NC machining of free-form Kriging surfaces

An algorithm for three-axis NC tool path generation on sculptured surfaces is introduced when the free-form surface is modeled parametrically by free-form surface Kriging. The flexibility of dual Kriging that easily defines the intersection of the surfaces with a set of parallel planes and Cartesian method are combined to generate the tool-paths automatically. The presented algorithm can simultaneously generate the tool path with a predefined machining accuracy and remove gougings along the tool path. The algorithms are validated by three experiments in rough and finish machining and the results prove its reliability. Since Kriging is based on the interpolation of data points, the proposed algorithm can be used for reverse engineering applications. The system was executed on a standard micro-computer and the software was structured to offer a library of machining functions for endusers.