An Adaptive Constant Scallop-height Tool-Path Planning Method For Turn-Milling Machining of NURBS free-form surfaces

Abstract

Because of its flexible topology and robust data structure, the NURBS surface has become the trend of free-form surfaces representation in the realm of CAD design. Yet its application in manufacturing has not been fully explored due to the limit of tool-path planning method. In this work, an Adaptive Constant Scallop-height Tool-Path planning algorithm has been proposed to exploit the advantage of turn-milling on the NURBS free-form surfaces, as well as to overcome the disadvantages of inefficient and poor-precision by tradition turning or milling method. This paper firstly illustrates the freeform surface by mathematic model. Then, generation tool path for turn-milling machining of NURBS free-form surfaces by three steps: generation initial tool path based on the adaptive constant scallop-height, tool path interval calculation for turn-milling machining, and adjacent tool path calculation based on an adaptive parameter. Finally, an example is given to prove the proposed approach is feasibility.