A Study on Post-Processing and Machine Simulation of AC Type 5-Axis Machine Tool for Machining of Mold Surface

Bonnet tool polishing, combined traditional optical polishing technique with modern NC technology, is an novel optical polishing technique. As the motion control and material removal process is different from metal cutting NC machine tool, the NC programming for bonnet tool polishing NC machine tools cannot be carried out with commercial CAM software. This paper analyses the kinematics of feed mechanism and precession mechanism using coordinate transformation method and sets up the feed and precession kinematics equations. The arithmetic of post processing applied to NC automatic programming system is proposed according to kinematics equations and detail bonnet tool polishing technique.

Although machine control data can be obtained by means of converting cutter location (CL) data comprised of the tool tip coordinate and the tool axis orientation vector in the workpiece coordinate frame with postprocessor, it’s uncertain whether they can be used for 5-axis machining. Owing to the fact that most postprocessors focus on the method to derive solutions for the equations of NC data by the form-shaping function matrix and the inverse kinematics model without taking the manufacturing scene into consideration, this study has presented a new post-processing system to generate and optimize NC data more effectively by correcting and selecting optimum solution intelligently for machining based on the solid model of machine tool in simulation environment. In general, the post-processing system consists of user interface layer, data access layer and data processing layer to give expression to the characteristics of universality, practicality and adaptability. User interface layer is mainly about loading the machine model and setting the relevant parameters. Data access layer includes model library of generalized five-axis machine tool configurations, rules library of cutter location data and NC data. Data processing layer is the major research in the paper, which illustrates how to correct the inverse solutions set and select the optimization solution for actual machining. The visual interface for post-processing system written by C++ was successfully applied in the experiment on a five-axis machine tool with a C-axis behind a B-axis rotary table, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed post-processing methodology in the field of manufacturing.

To solve the NC post processing problems of generated tool path file APT generated by Catia V5 in the application of MIKRON UCP600 Vario five-axis machining center, on the basis of the theoretical analysis of tool path parameter and data calculation, the post processor programmed with VC++ that is accordance with machine tool was used. It verified with Simulation and material test: the NC post possessing program can be directly used in CNC machining without manual modification. Furthermore, there was no mark by tool path and the accuracy of the size meets the requirements.

Based on the design theory of non-circular gears, using Pro/E drawing module, a system of elliptical gears parametric module and simulation was developed. Machining non-circular gear by wire cutting can be achieved by using Pro / E manufacturing module, and then gear machining tool path is created, tool and process parameters is set and simulation of process tool and process of post-processing analysis was described. Through the above process ultimately to generate post-processing procedures which NC machine tool need and achieve the automatic programming of non-circular gear. Form the application example, it has been observed that the gear created by Pro/E simulated NC programs can correct mesh according to the theory transmission ratio and the effectiveness of the proposed approach.