Paper:
Tool Path Generation for Five-Axis Controlled Machining of Free-Form Surfaces Using a Barrel Tool Considering Continuity of Tool Postures
Tomonobu Suzuki*,, Ken Okamoto**, and Koichi Morishige*
*Department of Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering,
The University of Electro-Communications
1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
Corresponding author
**Department of Machinery and Production Engineering, Nagano Prefecture Nanshin Institute of Technology, Minamiminowa, Japan
This study aims to improve the efficiency of free-form surface machining using a five-axis controlled machine tool and a barrel tool. The barrel tool has cutting edges with curvatures smaller than its radius; thus, its pick feed width is larger than that of a conventional ball end mill with the same tool radius. Therefore, the machining efficiency can be improved. Barrel tools can be effectively utilized in a five-axis controlled machine tool. When five-axis controlled machining, tool interference may occur, which should be avoided during actual machine operation. Additionally, a sudden change in tool posture adversely affects the quality of the machined surface. This paper proposes a method to obtain the cutting points that render cusp heights below the target value. A method for generating an interference-free tool path, in which the tool posture changes continuously, is also proposed. The usefulness of the developed methods was confirmed through machining simulations.
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