Abstract
The operation of a heading machine with an out-of-work cutting tool can cause essential reduction of the machine element resource. The diagnostics of the cutting tool breakdown on the longitudinal axial cutting head in the real - time mode can be implemented on the basis of the spectral decomposition of the current of the cutting engine of the cutting unit. The ratio of the coefficients of the spectral decomposition corresponding to the cutting head rotation frequency and its threefold value can be the parameter under the diagnosis.