In-situ identification of material batches using machine learning for machining operations

In subtractive manufacturing, differences in machinability among batches of the same material can be observed. Ignoring these deviations can potentially reduce product quality and increase manufacturing costs. To consider the influence of the material batch in process optimization models, the batch needs to be efficiently identified. Thus, a smart service is proposed for in-situ material batch identification. This service is driven by a supervised machine learning model, which analyzes the signals of the machine’s control, especially torque data, for batch classification. The proposed approach is validated by cutting experiments with five different batches of the same specified material at various cutting conditions. Using this data, multiple classification models are trained and optimized. It is shown that the investigated batches can be correctly identified with close to 90% prediction accuracy using machine learning. Out of all the investigated algorithms, the best results are achieved using a Support Vector Machine with 89.0% prediction accuracy for individual batches and 98.9% while combining batches of similar machinability.