Computer aided machining fixture design algorithm and software based on case learning for near-net-shaped jet engine blade

Abstract

In the blade computer numerical control (CNC) machining process, the machining fixture design for each type of blade will be a very difficult task due to the large variety and quantity of blades. This study proposes a computer-aided machining fixture design algorithm and software based on case learning. The three-dimensional model of the case learning blade and the target blade is firstly projected into a cylinder surface based on the projection algorithm, and the cylinder surface is expanded into a two-dimensional plane based on expansion algorithm. Then, the matching machining fixture layout of the target blade relative to the case learning blade is obtained in two-dimensional space by the mesh affine transformation algorithm according to the geometric edge constraints and the matching relationship of the case learning blade and target blade. At last, the inverse transformations of projection and expansion are used to obtain the final fixture layout of the target blade three-dimensional model based on the previous projection and expansion relationship. The special computer-aided fixture design software of near-net shaped blade is developed, and the machining fixture design and CNC machining experiment based on two typical near-net-shaped blades proved that the computer-aided fixture design algorithm based on case learning is feasible and can be used to realize the intelligent design of near-net-shaped blade machining fixture.