Abstract
This paper presents a study on the improvement of the machining quality of sculptured-surfaces of molds according to the shape and posture of the tool. In the existing 3-axis machining, the methods using the ball end-mill and radius end-mill were analyzed for various cutting patterns and compared with those of the 5-axis machining. It was observed that the 5-axis machining using a ball end-mill obtained the finest surface roughness, and for the 3-axis machining, the optimal results were obtained for the one-way machining using a radius end-mill.