利用特征刀位点的三角网格表面NURBS刀轨生成

为了提高数控加工的加工效率和精度,提出一种利用特征刀位点的NURBS刀轨生成算法.采用截平面和三角网格模型的等距模型求交来计算直线刀轨的刀位点,由等距模型的顶点曲率估算刀位点处沿刀轨和刀轨间隔方向的曲率半径,并根据残留高度确定刀轨行距;对基于特征刀位点的NURBS曲线拟合算法进行改进,采用阈值分割的方法选取初始特征刀位点,采用相邻直线段夹角最大原则确定新特征点,并用刀位点的投影点参数对特征点参数进行修正.采用文中算法对直线刀轨的刀位点进行NURBS曲线拟合,并在刀轨行间采用NURBS曲线过渡,以减小数控程序量并提高刀轨光顺性.实验结果表明,文中算法效率高,采用其生成的刀轨具有较少的控制顶点、较高的拟合精度以及较好的光顺性.     

利用调和映射的复杂网格曲面螺旋刀轨生成算法

针对截平面法规划的复杂网格曲面刀轨的加工效率不高问题,提出一种复杂网格曲面螺旋刀轨生成算法.首先采用调和映射的方法对网格曲面进行参数化,然后根据残留高度确定参数网格中的参数环,在相邻参数环的参数点之间进行“分组匹配”,并依次计算初始和精确的对角参数螺旋线;在此基础上采用“区域划分”的方法快速生成了无干涉的网格曲面螺旋刀轨.对于复杂网格曲面的实验结果表明,文中的螺旋刀轨能够有效地提高截平面法刀轨的加工效率,且能够保证较好的加工质量.     

利用ABF++保角参数化的网格曲面刀轨规划

针对基于网格曲面参数化的刀轨规划中存在映射拉伸变形的问题,提出一种引入映射拉伸系数的网格曲面刀轨规划方法.首先采用ABF++保角参数化算法将网格曲面展平到参数域内;然后根据映射变形分析逐三角片地计算映射拉伸系数与梯度,并基于此将三维网格上的轨迹参数转换到参数网格上;最后根据参数域内的轨迹参数分别生成往复式刀轨与环形刀轨.以人脸模型为例进行了仿真与加工实验,验证了该方法的有效性.     

平面型腔广义转角残留区螺旋环刀轨计算算法

为清除平面复杂型腔粗加工后产生的多种不规则的残留区,提出一种螺旋环刀轨方案;在构建广义转角残留区的基础上,设计和建立统一的螺旋环刀轨生成算法,以满足顺铣和径向切深均匀的要求.首先引入广义转角残留区的概念,统一定义和表示转角、窄颈残留区;然后根据瓶颈线对窄颈残留区进行分区,构建广义转角残留区;最后依据径向切深,采用迭代的方法生成螺旋环刀轨.实例结果表明,该算法是正确和有效的.     

复杂三角网格模型分治加工刀具轨迹生成

为了解决复杂三角网格模型数控加工效率与精度之间的矛盾,提出包括模型分割以及子区域轨迹规划的分治加工方法.针对分治加工的需求,提出一种基于加工区域特征表述的区域生长原则,用于模型的区域生长分割;为避免在子区域中生成过多的短刀具轨迹,对分割后的子区域进行区域优化合并与边界光顺处理,子区域轨迹规划时对不同的特征子区域采用不同的刀具轨迹生成策略.在等残留高度法刀具轨迹生成中,提出初始轨迹生成方法,并改进扩展了刀具轨迹的投影偏置扩展过程,以解决边界不规则子区域的刀具轨迹生成问题.实例结果表明,基于加工区域特征表述的区域生长原则能够有效地驱动加工模型的区域生长分割,不同特征子区域以适当的刀具轨迹生成策略生成了有效的刀具轨迹.     

自交有理参数曲面网格生成

针对现有网格生成算法在处理自交曲面时出现的缺少交线表示、误差大以及交线附近三角形质量差的问题,提出一种针对自交有理参数曲面的网格生成算法.首先,利用动平面法计算曲面的奇异因子;其次,利用奇异因子和曲面的第一基本形式定位交线上的拓扑关键点;再次,基于动平面法设计了一种交线网格点配对生成算法,以保证网格交线的邻域协调性;最后,使用基于粒子的网格生成法生成参数域网格.在具有不同拓扑的自交曲面上进行网格生成实验,所提算法可保证网格交线拓扑正确性,且与未进行交线网格点配对的各类代表性各向同性网格生成算法相比,网格三角形最小角平均值平均高0.6%.     

