A new method of cutting force measurement based on command voltages of active electro-magnetic bearings

Abstract In this paper, a new indirect method of measuring dynamic cutting forces is proposed. Milling tests have been performed on a five-axis machine, Gambin 120CR, fitted out with an electro-spindle with magnetic bearings developed by the company S2M, and named SMB30. These bearings are not affected by friction and wear. An experimental approach has been developed to determine the cutting forces as a function of the measured command voltages of the milling spindle’s magnetic bearings. The spindle is treated as a “black box”, where the transfer functions linking the unknown cutting force with command voltages are established experimentally. The cutting forces calculated from the command voltages of magnetic bearings are in good agreement with the ones measured with a Kistler four-component dynamometer. This indirect method of cutting force determination provides a useful way to estimate tool wear and monitor product quality in high-speed milling on-line.