Milling Tool Collision Avoidance via Dynamic Pivot Angles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machining methods for flat surfaces, such as face milling, punching, swarf milling, and multipass milling, face challenges with collision issues, stability, and efficiency, particularly when machining complex or hard-to-reach surfaces, leading to increased costs and reduced surface quality.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a milling tool with a conically convex cutting contour that is laterally inclined against the flat surface, allowing for collision-free machining by using multiple pivot angles to divide the surface into segments, thereby avoiding collisions and achieving high surface quality with reduced operational and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If face milling is used to machine flat surfaces, then freely accessible planes can be machined efficiently, but machining of planes impaired by adjacent surfaces is limited or impossible due to tool holder collision
Solution Approach 1:
The flat surface is divided into multiple machining zones based on collision risk assessment. The control unit segments the surface into regions where different tool paths and pivot angles can be applied, allowing efficient machining of accessible areas while avoiding collision-prone zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The method dynamically adjusts the pivot angle of the milling tool during machining operations. By continuously optimizing the pivot angle based on real-time collision risk assessment, the system adapts to complex geometries and adjacent surfaces, enabling machining of previously inaccessible planes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tool extension length is increased to avoid collision with adjacent surfaces, then machining of constrained planes becomes possible, but tool stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of statically increasing tool extension length, the system dynamically optimizes the pivot angle during machining. This dynamic adjustment allows the tool to navigate around adjacent surfaces while maintaining a shorter, more stable extension length, thus preserving tool stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The method changes the pivot angle parameter during machining operations to avoid collisions. By optimizing this parameter, the system achieves access to constrained surfaces without compromising tool stability through excessive extension length.
3Adaptability or versatility
If punching is used to machine hard-to-reach planes, then vertical accessibility is improved, but the tool is subject to high dislocation and unstable machining
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically optimizes the pivot angle during punching operations to maintain tool stability. By continuously adjusting the angle rather than using fixed vertical alignment, the method reduces tool dislocation and improves machining reliability while maintaining accessibility.
4Productivity
If swarf milling is used to machine flat surfaces, then larger step widths can be achieved, but the extension length must correspond to the height of the plane causing collision and stability problems
Solution Approach 1:
The method dynamically optimizes the pivot angle during swarf milling operations, allowing larger step widths without requiring excessive tool extension length. This dynamic adjustment enables the tool to clear adjacent surfaces while maintaining stability and avoiding collisions.
5Manufacturing precision
If multipass milling is used to achieve high surface accuracy, then surface quality is improved, but the number of passes increases leading to longer machining time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically optimizes the pivot angle during each pass to maximize material removal efficiency while maintaining surface accuracy. This reduces the number of passes required compared to conventional multipass milling, thereby decreasing total machining time.
Solution Approach 2:
The method optimizes machining parameters including pivot angle and step width to achieve high surface accuracy in fewer passes. By changing these parameters dynamically, the system balances surface quality requirements with productivity improvements.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for machining flat surfaces (30) of a workpiece (32) using a tool (10), in particular a milling tool, which is moved in a collision-free and laterally inclined manner (α) relative to a flat surface (30) such that a contact point (34) is guided on the flat surface (30). The flat surface (30) is machined using a tool (10) with a cutting contour (18), which has a conically convex design, on one flank (16) of the tool (10) at a pivot angle (ß) parallel to the flat surface (30) in order to prevent a one-sided collision completely by the tool (10) and at at least two different pivot angles (ß, ß′) parallel to the flat surface (30) in order to prevent a two-sided collision by the tool (10), wherein the flat surface (30) is separated into at least two machining segments (44, 44′, 44″), each of which is assigned an individual pivot angle (ß, ß′) of the tool (10) in order to prevent a two-sided collision.