Sensing the Tool Tip Position in Drilling of Composite-Titanium Stack Materials

Knowing the position of the drill tip during the drilling of stacked materials is a necessary factor for many process control reason. Force signals and audio signals were collected during the drilling process of composite-Titanium and composite-composite stacks to predict/sense the location of the drill tip. The acquired Force signals and audio signals were analyzed and the profile of these signals shows the position of the drill tip in the drilling process. From these the location of the drill tip at any given time was determined/ sensed during the drilling process, In addition, the time that the drill tip passes through the interface of the stack materials were identified.