Tool Path Generation for Five-Axis Controlled Machining of Free-Form Surfaces Using a Barrel Tool Considering Continuity of Tool Postures

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of automation technology Vol. 15; no. 6; pp. 885 - 892
Main Authors Suzuki, Tomonobu, Okamoto, Ken, Morishige, Koichi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Tokyo Fuji Technology Press Co. Ltd 01.11.2021
Subjects
Cutting tools
End milling
Five axis
Free form
Interference
Machine shops
Machine tools
Machining
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1881-7629
1883-8022
DOI:10.20965/ijat.2021.p0885