This paper presents a novel approach to sensor-based feature evaluation and selection using a self-organizing map and spatial statistics as a combined technique applied to tool condition monitoring of the turning process. This approach takes advantage of the unique features of unsupervised neural networks combined with spatial statistics to perform analyses into the contributions of the different sensor-based features, carrying large quantities of noise, to achieve a classification of tool wear and a quantitative measure of each feature's suitability. This method does not assume a prior direct correlation between features avoiding misconstructions inherent to common approaches that assume that only obviously correlated features should be considered for condition monitoring. Instead, and taking advantage of neural networks ability to perform non-linear modeling, it has allowed a prior modeling of the process and then analyzed each feature's contribution toward classification. It was found that some of the commonly used features have proven to have a significant contribution to the classification of cutting tool wear, whereas others adversely affect classification performance. Further, it is demonstrated that the proposed combined technique can be used extensively to quantitatively evaluate the contribution of different features toward system monitoring in the presence of noisy data.
