UCD Researchers Develop a “Pallet-Integrated” Wireless Dynamometer for CNC Machines
Monday, 18 December, 2023
Dr Eamonn Ahearne and Dr Szymon Baron have developed a pallet-integrated wireless dynamometer for monitoring the component forces in milling on platform CNC machines. The system is demonstrated in the above video on a DMG Mori Ultrasonic 20 Linear (awarded to UCD by the “Machine Tool Technologies Research Foundation”).
Integration of the wireless dynamometer and other sensors, into a mobile work-holding “pallet unit”, meets a need in high end manufacturing for high resolution, high frequency, multi-scale measurements of process-oriented parameters. The ease of set up and wireless operation, advance a general goal to improve the quality of results from production experiments and tests, reduce the time to conduct tests on busy production machines, and overall reduce risks and increase payback from process improvement and development projects.
The video shows real-time measurements of the three force components at sampling rates of 500Hz with wireless transmission of the data to a local PC for display on the screen shown inset in the video. The “pallet” unit houses four matched Kistler piezo-electric force sensors, a compact scalable high-resolution 3-channel charge amplifier, a wireless data acquisition (DAQ) system and high capacity battery power supplies (plus other ancillary electronics). All the sensors, instruments and electronics are sealed to a high degree against ingress of coolant. Finally, the “high stiffness” pallet unit has a standard quick-release mechanical interface to the machine and can be automatically loaded-unloaded and moved between machines with a similar standard interface.
This project was funded by Enterprise Ireland and DePuy Synthes through the “Innovation Partnership” scheme.
Invaluable support was also provided by Kistler UK and Mr Derek Reilly of UCD.
Contact: For more information, please contact:
Dr Eamonn Ahearne at (opens in a new window)+353 (0)1 716 1996 or e-mail (opens in a new window)eamonn.ahearne@ucd.ie