可控的高度规整三角网格生成算法

本文提出了一种新的用户可控的高度规整三角网格生成算法.通过在网格表面上构造3个标量场,利用其等值线相交生成高度规整的三角网格.算法借助N-对称方向场来指导生成网格的边方向,在网格表面指定密度场来控制采样密度,同时还提供了特征对齐和对带边界模型的处理能力.所有的控制需求都被纳入标量场求解框架中统一优化.实验表明,本文的方法能够满足多种用户控制需求,生成高度规整的三角网格.     

结构光视觉三维点云逐层三角网格化算法

针对结构光视觉恢复的大规模三维点云的可投影特点,提出一种基于投影网格的底边驱动逐层网格化曲面重建算法。该算法首先将点云投影到一个二维平面上;然后基于点云投影区域建立规则投影网格,并将投影点映射到规则二维投影网格上,建立二维网格点与三维点云间的映射关系;接着对投影网格进行底边驱动的逐层网格化,建立二维三角网格;最后根据二维投影点与三维点的对应关系及二维三角网格拓扑关系获得最终的三维网格曲面。实验结果表明,算法曲面重建速度快,可较好地保持曲面细节特征。     

实体模型的三轴数控粗加工刀轨生成算法

提出一种适合实体模型的三轴数控粗加工刀位轨迹生成算法。首先根据加工行距作一组平行于刀轴的平面，与模型的待加工表面求交，得到一系列交线；再根据精度规划一组垂直于刀轴的分层平面，与上述交线求交，在每一分层平面上判断加工区域，规划出加工刀位轨迹，将每一分层平面上的刀位轨迹较适当的方式连接起来，就构成零件的整体加工轨迹。该算法避免了轮廓环等距、自交处理和布尔运算等复杂的计算过程；同时，对生成开型腔的加工刀位轨迹也是有效的。     

大规模地形散乱点的快速构网算法

针对大规模视景仿真地形显示的需要,提出了一个利用大规模地面散乱点构建地形三角网格的算法.先将空间的散乱点投影到XOY坐标平面,在坐标平面上对散乱点进行均匀网格划分,然后按照一定顺序将大规模散乱点组织成若干不相交的单调链,由相邻单调链连接成单调多边形,利用单调多边形的特点快速构建初始三角网格模型,并在空间上对模型进行三角网格优化.通过加入辅助点的方法,有效解决了网格边沿的奇异情况.算法在保证网格质量的同时,大幅减少了构网的时间开销,证明了提高网络的速度.     

Constant scallop-height tool path generation for three-axis sculptured surface machining

This paper presents a new approach for the determination of efficient tool paths in the machining of sculptured surfaces using 3-axis ball-end milling. The objective is to keep the scallop height constant across the machined surface such that redundant tool paths are minimized. Unlike most previous studies on constant scallop-height machining, the present work determines the tool paths without resorting to the approximated 2D representations of the 3D cutting geometry. Two offset surfaces of the design surface, the scallop surface and the tool center surface, are employed to successively establish scallop curves on the scallop surface and cutter location tool paths for the design surface. The effectiveness of the present approach is demonstrated through the machining of a typical sculptured surface. The results indicate that constant scallop-height machining achieves the specified machining accuracy with fewer and shorter tool paths than the existing tool path generation approaches.     

Iso-scallop tool path planning for triangular mesh surfaces in multi-axis machining

Triangular mesh enables the flexible construction of complex surface geometry and has become a general representation of 3D objects in computer graphics. However, the creation of a tool path with constant residual scallop height on triangular mesh surfaces in multi-axis machining is not a convenient task for current algorithms. In this study, an isoscallop tool path planning method for triangular mesh surfaces, in which the tool path is derived directly from the contours of a normalized geodesic distance field (GDF), without any post-processing is proposed. First, the GDF is built to determine the shortest geodesic distance from each vertex to the mesh boundary. Then, the normalizing process is performed on the GDF to ensure that its first contour meets the isoscallop height requirement considering the mesh curvature and effective cutter radius. To improve the computational efficiency, the GDF is only built in the mesh area related to the first contour by specifying a stop distance. Moreover, an adaptive refinement process is conducted on the mesh to improve the smoothness and accuracy of the tool path. Finally, the triangular mesh is trimmed along this first contour for a new round of tool path planning. The proposed method is organized recursively and terminated when no new paths are generated. Simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed tool path planning method.     

