Integrated tool positioning and tool path planning for five-axis machining of sculptured surfaces

In this paper a new approach to tool path planning is presented for five-axis machining of sculptured surfaces. The positioning of the cutting tool along a machining pass is determined in an attempt to produce the most efficient machining pass with respect to the entire tool path. In this way the tool positioning strategy is an integral part of the path planning strategy. This differs from current methods, where tool positioning and path planning are two separate tasks. In the present work, various tool orientations are evaluated for cutter locations along the machining pass. The evaluation and eventual selection are made with respect to the completion of the overall tool path. An example part was simulated using the proposed integrated method which resulted in improved efficiency over a more traditional approach. The proposed method was also verified experimentally using cutting tests.