Application of the Hilbert-Huang transform to machine tool condition/health monitoring

The machining process is highly dynamic, involving complicated interactions between a workpiece, cutting tool, and the machine tool itself. Appropriate vibration signal analysis can provide insight into the condition of both machine and process. In this paper, the utility of a new time-frequency technique for analyzing complicated time series data, known as the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT), is demonstrated. Preliminary analyses of vibration signals from end-milling tests are promising for future implementation of HHT in condition/health monitoring systems.