• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.69-88
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• 2001

In the zigzag milling operation, an important issue is to design a machining strategy which minimizes the cutting time. An important variable for minimization of cutting time is the tool path length. The tool path is divided into cutting path and non-cutting path. Cutting path can be subdivided into tool path segment and step-over, and non-cutting path can be regarded as the tool retraction. We propose a new method to determine the cutting direction which minimizes the length of tool path in a convex or concave polygonal shape including islands. For the minimization of tool path length, we consider two factors such as step-over and tool retraction. Step-over is defined as the tool path length which is parallel to the boundary edges for machining area and the tool retraction is a non-cutting path for machining any remaining regions. In the determination of cutting direction, we propose a mathematical model and an algorithm which minimizes tool retraction length in complex shapes. With the proposed methods, we can generate a tool path for the minimization of cutting time in a convex or concave polygonal shapes including islands.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1827-1835
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• 1996

This paper addresses the problem of a torch path generation for the 2D laser cutting of a stock plate nested with resular or irregular parts. Under the constaint of the relative positions of parts enforced by nesting, the developed torch path algorithm generate feasible cutting path. In this paper, the basic object is a polygon( a many-slide figure) with holes. A part may be represented as a number of line segments connected end-to-end in counterclockwise order, and formed a closed contour as requied for cutting paths. The objective is to tranverse this cutting contours with a minimum path length. This paper proposes a simulated annealing based dtorch path algorithm, that is an improved version of previously suggested TSP models. Since everypiercing point of parts is not fixed in advance, the algorithm solves as relazed optimization problem for the constraint, thich is one of the main features of the proposed algorithm. For aolving the torch path optimization problem, an efficient generation mechanism of neighborhood structure and as annealing shedule were introduced. In this way, a global solution can be obtained in a reasonable time. Seveeral examples are represented to ilustrate the method.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.1048-1055
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• 2002

The problem of generating torch paths for 2D laser cutting of a stock plate nested with a set of free-formed parts is investigated. The objective is to minimize the total length of the torch path starting from a blown depot, then visiting all the given Parts, and retuning back to the depot. A torch Path consists of the depot and Piercing Points each of which is to be specified for cutting a part. The torch path optimization problem is shown to be formulated as an extended version of the standard travelling salesman problem To solve the problem, a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed. In order to improve the speed of evolution convergence, the algorithm employs a genetic algorithm for global search and a combination of an optimization technique and a genetic algorithm for local optimization. Traditional genetic operators developed for continuous optimization problems are used to effectively deal with the continuous nature of piercing point positions. Computational results are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed algorithm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.547-552
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• 2003

In mold machining, there are many concave machining regions where chatter and tool deflection occur since MRR (material removal rate) increases as curvature increases even though cutting speed and depth of cut are constant. Boolean operation between stock and tool model is widely used to compute MRR in NC milling simulation. In finish cutting, the side step is reduced to about 0.3mm and tool path length is sometimes over 300m. so Boolean operation takes long computation time and includes much error if the resolution of stock and tool model is larger than the side step. In this paper, curvature of CL(cutter location) surface and side step of tool path is used to compute the feedrate for constant MRR machining. The data structure of CL surface is Z-map generated from NC tool path. The algorithm to get local curvature from discrete data was developed and applied to compute local curvature of CL surface. The side step of tool path was computed by point density map which includes cutter location point density at each grid element. The feedrate computed from curvature and side step is inserted to new tool path to regulate MRR. The resultants wire applied to feedrate optimization system which generates new tool path with feedrate from NC codes for finish cutting. The system was applied to speaker mold machining. The finishing time was reduced to 12.6%. tool wear was reduced from 2mm to 1.1mm and chatter marks and over cut on corner were removed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.133-139
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• 2004

High speed machining (HSM) can reduce machining time with the high metal removal rate by high speed spindle and feedrate. This paper supports HSM technology using the small size tool with the optimal tool path generation and modification of tool change. The optimum tool path is generated to reduce cutting length of cavity pattern and change the cutting tool for preventing the tool breakage by wear. The tool path is modified with the experiment data of tool wear and breakage to support tool change on reasonable time. The result can contribute to HSM technology of high hardness materials using the small size end-mill.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.79-84
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• 2006

