Precise 5-axis grooving of tire mold based on Surface re-parameterization

Grooving of tire mold is a complex machining process. The profile of a groove must be precisely formed on the road surface while the machining deviation of the wall surface must meet its design specifications. Previous tool path planning methods driven by optimization of machining errors perform unacceptably because of those restrictions. This paper proposes a new approach for precise 5-axis grooving of tire mold. Surface re-parameterization based on the two curve parameters of a ruled surface is applied to maximize the developability of the wall surface using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The machining errors produced by moving the cutter along the resultant rulings is thus reduced. Grooving of a real tire mold demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.