Manuf. and Ind. Eng., 11(1), 2012, ISSN 1338-6549 Faculty of Manuf. Tech.

TUKE

Selected Examples of High Speed Camera Application in Cutting Process Research

Bogdan Sodki, Wojciech Zbala, Ildiko Makova Abstract
The paper presents some examples of high speed camera application in machining research. The components of high speed camera stand are described. Various examples were depicted concerning turning, milling and drilling operations. Additionally a few examples of anomalies in chip breaking process revealed during observation have been discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of presented method are pointed out. The paper presents just a few examples. The recordings can complement force and temperature measurement equipment. It enables precise observation and explanation of various phenomena in cutting zone, chip forming and flow or behavior of various tools in actual machining. Like every research method there are some drawbacks. Keywords: high speed camera, cutting, chip forming, monitoring

1 Introduction
Researchers trying to investigate phenomena in cutting zone usually make an effort to use various equipments to register necessary data. Typically they use dynamometers for the measurement of cutting force components or torques and infrared cameras for temperature measurement in cutting zone. Both kinds of apparatus can acquire a lot of data but none of them enables to observe phenomena like chip forming and creation in actual machining environment. The problems concerning chip breakage have still been in the focus of various researches [1 - 4]. There are many methods (experimental, simulation, modelling) applied but none of them enable to explain and control this phenomena. The development of high speed camera technology enables record, observation and presentation particular phases of chip creation and breakage. The history of fast phenomena recording originated in 1877 when Myubridge [6] recorded sequences of horse gallop proving the fact that there is a moment when the horse keeps all legs in air and doesnt touch the ground. From that time there are many areas for high speed camera system utilisation such as automotive industry (crash tests), biomechanics, electrical industry, aircraft and aerospace industry, armaments industry, research work, test of new contraptions. Nowadays there are a lot of producers of high speed cameras like Fastvision, Mikrotron, Optronis, Qualisys, Vision Research, Fastec Imaging to select a few. They produce cameras which are able to record up to a few hundred frames per second. Maximum resolution acquired is approximately 1280 x 1024 pixels. However, it should be remembered that the maximum resolution can be used usually with limited speed of recording. For example, the camera Phantom V5.2 has max. resolution 1152x896 pixels with the recording speed 1000 frames per second, but only 96x8 pixels with the recording speed 148 000 frames per second. Time of recording depends on the memory built in camera, it usually does not exceed a few seconds. Cameras usually have the system of replaceable lenses. Two kind of mounts are common, C-mount (Canon system) and F-mount (Nikon system). Typical chip form recording system lay-out and its implementation is shown on Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. [5] Indispensable part of every stand is lighting system. It can consist of two kinds of lights; diffused lighting and directional cold spot lighting. Directional cold spot lighting seems to be the best one. High temperature field generated from traditional lighting system can even destroy lenses. It should be remembered that the intensity of light decreases with increasing of distance between the object and the source of light. A so called cold light is save from the close distance for lenses and the camera, Tab.1. On the contrary halogen diffused light must be placed far away from the object to guarantee acceptable temperature.

Fig. 1 Typical chip form recording system lay-out

Fig. 2 Research stand mounted on precision lathe

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Tab. 1 Parameters of cold light

Distance [cm] Intensity [lx] Lightened area [ cm] Temperature [C] 20 2 390 000 6.5 59 30 1 130 000 7.0 42 40 580 000 9.0 35 50 370 000 12.0 31

Camera sends data (frames) to the computer program, Fig. 3. The program usually enables to process the film (adjust brightness, contrast, gamma, saturation), select interesting sequences, record selected frames in various formats like multipage TIFF or prepare *.avi films for presentation.

Fig. 3 Example of user interface computer program for acquisition high speed camera recordings

2 High speed camera application in machining selected examples

The recording system based on high speed camera can have various applications in machining. The main areas can include: Tests of chip breaking useful areas in local machining environment (revision of tool manufacturer recommendations). Monitoring the operation of tools in actual machining process. Testing theoretical models concerning chip breaking phenomena. Fig. 4 represent chips photos in turning Inconel 718 with a Sandvik Coromant tool equipped with chipformer type 23. Data acquired in recording process enabled to classify the chips as correct (marked +), acceptable (marked 0) and wrong (marked x). Thus the useble area for the application of recommended chip former has been pointed out (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4 Chip shapes when turning Inconel 718 with chip former-23 (Sandvik Coromant, insert WNMG 080404) and recommended area of cutting conditions As mentioned previously, high speed camera enables to isolate sequences of machining process. Fig. 5 represents the example of chip breaking sequence in orthogonal turning. Chip is about to break after hitting a raw material surface. Acquisition parameters were as follow: resolution 384x768 pixels, frame rate 3300 fps, exposure time 100 s.

Fig. 5 Chip breaking sequence: material Al6061-T6, vc=600 m/min, f=0,2, ap=2 [7] The following photo, Fig 6, presents example of high speed camera recordings in milling operations. Chips behavior was monitored. Recordings were made with the resolution 1152 x 896 pixels. Frame rate was 1000 fps, exposure time 500 s. It is noticeable that chips usually glue to the rake face of a tool and leave cutting zone after next cut.

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to the restriction of usable chipformer application area operating in an actual machining environment.

