Development of a reference cutting force model for rough milling feedrate scheduling using FEM analysis

Recently developed feedrate scheduling systems regulate cutting forces at the desired level by changing the feedrate to reduce the machining time and to avoid undesirable situations. For effective scheduling, an optimized criterion is required to adjust the feedrate. In this study, a method to obtain the most appropriate reference cutting force for rough milling was developed. The reference cutting force was determined by considering the transverse rupture strength of the tool material and the area of the rupture surface. A finite element method analysis was performed to accurately calculate the area of the rupture surface. Using the analyzed results, the effect of various cutting parameters on the chipping phenomenon was determined. The calculation method for the reference cutting force considered the area of the rupture surface, the effect of the rake angle, and the axial depth of the cut. The reference cutting force calculated using the developed model was applied to feedrate scheduling for pocket machining. The experimental results clearly show that the reference cutting force obtained from the proposed method met the desired constraints that guarantee higher productivity without tool failure.     

Feedrate scheduling for indexable end milling process based on an improved cutting force model

In CNC machining, an optimal process plan is needed for higher productivity and machining performance. This paper proposes a mechanistic cutting force model to perform feedrate scheduling that is useful in process planning for indexable end milling. Indexable end mills, which consist of inserts and a cutter body, have been widely used in the roughing of parts in the mold industry. The geometry and distribution of inserts compose a discontinuous cutting edge on the cutter body, and tool geometry of indexable end mill varies with axial position due to the geometry and distribution of inserts. Thus, an algorithm that calculates tool geometry data at an arbitrary axial position was developed. The developed cutting force model uses cutting-condition-independent cutting force coefficients and considers run out, cutter deflection, geometry variation and size effect for accurate cutting force prediction. Through feedrate scheduling, NC code is optimized to regulate cutting forces at given reference force. Experiments with general NC codes show the effectiveness of feedrate scheduling in process planning.     

Simplified and efficient calibration of a mechanistic cutting force model for ball-end milling

Accurate evaluation of the empirical coefficients of a mechanistic cutting force model is critical to the reliability of the predicted cutting forces. This paper presents a simplified and efficient method to determine the cutting force coefficients of a ball-end milling model. The unique feature of this new method is that only a single half-slot cut is to be performed to calibrate the empirical force coefficients that are valid over a wide range of cutting conditions. The instantaneous cutting forces are used with the established helical cutting edge profile on the ball-end mill. The half-slot calibration cut enables successive determination of the lumped discrete values of the varying cutting mechanics parameters along the cutter axis whereas the size effect parameters are determined from the known variation of undeformed chip thickness with cutter rotation. The effectiveness of the present method in determining the cutting force coefficients has been demonstrated experimentally with a series of verification test cuts.     

Development of a virtual machining system, part 1: approximation of the size effect for cutting force prediction

In this three-part paper, components of a virtual machining system for evaluating and optimizing cutting performance in -axis NC machining are presented. Part 1 describes a new method of calculating cutting-condition-independent coefficient and its application to the prediction of cutting forces over a wide range of cutting conditions. The prediction of the surface form error and transient cutting simulations, described in Parts 2 and 3, respectively, can be effectively performed based on the cutting force model with the improved size effect model that is presented in Part 1.

The relationship between the instantaneous uncut chip thickness and the cutting coefficients is calculated by following the movement of the center position of the cutter, which varies with nominal feed, cutter deflection and runout. The salient feature of the presented method is that it determines the cutting-condition-independent coefficients using experimental data processed for one cutting condition. The direct application of instantaneous cutting coefficient with size effects provides more accurate predictions of the cutting forces. A systematic comparison of the predicted and measured cutting forces over a wide range of cutting conditions confirms the validity of the proposed mechanistic cutting force and size effect models.     

Feed rate optimization for 3-axis ball-end milling of sculptured surfaces

The aim of this research is to improve the productivity of CNC machine tools by optimizing feed rate. To optimize feed rate two programs were used: “ACIS” (with scheme language) and “Visual Basic”. The scheme program for modeling the work piece, tool, cutting edge, and calculating maximum cutting force and the Visual Basic program to control all the activities linked to the ACIS program for estimating optimized feed values. Laboratory tests were conducted to verify the results from the modeling, using an insert-type one-flute ball-end cutter on a CK45 carbon steel work piece. No coolant was used throughout the experimental works. Comparisons were made between the maximum cutting forces, in the “fix” feed rate tests. The results indicate significant increases in productivity, which can be achieved, by using the optimized feed rate method.     

An in-depth analysis of the synchronization between the measured and predicted cutting forces for developing instantaneous milling force model

This paper proposes an analytical approach to synchronize the measured and predicted cutting forces for calibrating instantaneous cutting force coefficients that vary with the instantaneous uncut chip thickness in general end milling. Essential issues such as the synchronization criterion, phase determination of measured cutting forces, specification of calibration experiments and related cutting parameters are highlighted both theoretically and numerically to ensure the calibration accuracy. A closed-form criterion is established to select cutting parameters ensuring the single tooth engagement. Numerical cutting simulations and experimental test results are compared to validate the proposed approach.     

Integrated tool path and feed rate optimization for the finishing machining of 3D plane surfaces

An integrated approach for the concurrent optimization of tool path and feed rate for the finishing machining of 3D plane surfaces using ball-end milling is presented in this paper. This work is important, as the developed optimization approach is readily applicable to the finishing machining of sculptured surfaces. The concurrently optimized tool path and feed rate correspond to the maximum machining efficiency and satisfy the scallop height and machining error requirements. The cutter feed direction is employed as the optimization variable. For each cutter feed direction, tool path is determined according to the scallop height requirement and feed rate is maximized with the tolerance requirement by using a mechanistic cutting force model for three-dimensional ball-end milling. Optimization results have indicated that the shortest total tool path length, favored by most existing optimization approaches, does not result in maximum efficiency because the corresponding feed rate is often constrained by the specified tolerance. The optimum cutter feed direction is in general not unique but falls within an optimum range in the finishing machining of 3D plane surfaces.