A tool has been developed with a sensor insert capable of directly detecting flank wear during cutting operations. The in-process tool integrates the tool with a sensor thin film made of a conductive material. A belt-type sensor thin film pattern with a function for detecting when flank wear width reaches service life. The tip sensor width is set to the same value as the amount of flank wear judged to be equivalent to the tool life; by monitoring the electrical resistance across the terminals provided in the tip pocket during cutting, it is possible to determine when tool lifetime has been reached, at which time the flank wear will have advanced to the end of the sensor line, breaking the electrical circuit and causing the resistance across the terminals to become infinite. In a series of test experiments, with varied cutting conditions, the practical reliability and usefulness of the meter was confirmed. In addition to wear measurement, it was shown that the sensor could signal the machine to automatically stop when the insert wears out.
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