NURBS tool-path generation and accurate machined-part modeling in virtual 5-Axis milling for high-performance cutting of sculptured parts

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With advances in the CAD technology, mechanical products with sculptured parts have been widely adopted in the aeronautical, automotive, and die and mold industries. Reconfigurable manufacturing systems, including 5-axis CNC machine tools, are capable of making diverse products with better quality, less costs, and shorter lead time; thus, they are essential to the companies in these industries during economic globalization. Being a kernel technology in the systems, high-performance 5-axis machining of the sculptured parts is a great challenge, even though it is badly needed in industry. An effective solution to the challenge is virtual 5-axis machining systems that can simulate real cutting processes by taking machine tool dynamics and CNC programs into account, generate machined part models with high fidelity, and inspect the digital parts for surface accuracy less than 0.01 mm. To overcome the drawbacks of the existing virtual systems, this newly proposed research aims to develop and advance some key techniques: (i) cutter size optimization for 5-axis sculptured part machining, (ii) NURBS tool path planning for smooth, accurate surfaces and good machine tool kinetics, and (iii) virtually-machined part modeling with high fedelity.