Three-Dimensional Tool Radius Compensation for a 5-Axis Peripheral Milling

5-axis peripheral milling can be used for the manufacture of profiled components in aerospace, automotive and mould/die industries. In this kind of machining, standard two-dimensional (2D) tool radius compensation can not handle the correction of cutter path which is generated by using only rotary axes or a combination of rotary and linear axes. Three-dimensional (3D) tool radius compensation is an important way to get an exact surface. We presented an algorithm for 3D tool radius compensation for 5-axis peripheral milling. At straight lines, we can compute the required position of the tool center point which is along the normal vector of the commanded point in the surface of workpiece. At a corner point, we can determine the coordinates of tool center point based on the cutter radius, the path of tool contact point and the transition type according to the angle between the tool paths. A 3D tool radius compensation path generation system for 5-axis machine with two tool rotary axes was developed, which can output the G-code with compensation vectors. The generated G-code is downloaded into the VERICUT machining simulation system to verify the machined result. It was shown that the presented 3D cutter radius compensation method satisfy the requirements of tool radius compensation for five-axis peripheral milling.