Surface features as indicators of tool chipping in single point face milling of aluminium

We describe a set of wear tests in which machined surfaces were produced by single point face milling of an aluminium alloy. The objectives were firstly to identify surface characteristics associated with tool chipping, and secondly to demonstrate that a fibre optic surface profiling probe capable of in-situ operation on the machine tool had the ability to provide the same wear information as a metrological interference microscope. Spectral energy of the surface profiles decreased significantly with insert damage in a spatial frequency band around the tooth passing frequency of the cutter and also at higher spatial frequencies. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.