A New Dynamics Analysis Model for Five-Axis Machining of Curved Surface Based on Dimension Reduction and Mapping

The equipment used in various fields contains an increasing number of parts with curved surfaces of increasing size.Five-axis computer numerical control(CNC)milling is the main parts machining method,while dynamics analysis has always been a research hotspot.The cutting conditions determined by the cutter axis,tool path,and workpiece geometry are complex and changeable,which has made dynamics research a major challenge.For this reason,this paper introduces the innovative idea of applying dimension reduction and mapping to the five-axis machining of curved surfaces,and proposes an efficient dynamics analysis model.To simplify the research object,the cutter position points along the tool path were discretized into inclined plane five-axis machining.The cutter dip angle and feed deflection angle were used to define the spatial position relationship in five-axis machining.These were then taken as the new base variables to construct an abstract two-dimensional space and establish the mapping relationship between the cutter position point and space point sets to further simplify the dimensions of the research object.Based on the in-cut cutting edge solved by the space limitation method,the dynamics of the inclined plane five-axis machining unit were studied,and the results were uniformly stored in the abstract space to produce a database.Finally,the prediction of the milling force and vibration state along the tool path became a data extraction process that significantly improved efficiency.Two experiments were also conducted which proved the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed dynamics analysis model.This study has great potential for the online synchronization of intelligent machining of large surfaces.

PLANNING METHOD OF TOOL ORIENTATION IN FIVE-AXIS NC MACHINING

The planning method of tool orientation in the five-axis NC machining is studied. The problem of the existing method is analyzed and a new method for generating the global smoothing tool orientation is proposed by introducing the key frame idea in the animation-making. According to the feature of the part, several key tool orientations are set without interference between the tool and the part. Then, these key tool orientations are inter- polated by the spline function. By mapping the surface parameter to the spline parameter, the spline function value is obtained and taken as the tool orientation when generating the CL file. The machining result shows that the proposed method realizes the global smoothing of the tool orientation and the continuity of the rotational speed and the rotational acceleration. It also avoids the shake of the machine tool and improves the machining quality.

A NEW ALGORITHM BASED ON TRIANGULATION FOR 5 AXIS MACHINING OF SCULPTURED SURFACES

NC machining path of sculptured surfaces in CAD/CAM system plays an important role on manufacture. This paper describes a new algorithm for 5 axis machining of sculptured surfaces and the algorithm is interference free. The approach includes: (1) the tesselation of the parametric surfaces into triangles; (2) building topological relations among triangles;(3) 5 axis tool path generation; (4) interference detection and tool position correction.

Tool Positioning Algorithm Based on Smooth Tool Paths for 5-axis Machining of Sculptured Surfaces

The current research of the 5-axis tool positioning algorithm mainly focuses on searching the local optimal tool position without gouging and interference at a cutter contact（CC） point,while not considering the smoothness and continuity of a whole tool path.When the surface curvature varies significantly,a local abrupt change of tool paths will happen.The abrupt change has a great influence on surface machining quality.In order to keep generated tool paths smooth and continuous,a five-axis tool positioning algorithm based on smooth tool paths is presented.Firstly,the inclination angle,the tilt angle and offset distance of the tool at a CC point are used as design variables,and the machining strip width is used as an objective function,an optimization model of a local tool positioning algorithm is thus established.Then,a vector equation of tool path is derived by using the above optimization model.By analyzing the equation,the main factors affecting the tool path quality are obtained.Finally,a new tool position optimization model is established,and the detailed process of tool position optimization is also given.An experiment is conducted to machine an aircraft turbine blade by using the proposed algorithm on a 5-axis blade grinding machine,and the machined blade surface is measured with a coordinate measuring machine（CMM）.Experimental and measured results show that the proposed algorithm can ensure tool paths are smooth and continuous,improve the tool path quality,avoid the local abrupt change of tool paths,and enhance machining quality and machining efficiency of sculptured surfaces.

THIRD-ORDER LOCAL CONTACT AND APPLICATION IN 5-AXIS MACHINING OF SCULPTURED SURFACES

In order to increase the efficiency in the machining of the sculptured surfaces, the contact principle of differential geometry is applied to the 5-axis NC machining; The best contact condition between tool and the surfaces is researched. Through analysis the contact degree of the intersection line of the cutter and the surfaces is known. In comparison to previous studies, the theory is more restricted and accurate by going beyond the second-order parameters into the third-order, suiting both the primary surfaces of analytical geometry and the computer-generated surfaces of the computation geometry. It has definite procedure of calculation, and the equations are easy to solve. The thought process is very clear： First, suppose that there is a surface of third-order, the coefficients of which are arbitrary; Then find out the best posture of the circle in order that the circle and the surface will most closely contact with each other at the origin position; Finally, develop the surface into a third-order surface at every point of machining and employ the results mentioned above to find the best cutter posture at every point of machining. As a result, the equations are easy to solve, and the concept is clear.

