Tool Tip Position Research Articles

Study on dynamic characteristics of ultraprecision machining and its effect on medium-frequency waviness error

In order to study the influence mechanism of dynamic characteristics on medium-frequency waviness error, the dynamic model of tool tip position of ultraprecision fly-cutting machine tool is firstly established, and the response test of tool tip position of machine tool is also carried out to identify relevant dynamic parameters. Then the dynamic vibration response of the machine tool is obtained by using intermittent cutting forces as input signal. The simulation results of the surface shape characteristics caused by the dynamic characteristics of the fly-cutting machine tool are obtained through the surface simulation. Finally, the simulation surface shape and the experimental surface shape are compared to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the tool tip dynamic model of the fly-cutting machine tool and the arc shape feature in the medium-frequency waviness error.

Effect of Cutting Tool Tip Position on Real Cutting Tool Deflection in Turning

In the turning process, the surface quality depends on factors such as the tangential cutting force, depth of cut, tool overhang and cutting tool geometry. In the literature, most of these factors ...

Double B-Spline Curve-Fitting and Synchronization-Integrated Feedrate Scheduling Method for Five-Axis Linear-Segment Toolpath

The discontinuities of a five-axis linear-segment toolpath result in fluctuation in the feedrate, acceleration and jerk commands that lead to machine tool vibration and poor surface finish. For path smoothing, with the global curve-fitting method it is difficult to control fitting error and the local corner-smoothing method has large curvature extreme. For path synchronization, the parameter synchronization method cannot ensure smooth rotary motion. Aiming at these problems, this paper proposes a double B-spline curve-fitting and synchronization-integrated feedrate scheduling method. Two C2-continuous and error-bounded B-spline curves are produced to fit tool-tip position and tool orientation, respectively. The fitting error is controlled by locally refining the curve segments that exceed the fitting tolerance. The tool-tip position trajectory is firstly planned to address axial kinematic constraints in the feedrate scheduling process. Then the feedrate is deformed for the tool orientation to guarantee smooth rotary motion as well as to share the same motion time with the tool-tip position segment by segment. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method have been validated by simulations and experiments on the S-shape test piece. Simulations show that the proposed curve-fitting method can generate smooth toolpath and constrain fitting error. The proposed feedrate scheduling method can guarantee smooth rotary motion and keep axial motions under kinematic limits, compared with the method that does not consider axial kinematic constraints and the parameter synchronization method. Experimental results verify that the proposed curve-fitting method can generate smooth tool path under fitting tolerance, and the proposed feedrate scheduling method can produce smooth and restricted axial motions.

In the Fundamentals of Endovascular and Vascular Surgery model motion metrics reliably differentiate competency

ObjectiveThe Fundamentals of Endovascular and Vascular Surgery, a curriculum that includes an endovascular model for skills testing, aims to differentiate between competent and noncompetent performers. The aim of our study was to further validate the model and to test its reliability in assessing the performance of endovascular trainees in an uncontrolled setting. MethodsThe model was tested exclusively in a virtual reality environment. On the basis of their endovascular experience, 52 participants were divided into three groups: novice (<50 endovascular cases), intermediate (50-500 endovascular cases), and expert (>500 endovascular cases). Performance was evaluated in four tasks, measuring the tool tip position and velocity on the virtual model. Average tool tip velocity and movement smoothness in the velocity frequency domain are validated parameters defining proficiency of movement. The data were filtered and interpolated to calculate the metrics. Trials containing critical tool manipulation errors were excluded. ResultsIn total, 52 tasks completed by novices, 25 completed by intermediates, and 38 completed by experts were analyzed to determine performance. The difference in performance between the novice and expert groups was statistically significant for guidewire smoothness (P < .001). The expert group had a statistically significantly higher average guidewire velocity compared with the novice group (P < .001). ConclusionsThe Fundamentals of Endovascular and Vascular Surgery model continues to differentiate novices from experts on the basis of their handling of guidewire and catheter tools, measured as smoothness and velocity. This model offers a useful instrument to test competency of endovascular surgeons.