An innovative approach to NC programming for accurate five-axis flank milling of spiral bevel or hypoid gears

To transfer power, a pair of spiral bevel or hypoid gears engages. From beginning to end of two tooth surfaces engaging with each other: for their rigid property, they contact at different points; and for their plastic property, they contact at small ellipses around the points. On each surface, the contact line (or called as contact path) by connecting these points and the contact area by joining these ellipses are critical to driving performance. Therefore, to machine these surfaces, it is important to machine the contact line and area with higher accuracy than other areas. Five-axis flank milling is efficient and is widely used in industry. However, tool paths for flank milling the gears, which are generated with the existing methods, can cause overcuts on the contact area with large machining errors. To overcome this problem, an innovative approach to NC programming for accurate and efficient five-axis flank milling of spiral bevel or hypoid gears is proposed. First, the necessary conditions of the cutter envelope surface tangent with the designed surface along a designed line are derived to address the overcut problem of five-axis milling. Second, the tooth surface including the contact line and area are represented using their machining and meshing models. Third, according to the tooth surface model, an optimization method based on the necessary conditions is proposed to plan the cutter location and orientation for flank milling the tooth surface. By using these planned tool paths, the overcut problem is eliminated and the machining errors of contact area are reduced. The proposed approach can significantly promote flank milling in the gear manufacturing industry.     

Smooth tool path generation for 5-axis machining of triangular mesh surface with nonzero genus

NC machining of a nonzero genus triangular mesh surface is being more widely confronted than before in the manufacturing field. At present, due to the complexity of geometry computation related to tool path generation, only one path pattern of iso-planar type is adopted in real machining of such surface. To improve significantly 5-axis machining of the nonzero genus mesh surface, it is necessary to develop a more efficient and robust tool path generation method. In this paper, a new method of generating spiral or contour-parallel tool path is proposed, which is inspired by the cylindrical helix or circle which are a set of parallel lines on the rectangular region obtained by unwrapping the cylinder. According to this idea, the effective data structure and algorithm are first designed to transform a nonzero genus surface into a genus-0 surface such that the conformal map method can be used to build the bidirectional mapping between the genus-0 surface and the rectangular region. In this rectangular region, the issues of spiral or contour-parallel tool path generation fall into the category of simple straight path planning. Accordingly, the formula for calculating the parameter increment for the guide line is derived by the difference scheme on the mesh surface and an accuracy improvement method is proposed based on the edge curve interpolation for determining the cutter contact (CC) point. These guarantee that the generated tool path can meet nicely the machining requirement. To improve further the kinematic and dynamic performance of 5-axis machine tool, a method for optimizing tool orientation is also preliminarily investigated. Finally, the experiments are performed to demonstrate the proposed method and show that it can generate nicely the spiral tool path or contour-parallel tool path on the nonzero genus mesh surface and also can guarantee the smooth change of tool orientation.     

A tool path generation method for freeform surface machining by introducing the tensor property of machining strip width

Due to the complexity of geometry, the feed direction with maximal machining strip width usually varies among different regions over a freeform surface or a shell of surfaces. However, in most traditional tool path generation methods, the surface is treated as one machining region thus only local optimisation might be achieved. This paper presents a new region-based tool path generation method. To achieve the full effect of the optimal feed direction, a surface is divided into several sub-surface regions before tool path computation. Different from the scalar field representation of the machining strip width, a rank-two tensor field is derived to evaluate the machining strip width using ball end mill. The continuous tensor field is able to represent the machining strip widths in all feed directions at each cutter contact point, except at the boundaries between sub-regions. Critical points where the tensor field is discontinuous are defined and classified. By applying critical points in the freeform surface as the start for constructing inside boundaries, the surface could be accurately divided to such that each region contain continuous distribution of feed directions with maximal machining strip width. As a result, tool paths are generated in each sub-surface separately to achieve better machining efficiency. The proposed method was tested using two freeform surfaces and the comparison to several leading existing tool path generation methods is also provided.     

