Sub-regional flank milling method

Abstract

In the field of CNC machining, comparing with point milling, flank milling has a significant advantage in terms of processing efficiency. However, for machining of complex surfaces or large ruled surface, we have to divide the whole surface into different regions and then the flank milling is employed. With the method of sub-regional flank milling, we can achieve those goals. In this paper, iso-parametric method is used for dividing ruled surface into sub-regions and the LBM method for the tool path generation. In order to test and verify the accuracy of the proposed method, the tool path error is calculated by comparing the nominal surface with the one enveloped by the tool movement. Envelope theory of two-parameter family of spheres was used to get the envelope surface. Tool path error can be calculated by signed distance between the ruled surface and the envelope surface. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012.