EQUIVALENT NORMAL CURVATURE APPROACH MILLING MODEL OF MACHINING FREEFORM SURFACES

A new milling methodology with the equivalent normal curvature milling model machining freeform surfaces is proposed based on the normal curvature theorems on differential geometry. Moreover, a specialized whirlwind milling tool and a 5-axis CNC horizontal milling machine are introduced. This new milling model can efficiently enlarge the material removal volume at the tip of the whirlwind milling tool and improve the producing capacity. The machining strategy of this model is to regulate the orientation of the whirlwind milling tool relatively to the principal directions of the workpiece surface at the point of contact, so as to create a full match with collision avoidance between the workpiece surface and the symmetric rotational surface of the milling tool. The practical results show that this new milling model is an effective method in machining complex three- dimensional surfaces. This model has a good improvement on finishing machining time and scallop height in machining the freeform surfaces over other milling processes. Some actual examples for manufacturing the freeform surfaces with this new model are given.

Surface Modification Process by Electrical Discharge Machining with Ti Powder Green Compact Electrode

This paper describes a new method of surface modification by Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). By using ordinary EDM machine tool and kerosene fluid, a hard ceramic layer can be created on the workpiece surface with Ti or other compressed powder electrode in a certain condition. This new revolutionary method is called Electrical Discharge Coating (EDC). The process of EDC begins with electrode wear during EDM,then a kind of hard carbide is created through the thermal and chemical reaction between the worn electrode material and the carbon particle decomposed from kerosene fluid under high temperature. The carbide is piled up on a workpiece quickly and becomes a hard layer of ceramic about 20 μm in several minutes. This paper studies the principle and process of EDC systemically by using Ti powder green compact electrode. In order to obtain a layer of compact ceramic film, it is very important to select proper electric pulse parameters, such as pulse width, pulse interval, peak current. Meantime, the electrode materials and its forming mode will effect the machining surface quality greatly. This paper presents a series of experiment results to study the EDC process by adopt different technology parameters. Experiments and analyses show that a compact TiC ceramic layer can be created on the surface of metal workpiece. The hardness of ceramic layer is more 3 times higher than the base body, and the hardness changes gradiently from surface to base body. The method will have a great future because many materials can be easily added to the electrode and then be coated on the workpiece surface. Gearing the parameters ceramic can be created with different thickness. The switch between deposition and removal process is carried out easily by changing the polarity, thus the gear to the thickness and shape of the composite ceramic layer is carried out easily. This kind of composite ceramic layer will be used to deal with the surface of the cutting tools or molds possibly, in order to lengthen their life. It also can be found wide application in the fields of surface repairing and strengthening of the ship or aircraft.

A Real-time NURBS Surface Interpolator for 5-axis Surface Machining

A real-time non-uniform rational B-spline （NURBS） surface interpolator is proposed and 5-axis machining method with a flat-end cutter is discussed. With the Taylor expansion and the coordinate transformation, the algorithms of NURBS interpolation, cutter effective machining radius, cutter offsetting and.inverse kinematics are deduced and implemented, respectively. Different from the conventional free-form surface machining, the proposed interpolator can real-time generate the motion commands of computer numerical control （CNC） machines with CC feedrate, rather than that of CL. An example part surface is demonstrated and the results of simulation show that the proposed method can be applied in actual 5-axis surface machining.

Study of machining induced surface defects and its effect on fatigue performance of AZ91/15%SiCp metal matrix composite

The quality of surface generated in a peripheral milling of AZ91/SiCp/15%for varying machining conditions and its effect on the fatigue performance are investigated in this study.The machined surface quality was evaluated through roughness measurements and SEM micrographs of ine machined surface.Tensile iesis were pcifumicu io iiieasure the mechanical properties of the composite.Subsequently,fatigue life of milled specimens was measured through axial fatigue tests at four loading conditions.Optical and SEM/EDS micrographs of the fractured surface were studied to identify the crack initiation site and propagation mechanism.Specimens machined at a lower feed rate of 0.1 mm/rev was found to have excellent surface finish and consequently higher fatigue life.At 0.3 mm/rev,the presence of feed marks and other surface defects resulted in a drastic decrease in fatigue life.Five distinct regions were identified on the fractured surface,particle fracture along and perpendicular to the surface,voids in the matrix due to particle debonding and pull out and typical ductile failure of matrix with embedded SiC particles.

