Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimization of machining strip width using effective cutting shape of flat-end cutter for five-axis free-form surface machining

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tool postures of the flat-end cutter can make a huge difference to both machining strip width and machining efficiency in five-axis end milling. Most of current methods evaluate the machining strip width and implement a tool orientation optimization by finding two intersection points between the effective cutting profile of a flat-end cutter and the offset surface profile which represents machined surface. However, real machining strip width and real residual height should be formed between two adjacent cutter contours. As the results, two problems of current methods cannot be avoided: (1) Machining strip width computed on a single cutter location cannot accurately represent the distance between two adjacent tool paths and (2) excessive overlap or larger span length between two adjacent cutter contours leads to unsteady residual height, which causes surface quality differences. In order to solve the above problems, a more suitable method for computing machining strip width is presented and proved in this paper. A flat-end cutter is adopted and the analytical model of effective cutting shape for this kind of tool is constructed firstly. Later, a geometric foundation to achieve optimization is established by investigating the impact of different flat-end cutter postures on the machining strip width. Furthermore, the reasonable strip width is obtained and optimized by implementing an iterative and optimization approach under the given scallop height. A three-dimensional centrifugal compressor blade is used as a numerical example to verify the approach presented in this paper. To prove the superiority of the involved method, the research gives a comparison with UG method with the same cutting parameters. Numerical experiment suggests that machining efficiency of the paper’s method improves by 37.85%. Finally, a machining simulation is performed in the VERICUT software to testify that a uniform error distribution is created.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. He Y, Chen Z, Xu R, Wu X (2016) Reducing fluctuation of machining strip width by tool position modification for five-axis NC machining of sculptured surfaces. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 78(1–4):249–257

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ziran X, Gao L, Hussain G, Cui Z (2010) The performance of flat end and hemispherical end tools in single-point incremental forming. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 46:1113–1118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gan Z, Chen Z, Zhou M (2016) Optimal cutter orientation for five-axis machining based on mechanical equilibrium theory. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 84(5–8):989–999

    Google Scholar 

  4. Javad Barakchi Fard M, Feng H-Y (2009) Effect of tool tilt angle on machining strip width in five-axis flat-end milling of free-form surfaces. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 44(34):211–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fan J, Ball A (2014) Flat-end cutter orientation on a quadric in five-axis machining. Comput Aided Des 53(5):126–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hu G, Fang FZ, Hu XT, Cao LX, Liu J (2010) Optimization of tool positions locally based on the BCELTP for 5-axis machining of free-form surfaces. Comput Aided Des 42(6):558–570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Warkentin A, Ismail F, Bedi S (2000) Multi-point tool positioning strategy for 5-axis machining of sculptured surfaces. Comput Aided Geom Des 17(1):83–100

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Fan W, Wang X, Cai Y (2012) Rotary contact method for 5-axis tool positioning. J Manuf Sci Eng 134(2):021004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. He Y, Chen Z (2014) Optimising tool positioning for achieving multi-point contact based on symmetrical error distribution curve in sculptured surface machining. Int Adv Manuf Technol 73(5):77–714

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fard MJB, FengH Y (2010) Effective determination of feed direction and tool orientation in five-axis flat-end milling. J Manuf Sci Eng 132(6):061011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lu YA, Ding Y, Zhu LM (2016) Simultaneous optimization of the feed direction and tool orientation in five-axis flat-end milling. Int J Prod Res 54(15):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lu AY, Ding Y, ZhuLi M (2016) Tool path generation via the multi-criteria optimization for flat-end milling of sculptured surfaces. Int J prod Res: 1–22

  13. Liu X, Li Y, Ma S, Lee CH (2015) A tool path generation method for freeform surface machining by introducing the tensor property of machining strip width. Comput Aided Des 66:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lee YS, Ji H (1997) Surface interrogation and machining strip evaluation for 5-axis CNC die and mold machining. Int Prod Res 35(1):225–252

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Luo M, Yan DX, Wu BH, Zhang DH (2016) Barrel cutter design and toolpath planning for high-efficiency machining of freeform surface. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 85(9–12):2495–2503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Li LL, Zhang YF, Li HY, Geng L (2011) Generating tool-path with smooth posture change for five-axis sculptured surface machining based on cutter’s accessibility map. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 53(5–8):699–709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lee YS (1998) Adaptive tool path planning for 5-axis sculptured surface machining by machining strip evaluation. International Conference on Machining Impossible Shapes 18: 351–361

  18. Padberg M (1999) Analytical geometry [M]// Linear optimization and extensions 121–238

  19. Gray PJ, Ismail F, Bedi S (2004) Graphics-assisted rolling ball method for 5-axis surface machining. Comput Aided Des 36(7):653–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Contemporary Design and Integrated Manufacturing Technology of Ministry of Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China

    Baohai Wu, Mancang Liang, Ying Zhang & Ming Luo

  2. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water bay, Hongkong

    Kai Tang

Authors
  1. Baohai Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mancang Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ying Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ming Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kai Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Baohai Wu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, B., Liang, M., Zhang, Y. et al. Optimization of machining strip width using effective cutting shape of flat-end cutter for five-axis free-form surface machining. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 94, 2623–2633 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-0953-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-0953-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation