带角圆柱铣刀对自由曲面3轴NC加工的刀具干涉检测

对自由曲面用带角圆柱铣刀3轴NC加工提出了系统的刀具干涉检测方法。加工自由曲面时,刀具干涉可以出现在包括刀具驱动面的刀具周围的任何地方。本文提出先检测自由曲面上可能产生刀具干涉的区域,然后再生成刀具路径,这样不但可极大地简化安排刀具路径的过程,改善加工的精度和可靠性,而且有利于产品的几何设计和影响加工效率的刀具选择。研究表明所提方法和算法是合理有效的。     

A 3D curvature gouge detection and elimination method for 5-axis CNC milling of curved surfaces

Based on the concept of Eular-Meusnier Spheres (EMS) that portrays the generic curvature model of surfaces, a new three-dimensional (3D) method for curvature gouge detection and elimination in sculpture surface machining is presented. The new method is superior for presenting one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) approaches for curvature gouge detection and curvature gouge-free machining due to its capability to consider both normal and osculate curvatures of the cutter and machined surfaces and their interactions. The method can be applied to all three types of commonly used milling cutters (end, torus and spherical mills) and all concave curved surfaces. Test results from machining simulations are presented to demonstrate the new method and its advantages. The work forms the foundation for further research on the automated generation of highly efficient and high quality 5-axis CNC tool paths for machining curved surfaces.     

Characteristics of Inclined Planes According to the Variations of Cutting Direction in High-Speed Ball-End Milling

The recent developments of the manufacturing industry require the machining of freeform surfaces using a ball-end mill. The ball-end mill is geometrically complex. For this reason, there are frequent changes of the contact point between a workpiece and a tool, which changes the machining characteristics when machining a freeform surface. In this study, a comparative evaluation of cutting characteristics will be made for a workpiece with inclined planes at angles of 15°,30°, and 45° each using four possible tool paths in down cutting. Then, tool life will be evaluated for heat-treatment materials of high hardness before obtaining the optimal tool path, which makes machining stable and improves tool life.     

NC Machining of Freeform Pockets with Arbitrary Wall Geometry Using a Grid-Based Navigation Approach

A tool path must be determined in an efficient manner to generate NC (numerical control) code for machining. This is particularly important when machining freeform pockets with arbitrary wall geometry on a three-axis CNC machine. In this paper, a grid-based 3D navigation algorithm for generating NC tool-path data for both linear interpolation and a combination of linear and circular interpolation is presented for three-axis CNC milling of general pockets with sculptured bottom surfaces. The pocket surface is discretised by defining a grid and the navigation algorithm plans the tool motion. The grid size and the cutter diameter are chosen so that a predefined tolerance for surface roughness is satisfied. The grid-based navigation algorithm is simulated graphically and verified experimentally.     

基于机床运动学约束球头刀多轴加工刀轴矢量优化方法

针对目前航空发动机叶片进排气边加工精度和表面质量较差的问题,提出了一种基于机床运动学约束球头刀多轴加工刀轴矢量优化方法。建立刀位优化变量与刀位数据之间的关系方程,同时建立刀位数据与机床回转轴角度之间的运动变换方程,从而推导出刀位优化变量与机床回转轴角度之间的关系方程。通过求解上述方程得到球头刀多轴加工复杂曲面的刀轴矢量计算公式。在此基础上,给出球头刀多轴加工刀轴矢量优化方法和刀轨生成方法。同时,以某航空发动机叶片为例,分析了本文算法和Sturz算法对机床回转轴角度的影响。分别利用本文算法和Sturz算法生成该叶片进气边加工的刀轨,并在五轴数控机床上进行加工试验。试验结果表明,该算法能够避免加工过程中机床回转轴的大幅波动,使机床轴运动更加平稳和光滑,从而提高曲面的加工质量和加工效率,具有一定的实际应用价值。     

An Enhanced Force Model for Sculptured Surface Machining

Abstract

The ball-end milling process is used extensively in machining of sculpture surfaces in automotive, die/mold, and aerospace industries. In planning machining operations, the process planner has to be conservative when selecting machining conditions with respect to metal removal rate in order to avoid cutter chipping and breakage, or over-cut due to excessive cutter deflection. These problems are particularly important for machining of sculptured surfaces where axial and radial depths of cut are abruptly changing. This article presents a mathematical model that is developed to predict the cutting forces during ball-end milling of sculpture surfaces. The model has the ability to calculate the workpiece/cutter intersection domain automatically for a given cutter path, cutter, and workpiece geometries. In addition to predicting the cutting forces, the model determines the surface topography that can be visualized in solid form. Extensive experiments are performed to validate the theoretical model with measured forces. For complex part geometries, the mathematical model predictions were compared with experimental measurements.     

Barrel cutter design and toolpath planning for high-efficiency machining of freeform surface

Improvement of machining efficiency is always one of the most interesting problems in CNC machining. Traditionally, the ball-end cutter is widely used in sculptured surface machining for the highly flexible controllability. But the process efficiency is low especially for freeform surface machining, which generally needs multiple tool-paths. To improve the machining efficiency of multi-axis flank milling of freeform surface, a novel barrel cutter design method is proposed in this paper. There are two principle parameters determining the revolution surface of the barrel cutter: the radius of the generatrix curve and the maximum rotating radius. The main work in this paper is to calculate the two parameters for strip-width-maximization machining without local over-gouging. Firstly, the curvature properties are introduced by the geometry model of the barrel cutter. Then the contact condition between the barrel cutter and the freeform surface is analyzed, relationship between cutter parameters and surface curvature is derived. To avoid the over-gouging, based on the curvature constraint, the designed surface is fitted into the cutter surface by surface approximation theory, so that the cutter surface can approach to the designed surface as close as possible. After that, toolpath planning method for milling of freeform surface with the barrel cutter is presented. Finally, machining implementations are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Face-milling spiral bevel gear tooth surfaces by application of 5-axis CNC machine tool

In order to solve some common problems of CNC-machined spiral bevel gears such as small cutting strip width and poor surface quality, while milled by the ball-end, a machining method of face milling using a disk cutter with a concave end is presented. The research theories are based on the foundation of spiral bevel gears’ geometry structure. Firstly, a bigger diameter disk cutter with a concave end is selected. Then, change the setting order of cutter orientation angles. The functions of cutter tilt and yaw angle are separated, and tooth surfaces machined with big cutting strip width and no bottom land gouge can be expected. Since the cutter yaw angle, determined firstly by cutting contact point, positions in the tooth surface machine, the bottom land gouge interference can be avoided effectively. Then, the tilt angles of the gear pair, both side tooth surfaces, are determined by the theory of sculptured surfaces machined by the flat-end cutter, respectively. As a result, the improved cutting strip width and machining efficiency can be realized. Finally, feasibility of this method is verified through machining experiment and measurement of a spiral bevel gear pair.     

Interference-free tool-path planning for flank milling of twisted ruled surfaces

Flank milling is the key feature that the five-axis NC machine offers. Compared with bottom-edge based machining (e.g. flat/fillet endmilling), the machinability can be greatly enhanced by flank milling where the side cutting edge is mainly used. As far as tool-path planning is concerned, the conventional method of the cutter-axis parallel to the ruling lines of the generator curves imposes interference problems including overcut/undercut. In this paper, a new interference-free tool-path planning method fortwisted ruled surfaces is presented. Our strategy is to change the tool orientation and offset distance such that the undercut volume is minimised without global tool interference. The validity and effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated via several illustrative examples.     

自由曲面3轴NC加工的全干涉检查研究

对自由曲面用球头刀进行3轴NC加工的干涉检查方法进行了研究,提出了一种新的干涉检查方法,该方法不仅可检查曲面加工时的局部干涉,而且还可对曲面加工时的全局干涉进行检查。通过与传统干涉检查方法的比较,并对不同刀具半径下干涉结果的比较,验证了本文提出的干涉检查方法的完整性、精确性和实时性,可指导曲面加工时刀具的选择。最后的实例证实了该方法及算法是合理可行的。     

Generating efficient tool paths from point cloud data via machining area segmentation

This paper presents a method of generating efficient three-axis ball-end milling tool paths directly from point cloud data. The primary objective is to achieve high efficiency in the machining of free-form surface geometry having isolated complex machining area. The high machining efficiency is attained by segmenting the entire machining domain into distinct areas according to the geometric complexity of the data points and by using cutters of different sizes for the segmented machining areas. An iterative numerical procedure is derived to determine the critical complexity that separates the data points with higher complexity (the complex points) from those with lower complexity (the non-complex points). A larger and more efficient ball-end mill is used to machine the area defined by the non-complex points. The gouging condition of all the data points is then evaluated with respect to the given ball-end mill. The isolated complex machining area is established by enclosing both the complex points and the gouge points. The smaller and gouge-free ball-end mill for the isolated complex machining area is subsequently selected from the standard commercial cutter series. Implementation of the presented method clearly demonstrates the high efficiency of the generated tool paths.     

Analysis of drift in iso-scallop planning—machining by regions

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) occupies an increasingly significant role in engineering with all it has to offer in terms of new possibilities and improving designer/manufacturer productivity. Our present work is devoted to the integration of a module for automatic generation of cutter paths into a CAM program to machine freeform surfaces by end milling. The study addresses the more global issue relating to the adoption of tool path planning with constant scallop height. For present purposes, the cutter geometry is taken as given and does not enter into the study’s parameter choices. The main problem posed by planning for iso-scallop tool paths lies in the management of drift in trajectories, which leads to the path looping due to the fact that global programming over the surface remains unattainable. The proposed solution is to define surface subdivision criteria (machining by regions) enabling iso-scallop planning to be implemented in each region. We conducted our study on a three-axis numerical control machine tool.     

