The invention represents one of the physical embodiment of the research effort spent under the "Leonardo 4.0" innovation initiative, born in Leonardo to support Digital Transformation in the manufacturing sector and with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing product development times and costs.

DRILLIMO (Drill Life Monitoring), the object of the invention, is a complete system that allows the drilling tools usage and their state of wear to be monitored in real time, inhibiting their use if specific criteria related to the residual life is satisfied, or according to the schedule of the processing cycle in which they are actually used.

The core component of DRILLIMO is a self-contained and stand-alone electronic monitoring device installed, as an add-on, on the apparatus used for machining. This add-on can recognize the tool mounted on the machining apparatus and allows the measurement of a number of parameters related to the tool, like the time of usage and the number of holes made with the tool itself. Computing appropriate analytics based on the values detected over time, and comparing these with threshold levels, allows the wear of the tool to be estimated, making possible to intervene at management level for the interruption of operation and the replacement of the tool with a new one, a resharpened or one having residual service life. Even when mounted on the machining apparatus, the add-on is totally autonomous, it can function on its own; thus, it can be easily replaced with another one if necessary (e.g. for battery recharge)

The whole system, together with the description of the possible application scenarios, is protected by a European patent, also seeking same protection in the most important nations around the world. A phase of commercial exploitation is also envisaged for the patent family so constituted, by licensing the intellectual property rights to selected SMEs that are able to guarantee industrialization and mass production of the entire system or its main components.

The Drill Life Monitoring was conceived, designed and patented by the Research and Development team of Leonardo Aerostructures Division - Grottaglie site - and prototypes have been developed with the collaboration of colleagues from Leonardo's Cyber Division (Genoa, Rome, Catania) and researchers from the University of Salerno.

For further information, consult the patent card in the Patent Showcase section of this web site