APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE MACHINING OF WORKPIECES USING PIEZOCERAMIC TRANSDUCERS

During the machining of workpieces, in particular dynamic loads act on the cutting tools in addition to the static loads. This leads to chipping at the cutting edges of the cutting elements and thus to the destruction of the cutting element with the possible consequence that the workpiece is damaged and thus becomes useless. Furthermore, bending and torsional forces act on the cutting tools, and these bending and torsional forces load the machine tool and cause a change in position of the cutting tool, thereby resulting in defective machining of the workpieces. Furthermore, vibrations and chatter phenomena impair the machining of the workpieces. It is therefore proposed according to the invention that piezoceramic transducers (22, 30) be arranged in the region of the cutting tools (3), where force components of the cutting force act on the transducers. The signals produced by the forces acting on the transducers are directed to the control device of the machine tool and the machining of the workpieces is controlled with regard to these signals.