An Enhanced Force Model for Sculptured Surface Machining

The ball-end milling process is used extensively in machining of sculpture surfaces in automotive, die/mold, and aerospace industries. In planning machining operations, the process planner has to be conservative when selecting machining conditions with respect to metal removal rate in order to avoid cutter chipping and breakage, or over-cut due to excessive cutter deflection. These problems are particularly important for machining of sculptured surfaces where axial and radial depths of cut are abruptly changing. This article presents a mathematical model that is developed to predict the cutting forces during ball-end milling of sculpture surfaces. The model has the ability to calculate the workpiece/cutter intersection domain automatically for a given cutter path, cutter, and workpiece geometries. In addition to predicting the cutting forces, the model determines the surface topography that can be visualized in solid form. Extensive experiments are performed to validate the theoretical model with measured forces. For complex part geometries, the mathematical model predictions were compared with experimental measurements.     

自由曲面数控加工刀具的研究

对自由曲面数控加工中的刀具进行了较深入的研究。从刀具有效半径和切削速度的角度,对平头立铣刀在五坐标自由曲面加工中的加工效率与切削性能进行了分析。提出了球头刀和平头刀的刀位计算方法,并对叶片曲面的刀具轨迹进行了仿真模拟。     

Study on symmetrical machining technology

In order to promote machining efficiency of large symmetrical freeform surfaces, a new concept of symmetrical machining is put forward. In addition, problems of collision among cutters or headstocks and machining residue in symmetrical machining are studied in this paper. Through an example of a twin-skeg ship model surface, the design principles of 4-axis symmetrical machine tool are proposed and tool path planning of symmetrical machining is investigated. Based on the above research work, a 4-axis symmetrical machine tool for a ship model surface has been developed. The machining efficiency of the symmetrical machine tool is 85% higher than that of traditional machine tool with a single cutter. Furthermore, the overall cost of the symmetrical machine tool is reduced by saving one set of servo drive system.     

面向加工特征的小直径螺旋球头立铣刀切削力模型

在Bayoum i的广义螺旋铣刀几何模型基础上,建立了小直径螺旋球头铣刀的刀具前刀面几何模型和切削力模型;通过将特征概念引入数控加工过程,提出了球头刀加工时的“爬坡”与“下坡”等加工特征的切削力模型求解方法;最后通过实验对比验证了刀具切削力模型的有效性。     

弯管内表面数控铣削加工方法研究

介绍了依据五轴联动加工原理避免弯管内表面加工干涉和改善切削不均匀的加工方法,进行了实验工艺规划、加工区域划分、数控程序编制等研究。采用球头刀具,调整刀具姿态,使刀具和工件表面的位置角近似不变,在四轴及五轴联动机床上进行了样件的试制。研究结果表明,该铣削加工方法可避免刀具与工件的局部干涉和整体干涉;切削状态稳定;最终表面质量一致性好,粗糙度满足技术要求（Ra=3.2μm）。研究结果为核电主管道以及同类弯管内表面的铣削加工提供了理论和试验依据。     

基于等残留高度的自由曲面加工刀具轨迹规划

对于曲面加工来说,效率和精度是相互矛盾的2个方面。加工时,用等残留高度法生成刀具轨迹,选择待加工曲面最长的1条边界线作为第1条加工的轨迹线,通过控制相邻刀具接触点的距离,使刀具轨迹间的残留高度均匀一致,依据刀具半径和允许的残留高度,迭代生成另一条刀具轨迹线。等残留高度法生成的刀具路径间的残留高度均为设定值,所生成的刀位点数最少,刀具路径长度最短。采用牛顿法作为等残留高度法的刀位点搜索方法,得到等残留高度刀具轨迹的生成过程。     

从测量的散乱数据点云直接生成数控刀具路径的研究

提出了一种直接从测量的散乱数据点云用球头刀对自由曲面进行三轴数控加工时生成刀具路径的方法。不同于现有散乱点云基于逆向工程的刀具路径生成方法,本法考虑并估计了曲面加工误差和粗糙度。将散乱数据点云向XY平面投影,以获得的投影边界为刀具路径的主方向,然后根据曲面所需的加工误差和残留高度要求划分该投影数据点云,得到一系列刀位网格单元。通过最小化每个刀位网格单元的加工误差以确定每个刀位网格的节点位置,加权平均相关联刀位网格节点来对齐相邻刀位网格单元的边缘。为了缩短加工时间,裁去刀位路径上多余的线段,最终生成高效合理的数控加工刀具路径。已用实测的数据点云验证了本法直接生成刀具路径的有效性。     

多轴联动数控加工乃具轨迹的优化算法的研究和实验验证

提出一种新的刀具轨迹优化算法，使相邻加工轨迹间的残留高度值都等于允许残留高度值（规定精度），从而达到最大的切削带宽，消除了干涉。同时采用刀位显示验证方法对加工某叶片模型所得到的刀具轨迹进行验证。实验数据表明，在保证精度的前提下，轨迹数和轨迹长度明显减少，大大提高了多轴联动数控加工的效率。