A mapping-based approach to eliminating self-intersection of offset paths on mesh surfaces for CNC machining

Geometrically, a tool path can be generated by successively offsetting its adjacent path on the surface with a given path interval, which preferably starts from one of the surface boundaries or a primary curve. The key issues involved in offset path planning are the generation of raw offset paths and the elimination of the self-intersection of raw offset paths. Most researches available in this area are focused on how to generate the raw offset paths, however, the latter, especially how to eliminate the self-intersection of the offset paths on mesh surfaces, has not been sufficiently addressed. In this paper, a mapping-based approach to eliminating the self-intersection of offset paths is proposed for the CNC machining of mesh surfaces. The method first flattens the mesh surface onto a predefined plane by using a mesh mapping technique, and then taking the mapping as a guide, the offset paths are also naturally mapped onto the plane, from which those invalid self-intersection loops can be effectively identified and eliminated. To handle the issue of self-intersection for all types of offset path, a notion of local loop is introduced to detect and eliminate the invalid self-intersection loops. After that the planar paths are inversely mapped into the physical space and the final tool paths used for the machining of mesh surface are obtained. Meanwhile, in order to improve the kinematic and dynamic performance of the machine tool when machining along the generated offset paths, a method for rounding the sharp corners of tool paths, which result from the process of eliminating the self-intersection of raw offset paths, is also preliminarily investigated. Finally, the proposed method is validated by the results of simulations and machining experiments.     

组合曲面参数线五坐标加工刀具轨迹的计算

提出了组合曲面间拓扑关系的建立方法．通过对曲面相邻边界及相邻角点拓扑信息查询，完成刀具路径的合理组织；针对目前在给定加工精度时确定参数增量算法存在的不足，提出基于等参数线的走刀步长追踪法，并对曲率半径趋于无穷大的情况及直纹面加工的情况进行单独处理，保证了算法的稳定性和有效性．在此基础上，系统地阐述了组合曲面加工中刀触点、刀位点的计算以及刀具轨迹的合理化组织。     

Iso-planar piecewise linear NC tool path generation from discrete measured data points

This article presents a method of generating iso-planar piecewise linear NC tool paths for three-axis surface machining using ball-end milling directly from discrete measured data points. Unlike the existing tool path generation methods for discrete points, both the machining error and the machined surface finish are explicitly considered and evaluated in the present work. The primary direction of the generated iso-planar tool paths is derived from the projected boundary of the discrete points. A projected cutter location net (CL-net) is then created, which groups the data points according to the intended machining error and surface finish requirements. The machining error of an individual data point is evaluated within its bounding CL-net cell from the adjacent tool swept surfaces of the ball-end mill. The positions of the CL-net nodes can thus be optimized and established sequentially by minimizing the machining error of each CL-net cell. Since the linear edges of adjacent CL-net cells are in general not perfectly aligned, weighted averages of the associated CL-net nodes are employed as the CL points for machining. As a final step, the redundant segments on the CL paths are trimmed to reduce machining time. The validity of the tool path generation method has been examined by using both simulated and experimentally measured data points.     

Minimization of the kinematics error for five-axis machining

Kinematics of a particular five-axis milling machine can drastically change the machining accuracy. Therefore, the reduction of the kinematics error is an important problem associated with the tool path planning.Our new optimization method employs a closed form of the kinematics error represented as a function of the positions of the cutter contact points. The closed form is derived from the inverse kinematics associated with a particular five-axis machine and obtained through automatic symbolic calculations.The second component of the algorithm is the optimal setup of the part surface on the mounting table employed in an iterative loop with the generation of the cutter contact points.For a prescribed tolerance the proposed optimization allows for substantial reduction in the number of required cutter contact points. The reduction can be significant and may amount to long hours of machining if the machining time at the programmed feed is less than the sampling time of the controller.In turn, when the number of cutter location points is fixed, the error can be substantially reduced. However, this refers to commanded error wherein the dynamics of machine tool are not taken into account.We present an analysis, systematic numerical experiments and results of real cutting (ball nose and flat-end cutters) as an evidence of the efficiency and the accuracy increase produced by the proposed method. We also evaluate the relative contributions of the setup and the point optimization.The method is shown to work with advanced tool path generation techniques proposed earlier such as the adaptive space filling curves.The numerical and machining experiments demonstrate that the proposed procedure outperforms tool paths based on the equi-arclength principle and paths generated by MasterCam 9.     

A machining potential field approach to tool path generation for multi-axis sculptured surface machining

This paper presents a machining potential field (MPF) method to generate tool paths for multi-axis sculptured surface machining. A machining potential field is constructed by considering both the part geometry and the cutter geometry to represent the machining-oriented information on the part surface for machining planning. The largest feasible machining strip width and the optimal cutting direction at a surface point can be found on the constructed machining potential field. The tool paths can be generated by following the optimal cutting direction. Compared to the traditional iso-parametric and iso-planar path generation methods, the generated MPF multi-axis tool paths can achieve better surface finish with shorter machining time. Feasible cutter sizes and cutter orientations can also be determined by using the MPF method. The developed techniques can be used to automate the multi-axis tool path generation and to improve the machining efficiency of sculptured surface machining.