• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.53-58
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• 2006

This study deals with the method of post-processing in the automatic tool path generation for 5-axis NC machining. The 5-axis NC machining cannot only cope with the manufacturing of complicated shapes, but also offers numerous advantages such as reasonable tool employment, great reduction of set-up process and so on. Thus 5-axis NC machining has been used for aircraft parts, mold and die as well as for complicated shapes such as impeller, propeller and rotor. However, most of the present CAM systems for 5-axis NC machining have limited functions in terms of tool collision, machine limits and post-processing. Especially 5-axis machine configurations are various according to the method which the rotational axes are adapted with the table and spindle. For that reason, In many cases the optimal numerical control (NC) data cannot be obtained or considerable time is consumed. To solve this problem, we applied a general post-processor for 5-axis NC machining. The validity of this post-processor should be experimentally confirmed by successfully milling to a helix shaped workpiece.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.370-374
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• 2005

This study deals with the method of post-processing in the automatic tool path generation for 5-axis NC machining. The 5-axis NC machining cannot only cope with the manufacturing of complicated shapes, but also offers numerous advantages such as reasonable tool employment, great reduction of set-up process and so on. Thus 5-axis NC machining has been used fur aircraft parts, mold and die as well as for complicated shapes such as impeller, propeller and rotor. However, most of the present CAM systems for 5-axis NC machining have limited functions in terms of tool collision, machine limits and post-processing. Especially 5-axis machine configurations are various according to the method which the rotational axes are adapted with the table and spindle. For that reason, in many cases the optimal numerical control (NC) data cannot be obtained or considerable time is consumed. To solve this problem, we applied a general post-processor fur 5-axis NC machining. The validity of this post-processor should be experimentally confirmed by successfully milling to a helix shaped workpiece.

• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 1991.10a
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• pp.124-130
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• 1991

5-axis NC machining of sculptured surface using non-ballendmill cutters (eg. facemilling cutters) is widely used in the machining of turbine blades and marine propellers. Since there are more degrees of freedom in 5-axis machining than in 3-axis machining, generating "optimum" cutter paths and finding desirable cutter positions become very important in order for an efficient use of 5-axis NC machines. Also critical in 5-axis NC machining are collision avoidance, gouging checking, and efficient kinematic solutions. In this paper we discuss the above issues in generating 5-axis CL data. They are : kinematics modeling of NC machine; inverse kinematics solution; interference between machine component and surface; cutter gouging. A unique search method for obtaining optimal CL data is proposed. The proposed method has been successfully implemented in the machining of marine propellers on a dual 5-axis (ie, 9-axis) NC machine.C machine.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.422-428
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• 2006

In this paper, an NC data optimization approach for enhancing 5-axis machining speed is presented. It is usual to use expensive commercial CAD/CAM programs for NC data of 5-axis machining, since it needs very large calculations for optimal tool positioning and orientation, tool path planning, and collision-free tool path generation. Since commercial CAD/CAM systems have similar functions and efficiency based on common algorithms of reliable theories, they do not have their own unique features for machining speed and efficiency. In other words, most commercial CAD/CAM systems consider only the characteristics of part geometry to be machined, which means that they generate almost the same NC data if the part to be machined is the same, even though different machines are used for the pin. A new approach is proposed for optimizing NC data of 5-axis machining, which is based on the characteristics of the machine to be operated. As a result, the speed of 5-axis machining can increase without losing machining accuracy and surface quality.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.354-361
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• 2010

The paper presents an efficient computation of optimal tool length for 5-axis mold & die machining. The implemented procedure processes an NC file as an initial input, where the NC data is generated by another commercial CAM system. A commercial CAM system generates 5-axis machining NC data which, in its own way, is optimal based on pre-defined machining condition such as tool-path pattern, tool-axis control via inclination angles, etc. The proper tool-length should also be provided. The tool-length should be as small as possible in order to enhance machinability as well as surface finish. A feasible tool-length at each NC block can be obtained by checking interference between workpiece and tool components, usually when the tool-axis is not modified at this stage for most CAM systems. Then the minimum feasible tool-length for an NC file consisting of N blocks is the maximum of N tool-length values. However, it can be noted that slight modification of tool-axis at each block may reduce the minimum feasible tool-length in mold & die machining. This approach can effectively be applied in machining feature regions such as steep wall or deep cavity. It has been implemented and is used at a molding die manufacturing company in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 2000

Recently 5-axis NC machines are widely used in Korea. Since 5-axis machines have two more degrees of freedom than 3-axis machines, it is very important to find desirable tool positions(locations and orientations) in order to make an efficient use of expensive 5-axis NC machines. In this research an algorithm to determine “optimal” tool positions for 5-axis machining of sculptured surfaces is developed. For given CC(Cutter Contact) points, this algorithm determines the cutter axis vectors which minimize cusp heights and satisfy constraints. To solve the optimal problem, we deal with following major issues: (1) an approximation method of a cusp height as a measure of optimality (2) Identifying some properties of the optimal problem (3) a search method for the optimal points using the properties. By using a polyhedral model as a machining surface, this algorithm applies to sculptured surfaces covering: overhanged surface.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.110-120
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• 1999

In general, turbine blades are usually machined on 5-axis NC machine. The 5-axis machining of sculptured surface offers many advantages over 3-axis machining including the faster material-removal rates and an improved surface finish. But it is difficult and time-consuming to generated interference-free 5-axis tool path. This paper describes research on the algorithm for generation of an interference-free 5-axis NC data for machining turbine blades. The approach, using the section profile derived from the intersection of cutting planes with a triangulated-surface approximation, includes (1) CL-data generation by detecting an interference-free heel angle (2) the calculation method for finding a adaptive feed-rate value, and (3) the inverse kinematics depending on the structure of 5-axis machine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.3-4
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• 2007

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2001

This paper describes a method of calculating the feedrate for the constant cutting speed at a CL-point in 5-axis machining. Unlike 3-axis machining, 5-axis machining has the flexibility of the tool motions due to two rotation axes. But the feedrate at joint space differs from the feedrate at a tool tip(the CL-point) of the 3D Euclidean space for the tool motions. The proposed algorithm adjusts the feedrate based on 5-axis NC data, the kinematics of a machine, and the tool length. The following calculations is processed for each NC block to generate the new feedrate; 1) calculating the moving distance at the CL-point, 2) calculating the moving time by the given feedrate, 3) calculating the feedrate of each axis, 4) getting the new feedrate. The proposed algorithm was applied to a 5-axis machine which had a tilting spindle and a rotary table. Totally, the result of the algorithm reduced the machining time and smoothed the cutting-load by the constant cutting speed at the CL-point.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

In this paper, we present a machining time estimation algorithm for 5-axis high-speed machining. Estimation of machining time plays an important role in process planning and production scheduling of a shop. In contrast to the rapid evolution of machine tools and controllers, machining time calculation is still based on simple algorithms of tool path length divided by input feedrates of NC data, with some additional factors from experience. We propose an algorithm based on 5-axis machine behavior in order to predict machining time more exactly. For this purpose, we first investigated the operational characteristics of 5-axis machines. Then, we defined some dominant factors, including feed angle that is an independent variable for machining speed. With these factors, we have developed a machining time calculation algorithm that has a good accuracy not only in 3-axis machining, but also in 5-axis high-speed machining.