Study On Generation And Optimization Of Five-axis Machining Tool Path Of Free-Form Surface

Since free-form surfaces have been used widely in turbine blades, aircraft engines, propellers and other equipment, the NC machining programming on free-form surfaces has become a hot topic in the current research. Because of its high precision and production efficiency, stable and reliable processing quality, five axis CNC system are becoming more and more popular. But for the study about five axis NC machining of free-form surfaces, some issues, such as the complex cutter path, the varying processing quality, still exit. According to these issues, this paper aims to improve them through the study on generation and optimization of five-axis machining tool path of free-form surface.The information extraction and processing of mesh model with free-form surface was put into research. The storage of the data and the establishment of the relationship about adjacent side were completed according to the characteristics of its inherent format. To fulfill the task of the cutter location data generation, many different geometry features, such as the surface normal vector, curvature, concavity and convexity, were analyzed.This paper developed machining the tool path generation strategy for the free-form surface. The machining tool was studied and moving path was designed. Based on residual height indicators, combined with general spacing formula, the calculation formula for line spacing was deduced. Based on the relationship of the adjacent side, the algorithm designed made cutter contact point being generated. Considering of precision and interference, the task of cutter contact point filter, the interference inspection and rectification was enforced.The overall optimization of tool axis direction was achieved. With the regular polyhedron theory about Euler’s theorem, this paper completed the work that the initial tool axis direction feasible region was generated. After the preliminary screening to the triangular intersection of the grid, test algorithms about interference was achieve. The optimal tool axis direction was determined using the relevant theories about the shortest path. Through calculation and analysis of data, this paper selected the optimal number of cutter contact points.The post processing of the cutter location file and the system design were completed. Through the establishment of machine kinematics equations, this paper realized the data conversion of the cutter location file. By knowledge of software engineering, this paper completed the design of free-form surface machining system.