AS THE USE OF AUTOMATED METALWORKING SYSTEMS INCREASES, THE NEED FOR TOOL MONITORING SYSTEMS HAS BECOME MORE VITAL. TOOL MONITORING SYSTEMS CAN DETECT ABNORMAL MACHINING EVENTS SUCH AS BROKEN TOOLS OR COLLISIONS. RAPID DETECTION OF THESE EVENTS CAN PREVENT COSTLY MACHINE DAMAGE AND DOWNTIME. CUTTING TOOL FORCES HAVE BEEN USED IN MANY TOOL MONITORING APPLICATIONS. THE DESIGN, INSTALLATION, AND PERFORMANCE OF PIEZOELECTRIC FORCE TRANSDUCERS ARE ILLUSTRATED IN THIS PAPER. THE USE OF LOAD CELLS IN A PLATE OR RING TRANSDUCER IS EMERGING AS A STANDARD DESIGN SOLUTION FOR BOLT-ON TURRETS. THE PLATE OR RING IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE TURRET AND BASE AND CAN MEASURE THREE AXES OF CUTTING FORCE.