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AbstractThe use of Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) using one or more milling cutters. It is also referred to as
machines in manufacturing industry has led to the development 2.5D machining since all the machining is done in one plane
and wide application of Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing and that plane has a single depth in the third plane at each
(CAD/CAM)softwares. These software have the capability to gener-
ate important machining procedures and parameters, which include point. These pockets may have straight edges, curved edges or
tool paths. Pocket milling, which involves the removal of all material a combination of both, as shown in Figure 1. 2.5D machining
inside a closed boundary makes use of CAM generated tool paths is useful in that tool path control can be achieved easily and
to remove material to a fixed depth. The efficiency of these CAM quickly, and a wide range of parts can be machined using this
generated tool paths in carrying out various pocket milling operations method. The tool axis in pocket milling is strictly fixed with
has become an important subject of research, since more than 80%
of all mechanical parts which are manufactured by milling machines respect to the workpiece, therefore only the direction of the
can be cut by NC pocket milling. milling feed can be considered. It is commonly applied in the
Conventional tool paths were generated using CAM softwares to manufacture of dies, molds and high-precision aerospace and
satisfy geometric requirement, and have been succesful in achieving car manufacturing components.
desired shapes of parts. However, physical conditions such as cutting
forces and vibrations are not put into into consideration.
In addition, the reliance on operators intuition and experience to
select from various CAM generated tool paths compromises limits
achievement of technological aims such as good surface finish,
minimal cutting forces, high Material Removal Rate and minimal
machining time.
In this paper, a review on the work done in generating efficient tool
paths, optimizing already existing tool paths strategies and optimizing
the selection of tool paths during machining is presented. The impact
of tool path on pocket milling process is drawn from the reviewed
work.
KeywordsCNC, Optimization, Pocket milling, Tool path
I. INTRODUCTION
OMPUTER Numerical Controlled (CNC) machines have
C become very popular in modern manufacturing because
of their ability to machine complex geometries with high
Fig. 1. Illustration of pocket milling operation
achieve the desired profile, but at varying efficiencies. Two a simple rectangular pocket, as shown in Figure 4. This
common tool path strategies are usually taken during pocket leaves wide room for improvement of tool path efficiency.
milling, namely, linear(direction parallel) and contour parallel For example, table axes on CNC milling machines may have
tool paths. Linear tool-paths are generated parallel to a par- different masses. Thus, movement in one direction may be
ticular direction, as shown in Figure2. They are of two major more advantageous in terms of energy consumption. This
variations, namely, unidirectional and bidirectional linear tool means that it would be beneficial in tool path planning to have
paths. In unidirectional approach, the tool is retracted at the more movements in the advantageous axis, from the available
end of each cut in one direction, and is retraced to the start alternatives. Also, acceleration and deceleration consume more
of the new pass without cutting on the return stroke. Tool energy than when the milling machine is moving at a constant
retraction leads to a considerable amount of idle time, during velocity. Consequently, it is preferable to have longer paths
retracting the tool and returning it to the start position. It also and fewer stops during cutting [2].
lengthens the machining path and could negatively affect the
tool life. In bidirectional approach, the tool cuts both in the
forward and the backward motion. The tool is not retracted at
the end. As a result of minimal tool retractions, burr formation
is avoided which occurs at the point of the tool leaving the
workpiece while engaged.
and the tool are discretized and represented as pixel squares pockets, the developed algorithm produced solutions superior
as shown in Figure 5. to those generated by any of the existing single patterns.
number of partitions for a pocket depended on the pocket that machining time changes when the geometry of the object
geometry and the sweep angle. For a given sweep angle, being machined was altered.
there were several configurations in which a pocket could El-Midany et al. [13] developed a feed rate-machining
be divided. Each configuration was considered separately and time model that took into account machine acceleration and
some were ruled out, as they were not minimum. deceleration for automatically identifying the most productive
Sang et al [10] carried out a study on Contour-parallel tool path pattern. The model was then used to compare the
offset (CPO) machining, which uses successive offsets of the total machining time for five common types of tool path
boundary curves of the pocket as the tool path elements. For patterns, namely, normal zigzag, smooth zigzag, normal spiral,
CPO machining to be efficient the number of tool retrac- smooth spiral and fishtail spiral. The results showed that the
tions must be minimized, since they cause additional tool optimal tool path pattern was dependent on part geometry,
movements without contributing to actual machining. They physical characteristic of cutting tool and cutting conditions.
