Funding for Unique Measurement Technology for Machine Tools
Whether they are parts for an aircraft engine or high-precision components for medical technology, metal pieces are often machined—that is, processed with a hard tool that removes material—to achieve their final shape, for example through milling, turning, or drilling. Extreme conditions prevail at the point of contact between the tool and the workpiece: high temperatures approaching the metal’s melting point, intense pressure—the kind normally found only deep within rock layers—and chemical reactions that occur in less than one-millionth of a second.
The interplay of these effects influences how quickly a tool wears out and the quality of the machined surface—and thus also the costs and environmental impact of numerous technical products. The problem: precisely at the high speeds at which the industry has long been operating, the process cannot yet be accurately analyzed. Modern manufacturing achieves cutting speeds of up to 800 meters per minute; thus, the metal races past the tool at nearly 50 kilometers per hour. However, scientific studies of the mechanisms involved in machining have so far mostly stopped at a quarter of this speed, meaning that optimization at higher speeds has largely been achieved through trial and error.
Four Perspectives in One Machine
This is where the project led by physicist Dr. Jörg Debus, along with Prof. Dirk Biermann and Dr.-Ing. Jannis Saelzer from the Department of Mechanical Engineering comes in. Together, they are developing a specialized machine that combines high throughput with multidimensional measurement technology. To achieve the highest possible speeds, the tool and workpiece are mounted on two slides that move relative to one another, thereby combining their speeds. This also helps reduce vibrations affecting the sensitive measurement equipment. Using four spectroscopic methods simultaneously, several properties are measured: chemical composition, 3D structure, depth temperature, and surface tension. This allows real-time monitoring of how reactions proceed and protective layers form. The shape of the tool, workpiece, and chips can be determined with nanometer precision. In addition, this system makes it possible for the first time to measure the internal temperature of the tool. Combining these optical and spectroscopic measurement methods in a single machine that operates at top speed represents interdisciplinary pioneering work and gives the Dortmund site a unique selling point both nationally and internationally.
The benefits of this one-of-a-kind system extend beyond basic research, as the insights gained enable more sustainable production: Higher speeds mean shorter machining times and thus lower energy consumption andCO2 emissions per component. Once these previously hidden processes are understood for the first time, tools can be better designed for them, wear can be detected earlier, and processes can be controlled more reliably.
Embedded in Dortmund’s Strengths
The project builds on key areas of focus at TU Dortmund University: For example, the DAEDALUS Research Center, under the leadership of Dr. Jörg Debus, brings together optical spectroscopy and refines various measurement techniques that use light to provide information about materials. This makes DAEDALUS an important pillar of the materials science research focus that TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum are expanding through their Ruhr Innovation Lab consortium. The primary goal here is to harness the potential of AI to identify novel materials that can be rapidly produced, characterized, and improved through iterative processes. The new machine, which is scheduled to be built and tested over the next two years, will contribute to these capabilities.
Contacts for inquiries: