Advances in Production Engineering & Management
Volume 10 | Number 1 | March 2015 | pp 18–26
http://dx.doi.org/10.14743/apem2015.1.189
Tool selection for rough and finish CNC milling operations based on tool-path generation and machining optimisation
Mwinuka, T.E.; Mgwatu, M.I.
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A B S T R A C T
Most of CAD/CAM systems lack fully-automated process planning capabilities and depend on semi-automatic capabilities that necessitate the traditional selection of tools and cutting parameters. This paper attempts to determine proper combinations of cutting tools through the generation of tool paths and optimisation of machining parameters using an example of the CNC milling process. Several machining simulations with different combinations of tool sizes were performed using MasterCAM software. Based on these simulations, substantial variations in tool paths were observed for different tool combinations and as such the optimum tool combination could only be obtained arbitrarily. The tool paths derived from machining simulations were used to optimise machining parameters, that is, cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut with the objective of minimising production time. In this case, an optimisation model was developed as a nonlinear programming problem and solved using extended LINGO nonlinear software. The results show that the subjectivity when selecting cutting tools can be avoided when appropriate tools are chosen alongside with the generation of a tool path within a CAD/CAM system using optimised machining parameters. As a consequence, CNC machine tools could be effectively utilised and the productivity significantly improved at shorter production time and cost.
A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords • CAD/CAM, Milling operations, Machining optimisation, Nonlinear programming, Tool-path generation, Tool selection
Corresponding author • Mwinuka, T.E.
Article history • Received 30 December 2013, Revised 26 December 2014, Accepted 25 January 2015
Published on-line • 7 March 2015
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