Transfer of the method for noise reduction based on compressed air to fast-rotating tools, supplemented with a design optimisation of tool base and chip space geometries

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Thomas Stehle
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering ; Production Automation and Assembly Technology
• Term: from 2018 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 396998561

The DFG research project "Development of a method based on compressed air for reducing the noise of rotating tools" proved that it is possible, also from an economic point of view, to effectively reduce the sound level by means of applying an additional airflow. The results obtained show a broad range of applications in which the developed noise reduction method can be used in the field of material removal. For use in the industrial practice, it is now intended to adapt this basic research method to modern standard machine tools and develop it further with regard to handling and economy. Hence, the aim of this transfer project is to realise and prove the suitability for production of the noise reduction systems developed with the compressed air method for reducing the sound level of fast-rotating tools. The planned investigations will show the suitability of this method for industrial application and to what extent its effectiveness can be influenced by design and process conditions. To achieve the most promising outcome regarding the noise reduction of material removal processes, the compressed air method will be supplemented here with a design optimisation of the tool base and chip space geometries.The Institute for Machine Tools developed measures regarding the air nozzle system and the design adaptation of the tool bases and the chip spaces. These measures will be regarded as two complementary approaches within the framework of this project. In the first approach, the properties of the surrounding air are changed favourably from an acoustic point of view by applying additional airflows in the near field of the tools or the cutting edges. The second approach refers to design measures resulting in an improvement of the tool geometry (bases and chip spaces) in respect of aeroacoustics, yet without influencing the actual efficiency of the tool regarding cutting characteristics, machining accuracy, tool life, etc. This means that the geometries of cutting edges remain unchanged. The two approaches will be adapted to each other so that a maximum noise reduction can be achieved. Finally, a computer-aided procedure will be worked out including instructions for designing low-noise milling tools and using air nozzle systems to effectively reduce the sound of fast-rotating tools.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Application Partner: MAPAL Fabrik für Präzisionswerkzeuge Dr. Kress KG
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr.-Ing. Hans Christian Möhring