A Real-Time C3 Continuous Tool Path Smoothing and Interpolation Algorithm for Five-Axis Machine Tools

Abstract Local corner smoothing method is commonly adopted to smooth linear (G01) tool path segments in computer numerical control (CNC) machining to realize continuous motion at transition corners. However, because of the highly non-linear relation between the arc-length and the spline parameter, and the challenge to synchronize the tool tip position and tool orientation, real-time and high-order continuous five-axis tool path smoothing and interpolation algorithms have not been well studied. This paper proposes a real-time C3 continuous corner smoothing and interpolation algorithm for five-axis machine tools. The transition corners of the tool tip position and tool orientation are analytically smoothed in the workpiece coordinate system (WCS) and the machine coordinate system (MCS) by C3 continuous PH splines, respectively. The maximum deviation errors of the smoothed tool tip position and the tool orientation are both constrained in the WCS. An analytical synchronization algorithm is developed to guarantee the motion variance of the smoothed tool orientation related to the tool tip displacement is also C3 continuous. The corresponding real-time interpolation method is developed with a continuous and peak-constrained jerk. Simulation results verify that the maximum deviation errors caused by the tool path smoothing algorithm are constrained, and continuous acceleration and jerk of each axis are achieved along the entire tool path. Comparisons demonstrate that the proposed algorithms achieve lower amplitude and variance of acceleration and jerk when compared with existing methods. Experiments show that the proposed five-axis corner smoothing and interpolation algorithms are serially executed in real-time with 0.5-ms cycle.

An analytical C3 continuous tool path corner smoothing algorithm for 6R robot manipulator

Abstract Tool path smoothness is important to guarantee good dynamic and tracking performance of robot manipulators. An analytical C3 continuous tool path corner smoothing algorithm is proposed for robot manipulators with 6 rotational (6R) joints. The tool tip position is smoothed directly in the workpiece coordinate system (WCS). The tool orientation is smoothed after transferring the tool orientation matrix as three rotary angles. Micro-splines of the tool tip position and tool orientation are constructed under the constraints of the maximum deviation error tolerances in the WCS. Then the tool orientation and tool tip position are synchronized to the tool tip displacement with C3 continuity by replacing the remaining linear segments using specially constructed B-splines. Control points of the locally inserted micro-splines are all evaluated analytically without any iterative calculations. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed algorithm satisfies constraints of the preset tool tip position and the tool orientation tolerances. The proposed corner smoothing algorithm achieves smoother and lower jerks than C2 continuous corner smoothing algorithm. Experimental results show that the tracking errors associated to the execution of the C3 continuous tool path are up to 10% smaller than C2 continuous path errors.

Analysis and optimization of nonlinear carrying performance of hydrostatic ram based on finite difference method and Runge–Kutta method

Analyzing of nonlinear carrying performance of hydrostatic ram is among key research questions to improve heavy machine tools because the machining precision will be directly influenced by it. A dynamic model of nonlinear supporting characters for hydrostatic ram is developed in this work. Modified Reynolds equation is resolved by finite difference method numerically to determine the carrying capability. Dynamic equilibrium equation of hydrostatic ram under cutting force impact is solved by Runge–Kutta method to obtain the variation of tool tip position and evaluate the machining accuracy. An optimal oil supply rate allocation and oil pad size is proposed to improve the static and dynamic performance simultaneously based on method of bisection.

A New 4-DOF Fully Parallel Robot With Decoupled Rotation for Five-Axis Micromachining Applications

We present a novel 4-DOF (degrees of freedom) parallel robot designed for five-axis micromachining applications. Two of its five telescoping legs operate simultaneously, thus acting as an extensible parallelogram linkage, and in conjunction with two other legs control the position of the tooltip. The fifth leg controls the tilt of the end-effector (a spindle), while a turntable fixed at the base of the robot controls the swivel of the workpiece. The robot is capable of tilting its end-effector up to 90 deg, for any tooltip position. In this paper, we study the mobility of the new parallel kinematic machine (PKM), describe its inverse and direct kinematic models, then study its singularities, and analyze its workspace. Finally, we propose a potential mechanical design for this PKM utilizing telescopic actuators as well as the procedure for optimizing it. In addition, we discuss the possibility of using constant-length legs and base-mounted linear actuators in order to increase the volume of the workspace.

