Machining Time Reduction by Tool Path Modification to Eliminate Air Cutting Motion for End Milling Operation

A method to uniquely calculate the tool path and to modify the tool path during air cutting motion to reduce the machining time is proposed. This study presents a contour line model, in which the product model is minutely divided on a plane along an axial direction, and the contour line of the cross-section of the product is superimposed. A method is then proposed to calculate the tool position according to the degree of interference between the product surface and the tool. Furthermore, this study proposes a technique to reduce the machining time by tool path modification during air cutting motion. This is determined by the geometric relationship between the product surface and the tool, and not based on cutting simulations. A cutting experiment was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Based on the results, it was confirmed that the difference in machining time between the tool path with modification and the tool path without modification was large. Moreover, the machining time was significantly reduced by the tool path modification. The results showed that the proposed method has good potential to perform customized manufacturing, and to realize both high productivity and reliability in machining operation.

A Tool Path Modification Approach to Cutting Engagement Regulation for the Improvement of Machining Accuracy in 2D Milling With a Straight End Mill

In two-dimensional (2D) free-form contour machining by using a straight (flat) end mill, conventional contour parallel paths offer varying cutting engagement with workpiece, which inevitably causes the variation in cutting loads on the tool, resulting in geometric inaccuracy of the machined workpiece surface. This paper presents an algorithm to generate a new offset tool path, such that the cutting engagement is regulated at a desired level over the finishing path. The key idea of the proposed algorithm is that the semi-finish path, the path prior to the finishing path, is modified such that the workpiece surface generated by the semi-finish path gives the desired engagement angle over the finishing path. The expectation with the proposed algorithm is that by regulating the cutting engagement angle along the tool path trajectory, the cutting force can be controlled at any desirable value, which will potentially reduce variation of tool deflection, thus improving geometric accuracy of machined workpiece. In this study, two case studies for 2D contiguous end milling operations with a straight end mill are shown to demonstrate the capability of the proposed algorithm for tool path modification to regulate the cutting engagement. Machining results obtained in both case studies reveal far reduced variation of cutting force, and thus, the improved geometric accuracy of the machined workpiece contour.