Form error estimation in ball-end milling of sculptured surface with z-level contouring tool path

This paper presents a flexible model for estimating the form error in three-axis ball-end milling of sculptured surface with z-level contouring tool path. At an interval of feed per tooth, the whole process of sculptured surface machining is treated as a combination of sequential small inclined surface milling. For ball-end milling of the inclined surface with z-level contouring tool path, at surface generation position, an analytical model is proposed to identify the feedback effect of tool deflection on cutting edge engagement. The deflection-dependent cutting edge engagement is determined by using an iterative procedure. And ultimately, the form error is obtained from the balanced tool deflection and associated surface inclination angle. In a validation experiment, the estimated form errors are compared with both the measurements and the predictions of a rigid model. It is shown that the proposed flexible model gives significant better predictions of the form error than rigid model. Good agreement between the predicted and measured form errors is demonstrated for the ball-end milling of sculptured surface with z-level contouring tool path.     

自由曲面五轴加工刀具轨迹规划技术的研究进展

利用五坐标设备进行自由曲面的数控加工是提高加工质量和加工效率的有效途径,自由曲面形状和五坐标机床运动的复杂性导致其刀具轨迹规划技术十分困难。针对自由曲面五坐标端铣加工、侧铣加工以及碰撞干涉分析中的关键技术,综述了近年来自由曲面五坐标数控加工领域刀具轨迹规划技术的研究进展和现状。结合自由曲面数控加工的工程实用性要求,分析了当前研究中存在的不足,指出目前的研究成果在通用性、稳定性和有效性方面尚不能完全满足工程应用,认为自由曲面五坐标数控加工刀具轨迹规划技术的研究应从三维的角度出发,在更为广域的刀具影响空间研究刀具同自由曲面之间的几何啮合关系,同时需要考虑机床的运动学和动力学特性以实现五坐标机床的高速和高效运行。     

Form error compensation in ball-end milling of sculptured surface with z-level contouring tool path

This paper presents an integrated form error compensation approach for ball-end milling of sculptured surface with z-level contouring tool path. From the analysis of local cutting equilibrium in general milling, an integrated form error compensation strategy is derived. In this strategy, the tool deflection is adopted as compensation value. The compensation value and local cutting equilibrium can be directly obtained from nominal cutting conditions; moreover, the time-consuming iterative process is no longer needed. The integrated strategy is then expanded to ball-end milling of sculptured surface based on the differential idea. A tool path modification model is also suggested to record the compensation value into tool path. A numerical example of comparing the calculation process of traditional multilevel compensation strategy and that of the integrated compensation strategy is described. The results of numerical examples show that the essentials of proposed integrated strategy and multilevel strategy are consistent, but the needed calculation steps of the two strategies are about 1 vs. 30. In the validation experiment, two practical sculptured surfaces are machined. Experimental results reveal that the integrated form error compensation approach can significantly reduce form error in ball-end milling of sculptured surface.     

An Operation Planning System for Multi-Axis Milling of Sculptured Surfaces

Multi-axis milling of sculptured surfaces with cylindrical or toroidal cutters has many advantages compared to the use of three-axis milling with ball nose cutters. Surfaces to be machined are often of complex shape and characterised by convex, concave and saddle areas. Today, CAM-systems do not support the user in the selection of the different operations in order to finish the workpiece. This paper describes an operation planning system, which facilitates process planning for the multi-axis machining of sculptured surfaces. The core of the system is surface analysis, which divides the surfaces into regions, each characterised by a preferred milling direction and tool diameter. Further, for each region or set of regions, a drive surface is constructed that is used as the basis for the tool-path calculation. The drive surface approximates to the original workpiece as closely as possible, and the isoparametric lines which will be the tool-path feed direction lie in the preferred milling direction.     

Iso-scallop tool path generation in 5-axis milling

This paper presents a new method of computing constant scallop height tool paths in 5-axis milling on sculptured surfaces. Usually, iso-scallop tool path computation methods are based on approximations. The attempted scallop height is modelled in a given plane to ensure a fast computation of the tool path. We propose a different approach, based on the concept of the machining surface, which ensures a more accurate computation. The machining surface defines the tool path as a surface, which applies in 3- or 5-axis milling with the cutting tools usually used. The machining surface defines a bi-parametric modelling of the locus of a particular point of the tool, and the iso-scallop surface allows to easily find iso-scallop tool centre locations. An implementation of the algorithms is done on a free-form surface with a filleted end mill in 5-axis milling.     

MODELING OF 5-AXIS MILLING PROCESSES

5-axis milling operations are common in several industries such as aerospace, automotive and die/mold for machining of sculptured surfaces. In these operations, productivity, dimensional tolerance integrity and surface quality are of utmost importance. Part and tool deflections under high cutting forces may result in unacceptable part quality whereas using conservative cutting parameters results in decreased material removal rate. Process models can be used to determine the proper or optimal milling parameters for required quality with higher productivity. The majority of the existing milling models are for 3-axis operations, even the ones for ball-end mills. In this article, a complete geometry and force model are presented for 5-axis milling operations using ball-end mills. The effect of lead and tilt angles on the process geometry, cutter and workpiece engagement limits, scallop height, and milling forces are analyzed in detail. In addition, tool deflections and form errors are also formulated for 5-axis ball-end milling. The use of the model for selection of the process parameters such as lead and tilt angles that result in minimum cutting forces are also demonstrated. The model predictions for cutting forces and tool deflections are compared and verified by experimental results.     