In modem manufacturing, many products that have geometrically complicated features, including three-dimensional sculptured surfaces, are designed and produced. In the production of these complex-shaped mechanical components, e.g. automobile dies, molds, and various engineering applications, the ball-end milling process is one of the most widely used NC machining processes that consists of roughing, semi-finishing and finishing. In semi-finishing, cusps remained after roughing according to the used tools that have two patterns of stairs and wave shapes. These cusp shapes have air-cut in cutting and instability caused by high cutting speed that affects the cutting characteristics such as cutting force and tool wear. Cutting characteristics are measured and analyzed through cutting force, FFT analysis of cutting force and tool wear along cutting length according to low tool paths with same metal removal rate. As a results of the experiments, this study suggests the optimal conditions of tool path and cutting direction. This approach for the cutting characteristics of semi-finishing provides a useful aid for the productivity and efficiency improvements of NC machining processes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.46-59
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• 1998

This paper presents shape design, surface construction, and cutting path generation for the surface of marine ship propeller blades. A propeller blade should be designed to satisfy performance constraints that include operational speed which impacts rotations per minutes, stresses related to deliverable horst power, and the major length of the marine ship which impacts the blade size and shape characteristics. Primary decision variables that affect efficiency in the design of a marine ship propeller blade are the blade diameter and the expanded area ratio. The blade design resulting from these performance constraints typically consists of sculptured surfaces requiring four or five axis contoured machining. In this approach a standard blade geometry description consisting of blade sections with offset nominal points recorded in an offset table is used. From this table the composite Bezier surface geometry of the blade is created. The control vertices of the Hazier surface patches are determined using a chord length fitting procedure from tile offset table data. Cutter contact points and path intervals are calculated to minimize travel distance and production time while maintaining a cusp height within tolerance limits. Long path intervals typically generate short tool paths at the expense of increased however cusp height. Likewise, a minimal tool path results in a shorter production time. Cutting errors including gouging and under-cut, which are common errors in machining sculptured surfaces, are also identified for both convex and concave surfaces. Propeller blade geometry is conducive to gouging. The result is a minimal error free cutting path for machining propeller blades for marine ships.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.15
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• pp.23-32
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• 1995

The methodology of automatic generation of tool path for rough cutting of a sculptured surface is proposed with the improved contouring method, unequal level line machining. Considering the surface shape and the diameter of the endmill, the distance between level lines is obtained. To improve MMR, initial rough cutting is processed with the large diameter endmill and the remained material is removed by the relatively small diameter endmill. Tool path is generated from the offset curve of respective level line and the interferences between the tool and workpiece are automatically avoided. After generating NC part program, the sculptured surface is machined at the vertical machining center. From the experimental results, total cutting length and machining time are reduced more effectively than conventional contouring methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.32-45
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• 1995

In this paper, we present a new method to tool path planning problem for rough cut of pocket milling operations. The key idea is to formulate the tool path problem into a TSP (Travelling Salesman Problem) so that the powerful neural network approach can be effectively applied. Specifically, our method is composed of three procedures: a) discretization of the pocket area into a finite number of tool points, b) neural network approach (called SOM-Self Organizing Map) for path finding, and c) postprocessing for path smoothing and feedrate adjustment. By the neural network procedure, an efficient tool path (in the sense of path length and tool retraction) can be robustly obtained for any arbitrary shaped pockets with many islands. In the postprocessing, a) the detailed shape of the path is fine tuned by eliminating sharp corners of the path segments, and b) any cross-overs between the path segments and islands. With the determined tool path, the feedrate adjustment is finally performed for legitimate motion without requiring excessive cutting forces. The validity and powerfulness of the algorithm is demonstrated through various computer simulations and real machining.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.39-47
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• 2004

In mold machining, there are many concave machining regions where chatter and tool deflection occur since MRR(material removal rate) increases as curvature increases even though cutting speed and depth of cut are constant. Boolean operation between stock and tool model is widely used to compute MRR in NC milling simulation. In finish cutting, the side step is reduced to about 0.3mm and tool path length is sometimes over loom, so Boolean operation takes long computation time and includes much error if the resolution of stock and tool model is larger than the side step. In this paper, curvature of CL (cutter location) surface and side step of tool path is used to compute the feedrate for constant MRR machining. The data structure of CL surface is Z-map generated from NC tool path. The algorithm to get local curvature from discrete data was developed and applied to compute local curvature of CL surface. The side step of tool path was computed by point density map which includes cutter location point density at each grid element. The feedrate computed from curvature and side step is inserted to new tool path to regulate MRR. The resultants were applied to feedrate optimization system which generates new tool path with feedrate from NC codes for finish cutting. The system was applied to the machining of speaker and cellular phone mold. The finishing time was reduced to 12.6%, tool wear was reduced from 2mm to 1.1mm and chatter marks and over cut on corner were reduced, compared to the machining by constant feedrate. The machining time was shorter to 17% and surface quality and tool was also better than the conventional federate regulation using curvature of the tool path.