BiPolarMoment
Mechanical
- Mar 28, 2006
- 622
We have some custom stainless steel tools with hole saw type geometry where the cutting 'tips' are not of a standard geometry--it has a scalloped leading edge which creates two sharp 'peaks' at the innermost and outermost edges:
View attachment 8604
These items are intended for limited re-use, but we would like to be able to determine (in-between uses) when they are no longer "sharp enough" without requiring complicated/time-consuming/expensive metrology such as was necessary when they were first manufactured. Presently there is a visual inspection (minor magnification only) that should weed out ones that are obviously damaged (e.g. fractured/bent edges) but can not reliably determine when it is simply 'dull'. Therefore, if I can find examples of various levels of dullness (determined subjectively), can we develop a way to 'measure' them somehow in a fashion that can be adapted for a relatively non-skilled technician to evaluate?
Curious to know what may already be out there to evaluate something like this. A thought thus far would be to somehow use pressure sensitive film (or similar) under a (non-destructive) controlled axial load to evaluate the contact patterns created... but my exposure (pun intended) to using said film is mostly tales of how knee replacement devices were developed/evaluated and nothing practical.
Any obvious ideas?
View attachment 8604
These items are intended for limited re-use, but we would like to be able to determine (in-between uses) when they are no longer "sharp enough" without requiring complicated/time-consuming/expensive metrology such as was necessary when they were first manufactured. Presently there is a visual inspection (minor magnification only) that should weed out ones that are obviously damaged (e.g. fractured/bent edges) but can not reliably determine when it is simply 'dull'. Therefore, if I can find examples of various levels of dullness (determined subjectively), can we develop a way to 'measure' them somehow in a fashion that can be adapted for a relatively non-skilled technician to evaluate?
Curious to know what may already be out there to evaluate something like this. A thought thus far would be to somehow use pressure sensitive film (or similar) under a (non-destructive) controlled axial load to evaluate the contact patterns created... but my exposure (pun intended) to using said film is mostly tales of how knee replacement devices were developed/evaluated and nothing practical.
Any obvious ideas?
