Neural image processing of the wear of cutting tools coated with thin films

Small milling cutters are susceptible to very small changes in geometry on the surface of the cutting edge that are substantial when machining at the microscale. The purpose of this paper is to show how to design a neural image processing program to accurately determine the amount of wear accumulated on small milling cutters after successive machining operations. After determining the amount of wear on a small milling cutter, the program creates the appropriate amount of compensation to be used for a computer numerical control (CNC) machining program that will account for in-process tool wear. This paper was presented at the fourth International Surface Engineering Congress and Exposition held August 1–3, 2005 in St. Paul, MN.