An Analytical Decoupled Corner Smoothing Method for Five-Axis Linear Tool Paths

Nowadays, the tool path in five-axis machining is usually described with linear segments. Tangential and curvature discontinuities of the linear tool path lead to poor machining efficiency and quality. Due to the complexities in constraining approximation errors and synchronization of tool tip position and tool orientation, it still remains a challenge to smooth five-axis linear tool path in real-time. To solve this problem, this paper developed an analytical decoupled corner smoothing method by inserting an asymmetric cubic B-spline and a pair of symmetric quartic spherical Bezier curves for tool tip position and tool orientation, respectively. The maximal approximation errors for tool tip position and tool orientation are fully constrained in the blending procedures. Tool tip position and tool orientation are synchronized by adjusting the blending lengths and angles, which guarantees the C 2 continuity of the tool path. The blending and synchronous scheme are analytical. Therefore, the proposed method can be employed in real-time. To verify the proposed method, simulations and experiments on a five-axis machine tool are conducted, the results demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method.

Dual NURBS Path Smoothing for 5-Axis Linear Path of Flank Milling

Linear path is still widely used to describe the five-axis machining trajectory. Five-axis tool path consists of two parts, one trajectory describes the tool tip position, and the other one represents the second point on tool axis to define the tool orientation. The natural disadvantages of G01 path are tangential and curvature discontinuities at freeform surface, which will lead to feedrate fluctuation and accuracy decrease due to the drive constraints of machine tool. In this study, a path smoothing method is proposed to smooth and optimize the linear path by using dual NURBS curves. Firstly, according to the accuracy requirements, the tool tip spline can be fitted. Secondly, the tool orientation spline can also be obtained by a coordinate system mapping method. Then, the synchronization equation of the two spline parameters is established to achieve interpolation synchronization of cutter location points. Finally, the smoothing dual NURBS tool path can be obtained with continuous curvature to improve the surface quality, motion stability and machining efficiency. Simulations and experiments validate its practicability and reliability. This method is no need to upgrade the CAM, and also could be integrated into CAM system to perform the 5-axis path smoothing.

Comparison of six display modes for a multi-resolution foveated laparoscope.

To overcome the field of view and ergonomic limitations of standard laparoscopes, we are developing a multi-resolution foveated laparoscope that can simultaneously obtain both wide- and zoomed-in-view images through a single scope. To facilitate the effective access to the dual views of images with different resolution and field coverage acquired by our laparoscope, six different display modes have been developed. Each of the six display modes has inherent advantages and disadvantages. This study compares the six display modes through a human-subject experiment, which was conducted with an emulated laparoscope using a 4K camera. Twenty-four subjects without medicine background performed three evaluation trials of a touching task with each of the display modes. Various objective measurements including task completion time, the number of collisions, gaze position, and tooltip position, and subjective preference for the display modes were recorded. For all the measurements except for task completion time and moving speed of tooltip, there were statistically significant differences among the display modes. Although the focus plus warped context view mode was selected as one of the least preferred modes, it showed the best task performance. The unblocked wide context view was useful to provide a situational awareness even when it was severely distorted in some of the display modes, and information continuity played an important role in improving task performance. Moreover, the position change of viewing window coupled to the location of region of interest helped improve task performance, by providing an additional cue for spatial awareness.

A feedrate scheduling algorithm to constrain tool tip position and tool orientation errors of five-axis CNC machining under cutting load disturbances

This paper proposes a model to keep the cutting load induced tool tip position and tool orientation errors of five-axis CNC machines within the desired tolerance limit by scheduling the feed along the tool paths. The cutting forces at the tool tip are transmitted to three translational and two rotary servo drives of the machine tool using its kinematic model. Tracking errors of each axis contributed by cutting forces are modeled using the disturbance transfer function of servo drives. The tracking errors are mapped to the workpiece coordinate system to evaluate the tool tip position and tool axis orientation errors at discrete tool path locations. The cutting forces, therefore the tracking errors, are modeled as a linear function of tangential feed velocity. The feed is adjusted to constrain the tool tip position and tool axis orientation errors at the desired tolerance levels along the tool path. The proposed algorithm has been experimentally validated by milling a curved tool path on a five-axis commercial CNC machine tool. It is shown that the proposed algorithm can significantly improve the part machining accuracy without increasing the machining time.

