Flat-end tool orientation based on rotation-minimizing frame

Xiang Zou; Hon-Yuen Tam; Hai-Yin Xu; Ke Shi

doi:10.1007/s40436-019-00271-4

Advances in Manufacturing ›› 2019, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (3) : 257 -269. DOI: 10.1007/s40436-019-00271-4

Article

Flat-end tool orientation based on rotation-minimizing frame

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¹ School of Computer Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

² College of Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

^b metamhy@cityu.edu.hk

Xiang Zou is a Ph.D. candidate at Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Optimization in School of Computer Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He obtained his B.S. in Computer Science and Technology from Jiangsu University. His main research interests include optimization, machining learning and five-axis CNC machining.

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Hon-Yuen Tam received his B.S. degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, and his M.S. and Ph.D. (1990) degrees from Stanford University, USA, all in Mechanical Engineering. He is now a university lecturer of the department of Mechanical Engineering at City University of Hong Kong. His current research interests are in automated surface finishing, numerical control, automation systems and surface inspection.

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Hai-Yin Xu obtained his B.Sc. from Northwestern Polytechnical University, M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Huazhong University of Science and Technology PRC. Previously He was a research associate in City University of Hong Kong, a Post doctor in King’s College London and a Lecturer in Bournemouth University, UK. He is associate professor at Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Optimization in School of Computer Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His research interests include optimization, deep neural networks, machining learning and their applications.

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Ke Shi earned his Ph.D. from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and now is a professor of the School of Computer Science and Technology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His main research interests include internet of things, big data, and industrial control and automation.

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Abstract

Well-designed tool orientation is crucial for the quality execution of five-axis machining with flat-end tools. Tool orientation can be specified in terms of tool inclination and tool tilt angles. For a given surface path, these aspects need to be specified for each cutter contact point along the path, because poor tool orientation choice can cause large axial acceleration of the machine tool, leading to inferior quality of the machined surface. The rotation-minimizing frame aims to reduce unnecessary frame rotation during movement. This concept has been adopted to develop tool orientation methods that allow variation in the inclination angle, the tilt angle, and both the inclination and tilt angles. The intention is to reduce unnecessary rotation of the tool frame as the tool follows a specified path. Evaluation was conducted in the context of five-axis flat-end tool machining. Based on these methods, tool orientation was planned along surface paths of a torus, sphere, and dome. Changes in tool orientation were always smooth. From the perspective of reducing tool orientation changes and axial acceleration, it was demonstrated that simultaneous variation of the inclination and tilt angles based on rotation minimization provided the best results.

Keywords

Five-axis machining / Tool orientation / Rotation-minimizing frame / Numerical control

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Xiang Zou, Hon-Yuen Tam, Hai-Yin Xu, Ke Shi. Flat-end tool orientation based on rotation-minimizing frame. Advances in Manufacturing, 2019, 7(3): 257-269 DOI:10.1007/s40436-019-00271-4