Tool Orientation Planning Based on Kinematic Relation of Five-Axis CNC Machining Tools in Sculptured Surface Machining

Abstract

Five-axis machining has been applied in sculptured surface manufacturing more and more widely. Tool orientation planning becomes important for higher machining precision. For this purpose, planning method based on kinematic relation of five-axis CNC machining tools is proposed to control the variations of the cutter-axis vectors and the motion axes. Through establishing smoothness index for reflecting the variations of the cutter-axis vectors and the motion axes and the kinematics model of machine tool with general structure, the overall smoothness model of the cutter axis vector and motion axes considering the kinematics spatial mapping is established, and the tool orientation planning is completed. Determination and simulation of the tool orientation are conducted through machining a complex blade surface. The results of the simulation result showed that the tool orientation planning method improved the smoothness of the processing and the efficiency.