Geometric Error Compensation With a Six Degree-of–Freedom Rotary Magnetic Actuator

This paper presents a methodology to compensate the tooltip position errors caused by the geometric errors of a three-axis gantry type micromill integrated with a six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) rotary magnetic table. A geometric error-free ideal forward kinematic model of the nine-axis machine has been developed using homogenous transformation matrices (HTMs). The geometric errors of each linear axis, which include one positioning, two straightness, pitch, roll, and yaw errors, are measured with a laser interferometer and fit to quintic polynomial functions in the working volume of the machine. The forward kinematic model is modified to include the geometric errors which, when subtracted from the ideal kinematic model, gives the deviation between the desired tooltip position with and without geometric errors. The position commands of the six degree-of-freedom rotary magnetic table are modified in real time to compensate for the tooltip deviation using a gradient descent algorithm. The algorithm is simulated and verified experimentally on the nine-axis micromill controlled by an in-house developed virtual/real-time open computer numerical controlled (CNC) system.

ENHANCING LASER STEP DIAGONAL MEASUREMENT BY MULTIPLE SENSORS FOR FAST MACHINE TOOL CALIBRATION

The volumetric performance of machine tools is limited by the remaining relative deviation between desired and real tool tip position. Being able to predict this deviation at any given functional point enables methods for compensation or counteraction and hence reduce errors in manufacturing and uncertainties for on-machine measurement tasks. Time-efficient identification and quanitification of different contributions to the resulting deviation play a key role in this strategy. The authors pursue the development of an optical sensor system for step diagonal measurement methods, which can be integrated into the working volume of the machine due to its compact size, enabling fast measurements of the axes’ motion error including roll, pitch and yaw and squareness errors without significantly interrupting the manufacturing process. The use of a frequency-modulating interferometer and photosensitive arrays in combination with a Gaussian laser beam allow for measurements at comparable accuracy, lower cost and smaller dimensions compared to state-of-the-art optical measuring appliances for offline machine tool calibration. For validation of the method a virtual machine setup and raytracing simulation is used which enables the investigation of systematic errors like sensor hardware misalignment.

Error compensation in the five-axis flank milling of thin-walled workpieces

Five-axis flank milling is the most commonly used processing method in the aviation industry for the machining of thin-walled parts with complex ruled surfaces. During machining, the tool/workpiece deformations caused by the cutting force often lead to surface errors on the machined components that severely affect the accuracy of the machining results. This article presents an iterative compensation strategy to reduce the tool/workpiece deformation-induced surface error during the five-axis flank milling of thin-walled workpieces by modifying the tool tip position and tool axis orientation. This approach can be implemented in four steps. First, a highly integrated cutter-workpiece engagement extraction method is developed for the construction of a flexible cutting force model that can follow changes in the process geometry. Second, the tool/workpiece deformations are predicted by the cantilever beam model and finite element model, respectively. Third, an off-line error compensation scheme is performed at each cutting location of the tool path to obtain the modified tool position. Fourth, the machined surface of the workpiece model is reconstructed, and the compensated machining code, which can be used directly for actual machining, is generated. A case study is presented at the end of this article, and the effectiveness of the present compensation strategy is verified by machining experiments.

A high accuracy on-line estimation algorithm of five-axis contouring errors based on three-point arc approximation

Abstract High-accuracy on-line contouring error estimation plays a significant role in contouring accuracy control of multi-axis CNC machining. This paper focuses on developing a high-accuracy on-line estimation algorithm of five-axis contouring errors based on three-point arc approximation (TPAA). The nearest reference tool tip position related to the actual one is searched at first, then the tool tip position contouring error is estimated by the distance between the actual position and the arc formed by the nearest reference tool tip position and its two adjacent reference positions. Similar to the tool tip position, the TPAA algorithm is also conducted to estimate the tool orientation contouring error in the unit spherical coordinate system, where equal proportional factors of the tool tip position and the tool orientation arc-lengths are adopted to ensure the synchronization of the tool tip position contouring error and the tool orientation contouring error. The proposed contouring error estimation algorithm is adapted to different trajectory types and has higher estimation accuracy than linear segment approximation (LSA) algorithm for trajectory segments with high curvature. Various experiments with different testing tool paths are performed on an in-house developed five-axis experiment platform to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, and the results show that the proposed TPAA algorithm can estimate contouring errors with higher accuracy than existing algorithms based on the curvature arc iterative (CAI) algorithm and the LSA algorithm.

