Optomechatronic tool wear sensor positioning with increased repeatability

Accurate tool wear measurement is crucial for optimizing tool life and product quality. Therefore, our research aim is to realize an optomechatronic sensor solution for in-situ tool wear measurements, using a chromatic confocal sensor and a robotic arm integrated into a turning machine. To enable tool wear measurements with maximal repeatability, i. e. to enable precise sensor positioning despite the robotic arm's position uncertainty of 50 μm, a tool coordinate system (TCS) is defined based on the tool's unworn edge. Validation experiments on a reference sphere show enhanced repositioning capabilities of the optomechatronic sensor system with the proposed TCS-based registration method in the order of 6 μm.