Long-term accuracy of MDF milling process-development of adaptive control system corresponding to progression of tool wear

The study describes a new adaptive control system corresponding to progression of tool wear. The idea was based on an original machine vision system used for measuring the dimensions of workpieces. It turned out that the new adaptive control system might be quite effective. A significant improvement (from IT16 to IT12) of long-term MDF milling process accuracy was observed. Moreover, it was found that direct measurement of cutting errors based on workpieces vision inspection was generally more useful than tool wear monitoring. The real cutting errors observed for MDF side milling were neither equal nor even strictly proportional to the errors which would be expected, or explainable, only on the basis of the real decrease in the diameter of end mill (the decrease being the obvious result of tool wear progression).