A STUDY OF THE CONTACT INTERFACE OF A T-SLOT MILLING CUTTER USING AN ULTRASONIC METHOD

摘要

As there is no reliable mathematical model to analyze a simultaneous multi-point contact, ultrasound offers an effective way to study the contact between two objects. In this study, a measurement of the contact area between a T-slot milling cutter and a steel plate was investigated by using ultrasonic regional detection. A single transducer was equipped to inspect the contact surface. The transducer movement was 0.15 mm, which resulted in 25,600 scanning data points within a 24 mm x 24 mm square area. The scanned readings were taken from the original signal and then processed to plot the contact patches, using MATLAB. The image of contact area between a T-slot milling cutter and specimen can be worked out using image analysis software. The range of contact areas varies from 3 mm(2) to 49 mm(2) in axial contact and from 0.3 mm(2) to 9.6 mm(2) in lateral contact, depending on the contact force and the definition of contrast ratio. Knowing the size of contact area is helpful for conducting a wear diagnosis. In addition, a distribution map of contact pressure against the applied loading is presented.