The manufacturing technology of an integral impeller is an important indicator for measuring the manufacturing capability of a country. Its manufacturing process involves complex free-form surface machining, a time consuming and error-prone process, and the tool path planning is considered as a critical issue of free-form surface machining but still lacks a systematic solution. In this paper, aiming at the tool path planning of the impeller channel, a quasi-triangular tool path planning method based on parametric domain template trajectory mapping is proposed. The main idea is to map the template trajectory to physical domain by using the mapping model of parametric domain to the physical domain to obtain the actual machining path. Firstly, the trajectory mapping model of parametric domain to physical domain is established using the morphing technique, and the template trajectory mapping method in the parametric domain is given. Secondly, the clean-up boundary of the impeller channel is determined in the parametric domain, and the quasi-triangular template trajectory of the impeller channel is defined. Finally, taking a certain type of impeller as an example, the quasi-triangular tool path of the impeller channel is calculated, and the tool path calculation time of this method is compared with that of the traditional isometric offset method. The result shows that the computational efficiency is improved by 45% with this method, which provides a new method for the rapid acquisition of NC machining tool path for impeller channels. In addition, the simulation and actual machining are carried out, the results show that the shape of actual cutting traces on the surface of the impeller channel is quasi-triangular, showing that this method is effective and feasible.
Collision-Free Path Planning for Efficient Inspection of Free-Form Surface by Using a Trigger Probe