Fig. 6 Slot drill cutter in action Fig. 7 shows selected frames showing a no load operation of a mill mounted to the air operated high speed spindle rotating 90000 rev/min. The head of the tool has 3 mm diameter. Initial acquisition parameters were as follow: resolution 512x512 pixels, frame rate 3164 fps, exposure time 310 s. However, spindle rotational speed was too high to achieve sharp pictures of cutting edges. But even due to these initial tests a little radial run out of the tool is visible. This was not possible when watching operation of the tool with naked aye.

Fig. 9 Example of unsuitablet chip form (left), Inconel 625, vc = 65 m/min, ap = 0,5 mm, fn = 0,077 mm/rev, and correct form (right) for the same cutting speed and depth of cut but for the feed fn = 0,249 mm/rev [5] Usually, it turns out that chipformers are more efficient for greater values of depth of cut and feed. The limit is the strength of insert material. When it is exceeded, a catastrophic wear is inevitable. Two ways of chipbreaking in one cut can be also observed. Fig. 10 shows example of chipbreaking cycles under the following cutting conditions: vc = 65 m/min, ap = 2,5 mm, fn = 0,153 mm/rev. Chips were formed by hitting workpiece rough surface or by hitting flank surface of a tool. Sometimes, although the beginning of the breaking cycle seemed to end with hitting workpiece rough surface, it actually ended with hitting flank surface of a tool. It was a random process.

Fig. 7 Air operated high speed spindle selected frames showing a little radial run out of a tool The following picture sequences, Fig. 8, present the various stages of chips remove in hole making process with a drill. Acquisition parameters: resolution 512x512 pixels, frame rate 2700 fps, exposure 319 s.

Fig. 10 Two kinds of chip breaking in one cut, Inconel 625 vc = 65 m/min, ap = 2,5 mm, fn = 0,153 mm/rev [5] An atypical phenomenon is presented in Fig. 11. Despite the fact that cutting data followed the recommendations of tool manufacturer, incorrect chip form has been achieved. The chip bent in minor flank face direction and was out of control. Probably, during cutting into process, the chip groove was not filled enough to force chip to move in the correct direction. Chips like this can destroy machined surface easily.

Fig. 8 Particular steps of filling two chip channels in drilling operation

3 Chip forming research with high speed camera - selected examples

The following presents a few examples of anomalies in chip forming discovered in turning operation. The cases will be presented with more details. Despite the fact that in some recommendation by tool manufactures application areas (Fig. 4) a chip breaking process is correct, a lot of anomalies can be observed leading to incorrect chip form. Fig. 9 is an example of radical change of chip form caused by different values of feed. This leads Fig. 11 Incorrect chip forms in Inconel 718 longitudual turning vc = 50 m/min, ap = 2,0 mm, fn = 0,211 mm/rev [5] Detailed examination of observed phenomena leads to the conclusion that current descriptions of chip forming process are correct for a single chip breakage cycle. It is so because chip forming and breaking process is influenced by

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many factors, like sudden changes in local workpiece material structure i.e. its heterogeneity, vibrations of a machine tool or variations of the temperature in cutting zone causing disturbances in chip curvature and the contact length between the chip and chipformer surface.

5 Concluding remarks
High speed camera application in machining proved to be a flexible tool. It should be remembered that it is not easy task to present gathered collection of experimental films in sequences of pictures, films are more convincing. Nevertheless, some conclusions can be drawn. This observation method can be applied in every kind of machining operation. The paper presents just a few examples. The recordings can complement force and temperature measurement equipment. It enables precise observation and explanation of various phenomena in cutting zone, chip forming and flow or behavior of various tools in actual machining. Like every research method there are some drawbacks. Setting up time is pretty long. Every recording needs some preliminary tests concerning setting acquisition data, kind of lenses and lighting positioning and intensity. It is possible to record only machining operations that do not need coolants. On the other hand, the stand can be flexibly used in any production enterprise to help solve machining problems on the spot. dr.hab. Slodki Bogdan, M.Sc., Prof. dr hab. Zebala Wojciech, M.Sc., Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Street Al-Jana Pavla II 37, 31155, Cracow Poland, E-mail: slodki@mech.pk.edu.pl E-mail: zebala@mech.pk.edu.pl

Prof. Makova Ildik, M.Sc., PhD., Technical University of Kosice, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Technology and Materials, Street Msiarska 74, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic, E-mail: ildiko.mankova@tuke.sk

References
[1] Honczarenko J.: Roboty przemysowe. Budowa i zastosowanie, UZUP, Warszawa 2004. [2] Jemielniak K.: Automatyczna diagnostyka stanu narzdzia i procesu skrawania, Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Warszawskiej, Warszawa 2002. [3] Jemielniak K., Kosmol J.: Diagnostyka narzdzia i procesu skrawania - stan aktualny i kierunki rozwoju, Mechanik,1996, vol. 69, p 10. [4] Kosmol, J.: Automatyzacja obrabiarek i obrbki skrawaniem, Wydawnictwo NaukowoTechniczne, Warszawa 1995. [5] Sodki B.: Selected sequences of chip breaking process in turning nickel based superalloys, Advances in Manufacturing Science and Technology, vol. 35, nr. 2/2011, ISSN 1895 9881, pp. 29 36. [6] Zbala W., Sodki B.: Rejestracja obrazu w nadzorowaniu procesu skrawania, Wydawnictwo PK, 2011, ISBN 978-83-7242-605-5

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