3D End Mill Path Control for Precision Aircraft Surface Machining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional machining methods for aircraft components with complex surface shapes, such as chemical milling, face challenges in precision due to environmental concerns and shape errors, leading to excessive or insufficient cutting during machining.

Innovation Solution

A machining system and method that includes a machining path setting unit and a movement control unit to precisely control an end mill's movement in feed, orthogonal, and tilt directions based on a three-dimensional shape of the target component, improving machining precision and reducing shape errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If chemical milling is used for plate thinning machining, then weight reduction is achieved, but environmental load increases due to use of chemical substances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight reductionVSAvoidenvironmental load

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical milling with a mechanical machining system using a CNC machine and end mill to remove material through controlled cutting operations, eliminating the need for harmful chemical substances while achieving the same weight reduction goal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If machining is performed based on CAD data for molded components, then production efficiency is improved, but machining precision deteriorates due to shape errors in molded components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidmachining precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs measurement of the actual component shape and generation of a measurement model before machining operations, allowing the machining path to be adjusted in advance to compensate for shape errors, thereby maintaining both efficiency and precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses measurement data from the actual component shape to feedback and adjust the machining path, enabling real-time compensation for deviations between the CAD model and actual component geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If z-coordinate offset correction is applied during end mill machining, then machining adaptability is improved, but machining precision deteriorates due to level differences in machined surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachining adaptabilityVSAvoidmachining precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the correction approach from simple z-coordinate offset to include x and y coordinate adjustments, creating a comprehensive three-dimensional machining path correction that maintains surface continuity and precision while adapting to component shape variations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS20230158581A1Machining system and machining apparatus, machining method, and machining program

Publication Date: 2023.05.25 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD

AI summary

Provided are a machining system and a machining apparatus, a machining method, and a machining program that can improve machining precision. The machining system includes: a machining path setting unit that sets first and second machining paths based on a three-dimensional shape of a measured target component; and a movement control unit that moves an end mill along the first and second machining paths. The movement control unit includes a feed direction control unit that moves the end mill in a feed direction in which the end mill is moved along the first and second machining paths, an orthogonal direction control unit that moves the end mill in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction, and a tilt control unit that controls a tilt angle of the end mill about an axis of the feed direction.