AIA-DAGA 2013 Merano

Acoustic Emission Sensors based on Piezo-Composites

for Machinery Engineering Applications
Christian Probst1, Peter Holstein1, Dominik Surek2, Andreas Tharandt3
1
SONOTEC Ultraschallsensorik Halle GmbH, 06112 Halle Saale, Germany, Email: p.holstein@sonotec.de
2
An-Institut Fluid- und Pumpentechnik, 06217 Merseburg, Germany, Email: dominik.surek@hs-merseburg.de
3
Steinbeis-Transferzentrum „Technische Akustik und angewandte Numerik“, 04425 Taucha, Germany

Introduction many resonances caused by the quantity of different

vibration modes of such type of discs.
This paper reports on new acoustic emission (AE) sensors
based on piezo-composites and the current investigation on
the application of acoustic emission for machinery
engineering. The application of ultrasonic sensors for
condition monitoring has been reported in several papers
[1, 2 and 3]. The correlation between the AE, vibration and
turbine load measured during run-up and run-down of a
power generation turbinehas been investigated by Zuluaga-
Giraldo et al. [1] . Miettinen and Pataniity report in review
[2] about condition monitoring with AE methods
concentrating on extremely slowly rotating rolling bearing.
Li reviews in [3] the AE-based tool wear condition Figure 1: Impedance of piezo-electric discs with diameter
monitoring in turning, which includes AE signal generation 35 mm and thickness resonance at 500 kHz.
and correction in metal cutting processes, AE signal For the first experiments piezo-composites with main
processing, and tool wear estimation. These are examples of resonance at 1 MHz for the thickness mode were chosen.
the many applications of acoustic emission in machinery
engineering with usage of conventional AE sensors based on The piezo-composites used in this project were
piezo-ceramic discs. manufactured by the Dice-and-Fill technique. This complex
technique was established at SONOTEC [4] in 2008. Figure
Acoustic emission in the typical frequency range from 2 illustrates the manufacturing process. A piezo-ceramic
100 kHz to 1 MHz is a versatile method for measuring of plate (e.g. Lead-zirconate-titanate – PZT) is partially cut by
small displacements with low energy. One of the main a wafer dicing machine in two directions under an angle of
advantages is the possibility for an relatively early detection 90 degrees. The gaps is filled with polyurethane or epoxy
of so-called acoustic emission activity before conventional resin. After hardening the plate is grinded to final thickness.
vibration technique is sensitive to different critical states. In the end of the process the composite is metallised and
However, the main problem of the usage of conventional AE polarised.
sensors is the complex characteristic frequency response of
such sensors based on piezo-ceramic discs. Therefore, this
article demonstrates the first steps of development of new
AE sensors based on piezo-composites. Main advantage will
be the reproducible frequency response which can be
linearized to a certain extent. Unwanted resonances are
suppressed which enables the application of spectral signal
processing techniques.

Technical Approach
The first step of the current investigation is the development
of sensors based on piezo-composites. These sensors should
show the general advantages of piezo-composite transducers:
- Suppression of unwanted resonances (see figure 1)
- Access to a wide frequency range and the possibility to
linearize the transducer transfer function
- Increased freedom in transducer design e.g. flexible or
special curved transducers
Even the impedance curves of the two different discs
illustrate the suppression of unwanted resonances by using a
piezo-composite. In contrast the piezo-ceramic disc shows
Figure 2: Piezo-ceramic plate, first cut, second cut, filling
in the matrix, grinding to final thickness, metallization and
polarization.
This manufacturing is a complex process and has with
different difficulties.
However, composite material exhibits some important
advantages, which establishes new opportunities for setting
properties of the transducer. The variables for influencing
the properties are:
• Type of piezo-ceramic
• Type of plastic matrix
• Pitch of the piezo-ceramic pillars

