the dynamic strains measured by the sensors to a data logging base station. The proposed methods are experimentally validated through comparison with quartz-based piezoelectric cutting force dynamometer measurements.