NC Rough Machining of Sculptured Surface Based on Measured Data

A new method for generating tool paths for rough machining of sculpturedsurface is presented in this paper. The sculptured surface is approximated by a regular mesh ofquadrangular facets. A set of equidistant horizontal planes are assigned to intersect the blank ofmachined part and surface model , resulting in a series of contours, which demarcate the feasiblecutting regions of each layer of material removal. The desired cutter path is computed through NCprogramming and any gouging between the cutter and the part being machined is detected and correctedautomatically. The proposed algorithm successfully solves the problem of layered milling forsculptured surface with nested islands.

Optimization of cutter-location for 5-axis NC machining freeform surface with a flat-end cutter

axis NC machining freeform surface with a flat end cutter can theoretically improve material removal rate and surface finish, but it is very difficult to generate a gouge free cutter location. A new method of generating optimal cutter path is proposed to define the effective radius of a flat end cutter and determine the optimal step forward distance and step over distance. Thereby improving the NC machining efficiency and quality of freeform surfaces.

Investigation of a dynamics-oriented engineering approach to ultraprecision machining of freeform surfaces and its implementation perspectives

In current precision and ultraprecision machining practice,the positioning and control of actuation systems,such as slideways and spindles,are heavily dependent on the use of linear or rotary encoders.However,positioning control is passive because of the lack of direct monitoring and control of the tool and workpiece positions in the dynamic machining process and also because it is assumed that the machining system is rigid and the cutting dynamics are stable.In ultraprecision machining of freeform surfaces using slow tool servo mode in particular,however,account must be taken of the machining dynamics and dynamic synchronization of the cutting tool and workpiece positioning.The important question also arises as to how ultraprecision machining systems can be designed and developed to work better in this application scenario.In this paper,an innovative dynamics-oriented engineering approach is presented for ultraprecision machining of freeform surfaces using slow tool servo mode.The approach is focused on seamless integration of multibody dynamics,cutting forces,and machining dynamics,while targeting the positioning and control of the tool–workpiece loop in the machining system.The positioning and motion control between the cutting tool and workpiece surface are further studied in the presence of interfacial interactions at the tool tip and workpiece surface.The interfacial cutting physics and dynamics are likely to be at the core of in-process monitoring applicable to ultraprecision machining systems.The approach is illustrated using a virtual machining system developed and supported with simulations and experimental trials.Furthermore,the paper provides further explorations and discussion on implementation perspectives of the approach,in combination with case studies,as well as discussing its fundamental and industrial implications.

OPTIMAL FEED RATE CONTROL FOR MULTI-AXIS CNC MACHINING OF FREE FORM SURFACES

Considering machining efficiency, surface quality and wear of cutter and machine, it is necessary to maintain high, stable and constant surface feed rate as far as possible.The feed late control strategy for multi-axis CNC machining of free-form surfaces is presented. It comprises: ①the determination of effective feed rate; ②the adoption of suitable approaches to smooth feed rate. This strategy considers path geometry, actuator limitation and machine dynamics. The result shows that machining efficiency is improved effectively.

Neural Network Modeling and Prediction of Surface Roughness in Machining Aluminum Alloys

Artificial neural network is a powerful technique of computational intelligence and has been applied in a variety of fields such as engineering and computer science. This paper deals with the neural network modeling and prediction of surface roughness in machining aluminum alloys using data collected from both force and vibration sensors. Two neural network models, including a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) model and a Radial Basis Function (RBF) model, were developed in the present study. Each model includes eight inputs and five outputs. The eight inputs include the cutting speed, the ratio of the feed rate to the tool-edge radius, cutting forces in three directions, and cutting vibrations in three directions. The five outputs are five surface roughness parameters. Described in detail is how training and test data were generated from real-world machining experiments that covered a wide range of cutting conditions. The results show that the MLP model provides significantly higher accuracy of prediction for surface roughness than does the RBF model.

Surface performance of workpieces processed by electrical discharge machining in gas

The surface performance of workpieces processed by electrical discharge machining in gas(dry EDM)was studied in this paper.Firstly,the composition,micro hardness and recast layer of electrical discharge machined(EDMed)surface of 45 carbon steels in air were investigated through different test analysis methods.The results show that the workpiece surface EDMed in air contains a certain quantity of oxide,and oxidation occurs on the workpiece surface.Compared with the surface of workpieces processed in kerosene,fewer cracks exist on the dry EDMed workpiece surface,and the surface recast layer is thinner than that obtained by conventional EDM.The micro hardness of workpieces machined by dry EDM method is lower than that machined in kerosene,and higher than that of the matrix.In addition,experiments were conducted on the surface wear resistance of workpieces processed in air and kerosene using copper electrode and titanium alloy electrode.The results indicate that the surface wear resistance of workpieces processed in air can be improved,and it is related with tool material and dielectric.

