Experimental measurement of the cutting forces and wear of the drill in processing X17CrNi16-2 martensitic stainless steel

For the optimum setup of an industrial manufacturing process, it can be important to know the drilling forces and moments. In many cases, theoretical estimates are not accurate enough, especially when dealing with new materials, and experimental measurements are mandatory. This paper presents the design of a dynamometer comprising a one-spoked wheel elastic component to measure the drilling thrust force and the drilling moment. A finite element analysis was made, using Ansys software, to find the most favorable position for the strain gauges. One set of strain gauges was bonded to spokes to determine the torque, and a second set was bonded to the other two spokes to quantify the axial thrust force. After dynamometer manufacturing, a calibration operation is achieved, and tests are performed by measuring the drilling forces, thrust, and torque on American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1020 steel. The analogue signals from the gauges were recorded using a computer with a data acquisition device. Tool wear is studied, and the results are presented in the paper. A good agreement between results from the literature and computations demonstrates the efficiency and accuracy of this measuring instrument.