ARRIBRAVE (Automated Rapid Instrumented Planing System for Experimental Laboratory Value) is a platform dedicated to the in situ investigation of the physical phenomena involved in the cutting of metallic and composite materials.

Originating from the refurbishment of a historical shaping machine, this equipment has been transformed into a highly instrumented test bench capable of reproducing orthogonal cutting under fully controlled conditions.

The objective of ARRIBRAVE is to understand, model, and control the elementary physics of machining, including surface generation, cutting forces, heat fluxes, friction, strain hardening, and microstructural alteration.
The platform combines force sensors, piezoelectric and semiconductor gauges, high‑speed visible and infrared cameras, digital image correlation systems, and chromatic confocal sensors to simultaneously capture kinematic and thermal fields.
These multi‑scale measurements feed research on surface integrity, tool life, and the validation of numerical and hybrid models (Abaqus, FEM, inverse identification).

ARRIBRAVE therefore constitutes a key experimental link between the physics of cutting and the fatigue performance of machined components.

The platform is currently used in numerous collaborative projects.