The Development of a Distributed Surface Machining System

This paper focuses on the development of a distributed surface machining system. Traditional manufacturing engineering activity analysis has been conducted in developing the proposed system structure. The advantages of a distributed system structure such as easy to manage,high expandability and flexibility will enhance the efficiency of an integral system operation,and achieve the goal of networked manufacture. The IDEF0 was used to describe each stage of the traditional surface machining activities,and then UML (Unified Modeling Language) technology was adopted to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the established integrated system. The developed distributed system structure and sub-functional modules (CAD/CAM/CAPP) have been implemented based on the proposed systematic approach; and a freeform surface has been used as an example for verification. The proposed approach has been successfully implemented and could be adopted to assist engineers in integrating machining activities that are located in dispersed places; and various domains experts also can exchange their expertise among themselves. Thus,the development time of a product machining processes can be shortened and so is its enhancement on the competitive advantages. In addition,this distributed system has also integrated multi-functional ontology and service agent to facilitate the selection and reconfiguration in manufacturing customization. The proposed system has presented the feasibility in incorporating the agent-based technology in a distributed freeform surface machining environment. Service agents communicate via pre-defined performatives underlying knowledge query and manipulation language (KQML) for the surface machining capability. The developed system has then successfully demonstrated the feasibility in implementing the agent-based technology into a distributed surface machining system.

Development of Virtual Simulation System for Remote Collaborative Surface Machining

Most researches about virtual machine tool are emphasized on simulations of machine motion and machining process for single machine. In this paper,a virtual simulation system for remote collaborative surface machining is developed. The motion command of machine tool is generated by an interpolator,which can derive synchronized motion commands according to feedrate. Thus,the system can estimate the machining time. For universal assembly of five-axis virtual machine tool,it is based on the D-H notation representation and machining constraints consideration. The remote collaborative virtual manufacturing system based on the CORBA technology is proposed in this paper. It demonstrated that the developed virtual machine tool can be used to verify and simulate the machining process for the collaboration of the surface design and manufacturing team.

A Method for Identification and Compensation of Machining Errors of Digital Gear Tooth Surfaces

In order to generate the digital gear tooth surfaces(DGTS)with high efficiency and high precision,a method for identification and compensation of machining errors is demonstrated in this paper.Machining errors are analyzed directly from the real tooth surfaces.The topography data of the part are off-line measured in the post-process.A comparison is made between two models:CAD model of DGTS and virtual model of the physical measured surface.And a matching rule is given to determine these two surfaces in an appropriate fashion.The developed error estimation model creates a point-to-point map of the real surface to the theoretical surface in the normal direction.A“pre-calibration error compensation”strategy is presented.Through processing the results of the first trail cutting,the total compensation error is predicted and an imaginary digital tooth surface is reconstructed. The machining errors in the final manufactured surfaces are minimized by generating this imaginary surface.An example of ma- chining 2-D DGTS verifies the developed method.The research is of important theoretical and practical value to manufacture the DGTS and other digital conjugate surfaces.

Continuity control method of cutter posture vector for efficient five-axis machining

During five-axis machining of impeller, the excessive local interference avoidance leads to inconsistency of cutter posture, low quality of machined surface and increase of processing time. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency of five-axis machining of impellers, it is necessary to minimize the cutter posture changes and create a continuous tool path while avoiding interference. By using an MC-space algorithm for interference avoidance, an MB-spline algorithm for continuous control was intended to create a five-axis machining tool path with excellent surface quality and economic feasibility. A five-axis cutting experiment was performed to verify the effectiveness of the continuity control. The result shows that the surface shape with continuous method is greatly improved, and the surface roughness is generally favorable. Consequently, the effectiveness of the suggested method is verified by identifying the improvement of efficiency of five-axis machining of an impeller in aspects of surface quality and machining time.

Effects of machining conditions on specific surface of PM_2.5emitted during metal cutting

Indoor air quality has become an important matter for health and safety. Most manufacturing processes generate aerosols. In the metal cutting industry, dry machining processes are accompanied by dust emission (fogs, fine chips and metallic dust in both micrometers and nanometers scales) that has impacts on workers’ health. This research work aimed to understand and reduce the harmful impacts of the machining process on the occupational safety. In this study, an experimental investigation was carried out on fine and ultrafine metallic dust emission during slot milling of 2024-T351, 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 aluminum alloy in dry conditions. It was confirmed that the cutting conditions influence significantly the specific surface area of ultrafine particles. It was also found that the cutting speed is a determinant factor for specific surface area of ultrafine particles and control during the slot milling process.