Sensor and actuator integrated tooling systems

Abstract

The advances in electronics, sensors, actuators, smart materials, computers, and communication technologies led to new and improved mechatronics-based smart tooling systems. This paper reviews the sensors and actuators used in tooling systems. The sensor principles to measure force, displacement, and temperature are explained. Actuators based on piezo, magnetorheological fluid, shape memory alloy, and magnetostrictive principles are discussed. Wireless and wire-based power supply and signal transmission techniques to stationary and rotating tools are described. The integration of sensors, actuators, power supply, and microcontrollers to various tooling systems used in boring, milling, turning, and grinding operations are presented along with their process monitoring and control applications in the industry. It is shown that the sensor-actuator tooling systems improve the accuracy, robustness, and productivity of machining which adds intelligence to the machine tools. The current challenges include widening the operating bandwidth of tooling systems, wireless power and high-speed data transmission, miniaturization of actuators and sensors, and onboard processing using embedded micro-controllers.