developed an algorithm that guaranteed zero tool retractions. Another study based on machining time involved devel-
The algorithm employed a concept called TPE-net, which opment of a machining time model to compare machining
provides information on relationship of parent-child segments. efficiency of four tool paths often applied in manufacture
From this a route is planned through the TPE-net to generating of dies and molds. These included three variations of the
a CPO tool path without tool retractions. direction-parallel tool path, namely one-way path, pure zig-
zag path and smooth zig-zag path, and the contour-parallel
tool path. The model that Kim and Choi [14] developed and
C. Machining time
applied put to consideration the effects of acceleration and
In an experimental study carried out by Jayswal and deceleration during machining. According to the data shown
Taufik [11], two strategies were investigated for reduction in Figure 6, the smooth zig-zag was found to be the most
in machining time. The main objective of this work was efficient regardless of the feedrate and path intervals used.
to get a cutting strategies for cutting time optimization in This was attributed to the inserted smooth path segments that
CNC end milling operations.The first strategy communicated were almost free of accelerating and decelerating.
with Mastercam software by optimization of tool path using
CAD/CAM simulation. The second strategy required selection
of optimal cutting parameters for pocket milling process.
Machining parameters were investigated in order to minimize
the cyclic time and to improve the machining operation in
terms of cost and time. Effects of selected parameters on
process variables, which in their case were spindle speed,
depth of cut, feed and stepover, were investigated by using
Taguchis method and response surface methodology (RSM).
Conclusions drawn from this study were firstly, that a zigzag
tool path is more favorable than any other strategy for the
rough machining of pocket in terms of cycle time and the
tool-workpiece contact duration. Also, depth of cut was found Fig. 6. Graph showing mean machining times for various tool paths [14])
to be the most significant factor affecting cycle time, followed
by feed. Stepover had a small influence while spindle speed
had insignificant influence on the cycle time. Response surface
methodology was found to be an effective tool to develop the D. Minimizing deflection forces, and consequently, errors
mathematical model to predict the optimum value of cycle time Another approach that has been applied in selection of
for a set of input parameters values within the experimental milling paths for complex surfaces is minimizing of dimen-
domain. sional errors due to tool deflection, which was presented by
Daneshmand et al [12] investigated the numerous tool paths Lopez de Lacalle et al [15]. This resulted in an improvement
available in two common CAD/CAM softwares, CATIA and on the accuracy of milled surfaces. It was based on the cal-
Mastercam, so as to determine the most suitable tool path. culation of the minimum cutting force component, which was
This was done for the roughening operation of machining a related to the tool deflection. In the first suggestion, a general
gearbox model and a disc screen, using both end mill and ball- tool path direction was selected that minimized the mean value
nosed tools. They simulated the tool-path planning strategies of the tool deflection force on the surface. Based on this the
according to the machining time provided by the software. CAM operator could then produce a CNC program which lead
The accuracy of the operations verified the most suitable tools to an accuracy improvement. The second option was to create
path. Their research results indicated that for Mastercam, the a grid of control points and select different milling directions
minimum machining time was achieved with zig-zag strategy at each control point. Joining these points, the minimum force
when using end mill, and spiral strategy when using ball- lines were defined on the workpiece surface and used as the
end tool. For CATIA, the back and forth strategy gave the master guides for the tool path programming of a complete
minimum machining time when using end mill and inward surface. After applying these methods to 3-axis milling the
helical strategy when using ball-nose tool. They also found dimensional errors reduced significantly.
ISSN 2079-6226 132
Proceedings of 2014 International Conference on Sustainable Research and Innovation, Volume 5, 7th-9th May 2014
E. Maintaining constant cutting forces and chatter avoidance This review is part of an ongoing research on optimizing of
Cutting forces at the point of contact between the cutting pocket milling tool paths based on force and chatter prediction
tool and the workpiece affect the occurence of chatter vibra- models.
tions and consequently, the tool life and the surface finish. In
pocket milling, these forces vary along the tool path as a result ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of changing inclinations and speeds, such as when cutting This work has been supported by Jomo Kenyatta University
corners. Tool paths generated by CAM softwares are mostly of Agriculture and Technology. The authors would like to
geometrically feasible but seldom put to consideration physical thank members of the Department of Mechatronic Engineering
process concerns like cutting forces and chatter vibrations. and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, JKUAT, for
In an effort to cope with this limitation, [4] introduced and their invaluable contribution to this work.
verified an optimized tool path, which ensures that a Material
Removal Rate(MRR) as constant as possible is maintained. R EFERENCES
This results in constant cutting forces and chatter vibrations
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the tool path generated for the machining of a pocket.
Without a greater understanding on design of tool paths
and greater tool path optimization, there will be gaps in maxi-
mizing the useulness of CAM software in CNC machining.
Research on CNC machining operations in relation to the
tool paths designed in CAM softwares is one practical way
of bridging the gap and achieving the global goal of faster,
less costly and more efficient machining.The efficiency in use
of tool paths can be improved by integration of developed
optimization models in CAM software.
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