Boron Doped Diamond for Real-Time Wireless Cutting Temperature Monitoring of Diamond Coated Carbide Tools

Abstract

Among the unique opportunities and developments that are currently being triggered by the fourth industrial revolution, developments in cutting tools have been following the trend of an ever more holistic control of manufacturing processes. Sustainable manufacturing is at the forefront of tools development, encompassing environmental, economic, and technological goals. The integrated use of sensors, data processing, and smart algorithms for fast optimization or real time adjustment of cutting processes can lead to a significant impact on productivity and energy uptake, as well as less usage of cutting fluids. Diamond is the material of choice for machining of non-ferrous alloys, composites, and ultrahard materials. While the extreme hardness, thermal conductivity, and wear resistance of CVD diamond coatings are well-known, these also exhibit highly auspicious sensing properties through doping with boron and other elements. The present study focuses on the thermal response of boron-doped diamond (BDD) coatings. BDD coatings have been shown to have a negative temperature coefficient (NTC). Several approaches have been adopted for monitoring cutting temperature, including thin film thermocouples and infrared thermography. Although these are good solutions, they can be costly and become impractical for certain finishing cutting operations, tool geometries such as rotary tools, as well as during material removal in intricate spaces. In the scope of this study, diamond/WC-Co substrates were coated with BDD by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and the van der Pauw method were used for morphological, structural, and electrical characterization, respectively. The thermal response of the thin diamond thermistors was characterized in the temperature interval of 20–400 °C. Compared to state-of-the-art temperature monitoring solutions, this is a one-step approach that improves the wear properties and heat dissipation of carbide tools while providing real-time and in-situ temperature monitoring.

Real-Time Cutting Temperature Measurement in Turning of AISI 1045 Steel through an Embedded Thermocouple—A Comparative Study with Infrared Thermography

“…Ramirez-Nunez et al [29] used infrared thermography to develop a smart sensor for the timely detection of tool rupture in the milling process in dry and with coolant conditions, being the smart sensor capable of providing heat curves, the thermogram, and the thermogram's average acquired during the monitoring of the cutting process. Pratas et al [30] monitored the temperature during face milling of an Inconel 718 workpiece with a diamond coated cemented carbide end mill by infrared thermography and compared it with a boron doped diamond-based thermistor fabricated by HFCVD.…”

Spectroscopy of Single Crystal Diamond Plates Modified by Proton Beams to Create NV Centers

“…It is known that due to its cubic crystal structure with strong covalent bonds of carbon atoms, as well as record-high atomic density, diamond is the most promising wide-band semiconductor [1,2]. The unique properties and prospects of the high-tech application of diamonds are determined by the presence and concentration of various types of defects in the crystal lattice [3,4]. A necessary part of the process of creating plates with unique properties is irradiation with electron or proton beams [5,6].…”