Fabrication, Performance, Characterization and Experimental Calibration of Embedded Thin-Film Sensor for Tool Cutting Force Measurement

Thin-film strain sensors are widely used because of their small volume, fast strain response and high measurement accuracy. Among them, the thin-film material and preparation process of thin-film strain sensors for force measurement are important aspects. In this paper, the preparation process parameters of the transition layer, insulating layer and Ni-Cr alloy layer in a thin-film strain sensor are analyzed and optimized, and the influence of each process parameter on the properties of the thin film are discussed. The surface microstructure of the insulating layer with Al(2)O(3) or Si(3)N(4) transition layers and the film without transition layer were observed by atomic force microscopy. It is analyzed that adding a transition layer between the stainless steel substrate and insulation layer can improve the adhesion and flatness of the insulation layer. The effects of process parameters on elastic modulus, nanohardness and strain sensitivity coefficient of the Ni-Cr resistance layer are discussed, and electrical parameters such as the resistance strain coefficient are analyzed and characterized. The static calibration of the thin-film strain sensor is carried out, and the relationship between the strain value and the output voltage is obtained. The results show that the thin-film strain sensor can obtain the strain generated by the cutting tool and transform it into an electrical signal with good linearity through the bridge, accurately measuring the cutting force.