MODELING OF 5-AXIS MILLING PROCESSES

5-axis milling operations are common in several industries such as aerospace, automotive and die/mold for machining of sculptured surfaces. In these operations, productivity, dimensional tolerance integrity and surface quality are of utmost importance. Part and tool deflections under high cutting forces may result in unacceptable part quality whereas using conservative cutting parameters results in decreased material removal rate. Process models can be used to determine the proper or optimal milling parameters for required quality with higher productivity. The majority of the existing milling models are for 3-axis operations, even the ones for ball-end mills. In this article, a complete geometry and force model are presented for 5-axis milling operations using ball-end mills. The effect of lead and tilt angles on the process geometry, cutter and workpiece engagement limits, scallop height, and milling forces are analyzed in detail. In addition, tool deflections and form errors are also formulated for 5-axis ball-end milling. The use of the model for selection of the process parameters such as lead and tilt angles that result in minimum cutting forces are also demonstrated. The model predictions for cutting forces and tool deflections are compared and verified by experimental results.     

Effects of curvature characteristics of sculptured surface on chatter stability for die milling

In this paper, a predictive model of milling stability, which considers the surface curvature and the lead angle of the milling cutter, is proposed for milling of the panel die with sculptured surface. Firstly, influences of the radius of curvature and lead angle of milling cutter on uncut chip thickness are analyzed by exploring the curvature characteristics of sculptured surface. Subsequently, influence of the curvature characteristics of sculptured surface on chatter stability lobes in milling process is investigated by utilizing the full-discretization method. This analysis implies that the milling stability decreases with the increase in the radius of the die surface’s curvature; the milling stability decreases with the increase in lead angle. The experimental results demonstrate that the prediction of chatter stability lobes could match well with the measured results on the change trend, where the maximum relative percent error is less than 11.1 % in stable milling. It is further validated that this method can effectively predict the chatter stability lobes of the domain in ball end milling of sculptured surface of die.     

Feedrate optimisation/scheduling on sculptured surface machining: a comprehensive review, applications and future directions

Free-form or sculptured surface milling is one of the continually used manufacturing processes for die/mould, aerospace (especially turbine blades), precision machine design, bio-medical devices and automotive industries. Developments of machining technologies for quality enhancement of machining results have become a very important fact in current real industry. Therefore, reducing milling time, tool wear, cutter deflection and improving surface texture quality and machining operations through adaptation and optimisation of tool feedrates based on changing surface geometry in sculptured surface machining is a great step in this direction. Various feedrate optimisation strategies have different feedrate rescheduling control parameters such as chip thickness, material removal rate (MRR), min(mrr,chip,force), max(expo.Acc/dec) and resultant forces. Some commercial CAM softwares come with MRR-based feedrate optimisation algorithms which have a very short calculation time. However, commercial feedrate scheduling systems have some limitations in generating the scheduled feedrates because they use the MRR or the cutting force model which is dependent on milling conditions. However, for the processes in which machining precision/accuracy is very important, it is inevitable that mechanistic force-based feedrate optimisation approaches, for which the calculation time is improved, will be integrated into commercial CAM software packages. Here, developing only the mechanistic cutting force-based algorithm is not enough. In this paper, improvement and optimisation of machining feedrate value, which is one of the cutting parameters which has a tremendous effect on the precise machining of free-form surfaces, was discussed by using the virtual machining framework. For this purpose, the boundary representation solid modelling technique-based free-form milling simulation and feedrate optimisation system integrated with commercial CAD/CAM software is developed for three-axis ball-end milling. This review study includes the information regarding the following topics: The algorithms developed for the feedrate value optimisation, MRR calculation approaches, cutting force computation methods, details of algorithms, the effects on the surface accuracy, the effects on the machining time, the capabilities of the present commercial CAM software packages, the encountered difficulties and overcoming those difficulties, recent developments and future research directions.     

Model for the prediction of 3D surface topography in 5-axis milling

The paper deals with the prediction of the 3D surface topography obtained in 5-axis milling in function of the machining conditions. For this purpose, a simulation model for the prediction of machined surface patterns is developed based on the well-known N-buffer method. As in sculptured surface machining the feed rates locally vary, the proposed model can be coupled to a feed-rate prediction model. Thanks to the simulation model of 3D surface topography, the influence of the machining strategy on resulting 3D surface patterns is analyzed through an experimental design. Results enhance the major influence of the tool inclination on 3D topography. Surface parameters used in the study are strongly affected by the variation of the yaw angle. The effect of the feed rate is also significant on amplitude parameters. Finally, the analysis brings out the interest of using surface parameters to characterize 3D surface topography obtained in 5-axis milling.