Design of special tools by CAD/CAM systems

This paper presents a program for the automatic design of special tools developed under a CAD/CAM (computer aided design/manufacture) system. In particular, the special tools made with standard components have been considered. Since the design of these types of tools was essentially related to the selection of their components, this paper deals with this aspect, insisting upon the selection of those components directly related to the removal of material: the toolholders or cartridges and the inserts. To select these components it is necessary to take into account not only geometrical or technological rules but also economical ones, owing to the high amount of possible components they can select. Consideration of economical aspects required the formulation of the cost equation associated with the use of these types of tools, characterized because their cutting edges coincide with different cutting velocities. Likewise, consideration of economical aspects allows the selection of the optimum cutting conditions and the cutting components to take place at the same time. Some of the geometrical and technological parameters related to the selection of cutting components are automatically identified by the system through an automatic identification of the workpiece profile.