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• Arrangement of piezo-ceramic pillars
• Gap width
• Thickness of the plate
• Shape of the plate and
• Macroscopic pitch of transducer elements.
The first sensors were built with fixed setup for piezo-
composite structure with a composite diameter of 20 mm. It
could be demonstrated that an effective suppression of
unwanted resonances in a broad frequency range could be
achieved. As results, the impedance curves are shown in
figure 3 and figure 4.
Figure 3: Impedance of a conventional AE sensor with
piezo-ceramic disc.
Figure 4: Impedance of a new AE sensor with piezo-
composite disc.
In comparison to piezo-ceramic sensor the impedance of the
composite sensor does not exhibit any resonance in the range
from 20 kHz to 600 kHz.
In the next step new miniature sized AE sensors for
continuous condition monitoring were developed.
Figure 5: New AE sensors used in this project.
Application example: Wafer dicing machine
The aim of this example is to demonstrate that the new AE
sensors can be applied for condition monitoring of
processing ceramic substrates with a precision wafer dicing
machine. The motivation is the optimisation of dicing
processes generally, the optimisation of dicing processes
especially of so called hard-to-cut materials or the condition
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monitoring of processing very expansive parts and of course
for general condition monitoring of these machines.
The dicing machine was equipped with new AE sensors
based on piezo-composites. The thickness resonance
frequency of these sensors is about 1 MHz. The signals were
acquired with a Data translation DT 9847-2-2 and analyzed
with Matlab (TheMathworks). A sampling rate of 216 kHz
was applied. Figure 6 shows the dicing machine and the
measurement equipment.
Figure 6: Dicing machine and measurement equipment.
The example of the wafer dicing machine is an interesting
application because of the special spindles which are used in
these machines. The high speed spindles with revolutions up
to 60000 per minute are air bearing spindles with brushless
motors. Hence, there is no direct mechanical coupling
between the rotating and stationary parts within the process.
Additionally, the air bearing permanently causes acoustic
emission by blowing out air continuously.
Figure 7: AE sensors mounted on the spindle.
A standard dicing process of three ceramic discs fixed in one
row was analyzed. Figure 8 shows a typical pattern of this.
The process has duration of about 6 seconds for each cut
line. The first step is the down movement of Z-axis. The
second step is the cutting process. Steps three and four are
the motion back to starting position. Steps one, three and
four are done in high speed movement. The cutting process

is done in slower speed. Therefore, the interesting step for
optimisation is only step two.
4 Z-axis up
1 2 3 Processing disc 3
Figure 8: Pattern of dicing process of three ceramic discs.
The results of the cutting process for one cut line are
illustrated in the following figures. The different phases of
the cutting process are reflected in the changed AE-
intensities.
Figure 9: Time signal of dicing process.
In the first step the amplitude spectra (figure 10) of the blade
position between two parts (red coloured) and blade position
in processing one part (blue coloured) were calculated.
Besides this comparison a general result cannot be defined.
So, there is the need of post-processing of row data to get
more precise information.
Figure 10: Amplitude spectra.
The spectra are a superposition of narrow-band lines caused
by forced oscillations of the structure and broad-band areas
(probably) reflecting the friction of the direct cutting
process. After post-processing the result could be a
spectrogram of the whole process. The spectrogram in figure
11 illustrates all 8 different parts of the process. All the time
some fixed low frequencies could be measured. These are
effects of the rotating spindle with fixed revolution of maybe
30000 per minute. At the beginning and at the end of the cut
(step 1 and 3) the very high acceleration in the z-axis-
direction results in high amplitudes over a w frequency
range with maximum at 5 kHz. During the cut (step 2) the
processing of the three discs results in reproducible changes
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of the spectrum at different frequencies. The highest
amplitudes were generated around 20 kHz.
time [s]
Processing disc 2
Processing disc 1
Z-axis down
frequency [kHz]
Figure 11: Spectrogram of the dicing process of
3 ceramic discs with duration of 6 seconds.
In conclusion, the new AE sensors based on piezo-
composites can be used for condition monitoring of dicing
processes. A detailed interpretation of the physical and
technical effects has to be part of further activities.
Further Activities
The first step of the further activities is the detailed
characterization of the first sensor types. Meanwhile or
afterwards we have to develop a suitable method for sensor
calibration. On this basis we will start the development of
different types of sensors and of customized applications.
The vision for a simultaneous capturing of acoustical signals
from very low frequencies up to ultrasonic signals using
broadband sensors has to be verified by these new sensors.
This results in signal-based measuring methods in addition
to parameter based methods. A more sophisticated data
processing reveals detailed and hidden acoustic emission
effects of the cutting process. Pattern recognition techniques
are needed to use this information for process control.
Acknowledgements
The present work results from the scientific collaboration
between SONOTEC Ultraschallsensorik Halle GmbH, FPT
An-Institut Fluid- und Pumpentechnik Merseburg and
Steinbeis-Transferzentrum „Technische Akustik und
angewandte Numerik”. The project is partly supported by
the ZIM-Program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm
Mittelstand”.
References
[1] Zuluaga-Giraldo, C., Mba, D., Smart, M.: Acoustic
Emission during run-up and run-down of a power generation
turbine. Tribology International, 37 (5), pp. 415-422, 2004
[2] Miettinen, J., Pataniity, P.: Acoustic Emission in
Monitoring Extremely Slowly Rotating Rolling Bearing.
Proceedings of COMADEM ´99. Oxford, Coxmoor
Publishing Company, pp. 289-297, 1999, ISBN 1-901892-
13-1
[3] Li, X.: A brief review: Acoustic emission method for tool
wear monitoring during turning. Int. Journal of Machine
Tools & Manufacture 42, pp. 157-165, 2002
[4] www.sonotec.de