Complex surface machining: Thermo-mechanical analysis for error prediction of low-rigidity workpiece

Abstract

A thermo-mechanical analysis is presented to predict the cutting force- and temperature-induced deflection in machining low-rigidity workpieces. Firstly, the cutting forces in ball-end milling are discussed. The theoretical flexible force model is considered to model the cutting force due to the coupling effect between force and deflection. Meanwhile, the thermal deformation is studied by including the dynamic temperature load, and it is to be combined into the flexible force model. The cutting force is given by geometric parameter method, the temperature at interface by empirical formula, and the dynamic temperature distribution by physical model. To take into account the deflection-force- temperature-deflection dependency, the workpiece geometry needs to be iteratively updated in computation. Last, the finite element analysis (FEA) is adopted to calculate the deformation. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.