Tool Wear Prediction Based on Artificial Neural Network during Aluminum Matrix Composite Milling †

This article deals with the phenomenon of tool wear prediction in face milling of aluminum matrix composite materials (AMC), class as hard-to-cut materials. Artificial neural networks (ANN) are one of the tools used to predict tool wear or surface roughness in machining. Model development is applicable when regression models do not give satisfactory results. Because of their mechanical properties based on SiC or Al2O3 reinforcement, AMCs are applied in the automotive and aerospace industry. Due to these materials’ abrasive nature, a three-edged end mill with diamond coating was selected to carry out milling tests. In this work, multilayer perceptron (MLP) models were used to predict the tool flank wear VBB and tool corner wear VBC during milling of AMC with 10% SiC content. The signals of vibration acceleration and cutting forces were selected as input to the network, and the tests were carried out with three cutting speeds. Based on the analysis of the developed models, the models with the best efficiency were selected, and the quality of wear prediction was assessed. The main criterion for evaluating the quality of the developed models was the mean square error (MSE) in order to compare measured and predicted value of tool wear.