Flat-Ended Tool Swept Sections for Five-Axis NC Machining of Sculptured Surfaces

Abstract

The concept of swept sections for flat-ended tools is revisited with the goal of improving the accuracy of calculations in five-axis tool path generation. Firstly, the notions of partial and total swept sections (distinct from traditional swept sections) are introduced. It is shown that partial and total swept sections provide a more accurate representation of the geometry of the moving tool compared to traditional swept sections. Next, geometric and numerical methods focused on calculating partial swept sections are presented. These methods are based on calculating plane-circle intersections. Finally, the calculated partial swept sections are compared to the traditional swept sections. Variations from the traditional swept sections are characterized to provide guidelines to the tool path programmer. [S1087-1357(00)71101-4]