TOOL FAILURE DETECTION UTILIZING FREQUENCY DERIVED, PRE-CHARACTERIZATION TEMPLATES

A system and method to create frequency derived, pre-characterization templates to be used by a machine operator for determining when a tool breaks in one spindle of a multi-spindle machine tool. The pre-characterization template is created by first impacting the tool or the holder and recording the time domain of the frequency pattern of vibrations. The natural frequencies of the tool/tool holder/spindle vibrations which include the vibration frequencies of the tool braking are recorded. Pre-characterization templates are created using FFT techniques to identify only those frequencies indicative of tool breakage. The machine tool operator then uses the monitoring system with pre-characterization templates during machine tool operation and is notified in real time of the breakage of a tool in a single spindle or a multi-spindle machine.