An Analytical C3 Continuous Local Corner Smoothing Algorithm for Four-Axis Computer Numerical Control Machine Tools

Linear motion commands of multi-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools need to be smoothed at the transition corners, because the velocity discontinuities at corners can result in fluctuations on machine tool motions and lead to poor surface quality. However, no research has been reported on local corner smoothing algorithm for four-axis CNC machine tools with two rotary axes by considering their special kinematic characteristics. To this end, this paper proposes an analytical C3 continuous local corner smoothing algorithm for four-axis CNC machines with two rotary axes. After coordinates transformation, the tool tip positions and tool orientations are smoothed by locally inserting specially designed three-dimensional (3D) quintic B-splines and one-dimensional (1D) quintic B-splines into the corners between linear motion segments, respectively. The smoothing algorithm guarantees C3 continuity of the tool tip position and C3 continuous synchronization of the tool orientation related to the tool tip position, through analytically evaluating control points of the inserted microsplines. The maximum error tolerances of the tool tip position and tool orientation are mathematically constrained. Experiments on an in-house developed four-axis machine verify the efficacy of the proposed algorithm, where maximal errors caused by the local corner smoothing algorithm are constrained, the synchronization of the tool orientation and the tool tip position are achieved, and the proposed C3 continuous corner smoothing algorithm has lower jerk and jounce but higher tracking and contour accuracy than C2 continuous algorithm.

Modelling Machine Tools using Structure Integrated Sensors for Fast Calibration

Monitoring of the relative deviation between commanded and actual tool tip position, which limits the volumetric performance of the machine tool, enables the use of contemporary methods of compensation to reduce tolerance mismatch and the uncertainties of on-machine measurements. The development of a primarily optical sensor setup capable of being integrated into the machine structure without limiting its operating range is presented. The use of a frequency-modulating interferometer and photosensitive arrays in combination with a Gaussian laser beam allows for fast and automated online measurements of the axes’ motion errors and thermal conditions with comparable accuracy, lower cost, and smaller dimensions as compared to state-of-the-art optical measuring instruments for offline machine tool calibration. The development is tested through simulation of the sensor setup based on raytracing and Monte-Carlo techniques.

Posture-dependent stability prediction of a milling industrial robot based on inverse distance weighted method

During robotic milling process, vibration is one of mainly factors that affect machining accuracy and surface quality, due to the low stiffness of robot structure. Robotic milling stability is dependent on the frequency response function (FRF) at tool tip, which is posture-dependent within the work volume. An approach to rapidly predict the industrial robot stability of any posture is presented in this paper. A lot of tool tip positions are arranged to conduct the impacting tests. For each tool tip position, five corresponding robot postures are obtained by determining the redundant freedom and solving inverse kinematics problem. FRFs at the tool tip of all tested robot postures are identified, and modal parameters are acquired. Based on the sample information that contains tested robot postures and corresponding modal parameters, inverse distance weighted (IDW) model is utilized to predict tool tip FRFs at any posture. Consequently, the milling stability lobe diagrams of robot at different postures are available to be obtained. Finally, the approach is proven to be feasible by performing robot milling experiments.

An analytical local corner smoothing algorithm for five-axis CNC machining

Abstract Linear motion commands of computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools need to be smoothed at the transition corners in order to guarantee continuous and steady machining. However, because of the complex kinematic constraints, very few researches have devoted to developing analytical and high order continuous corner smoothing algorithms of five-axis tool paths, although it is important to guarantee both high calculation efficiency and good dynamic performance of five-axis CNC machining. This paper develops an analytical C 3 continuous corner smoothing algorithm of five-axis tool paths by locally inserting specially designed quintic micro splines into the transition corners of five-axis linear commands. C 3 continuity of the tool tip position and the tool orientation are guaranteed along the entire tool path. The maximal approximation errors of the tool tip position and the tool orientation are both constrained in the workpiece coordinate system. The synchronization of the tool tip position and tool orientation are mathematically guaranteed at the junctions of the linear and spline segments. The proposed corner smoothing algorithm can calculate all control points of the locally inserted tool tip position and tool orientation splines analytically without any iteration, which makes it very suitable to on-line calculation. Experiments on an in-house developed five-axis CNC platform verify that the maximal approximation errors of both tool tip position and tool orientation are constrained, and the proposed C 3 continuous corner smoothing algorithm has higher tracking accuracy and lower acceleration frequency content at higher frequencies than the C 2 continuous algorithm.