Journal of Materials Processing Technology 130131 (2002) 641646

NC post-processor for 5-axis milling machine of table-rotating/tilting type

Y.H. Junga,*, D.W. Leea, J.S. Kimb, H.S. Mokc
ERC/NSDM, Pusan National University, Kumjeong-Ku, Busan 609-735, South Korea School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Kumjeong-Ku, Busan 609-735, South Korea c Department of Industrial Engineering, Pusan National University, Kumjeong-Ku, Busan 609-735, South Korea
b a

Abstract The free surface machining with more than three axes motion needs CAD/CAM system for the cutter location and orientation data. Since these data are dened with respect to the coordinate system of workpiece, they need converting for machine control commands in machine coordinate system, through processing so called a NC post-processing. Most commercial CAD/CAM software vendors provide these postprocessors for each type of 5-axis machines. However, they may cause some erroneous operation during phase reverse process that is due to unsymmetrical operation limits about rotating axes. In this work, efcient algorithms for NC post-processing have been presented for typical 5-axis milling machine of table-rotating/tilting type. The rst algorithm is for avoiding the interference between a workpiece and the machine tool during the process of phase reverse. The second is for better strategy of machine path, which needs fewer number of phase reverse processes. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: NC; Post-processor; Tilting; Phase reverse; CAD/CAM

1. Introduction For the efciency and surface quality of machining, 5-axis milling is the more widely adopted technology for manufacturing valuable parts of complex 3D sculptured surfaces, such as in aerospace, automotive, and die/mold industries. The free surface machining with more than three degrees of freedom needs CAD/CAM system for the cutter location (CL) and orientation data. Since these data are dened with respect to the coordinate system of workpiece, they need converting for machine control commands dened in machine coordinate system, through a processing so called as a NC post-processing. It can be accomplished through a series of transformation among coordinate systems at machine elements, which are similar to arms of robot. Various studies have addressed the issue of developing post-processors for machine tools. Sakamoto and Inasaki [1] classied the conguration of commercial 5-axis machines into three types. Lee and She [2] derived analytical equation of inverse kinematics for generating NC data of the models by Sakamoto and Inasaki. Suh et al. [3] developed a program
* Corresponding author. Tel./fax: 82-51-510-2469. E-mail address: yhj@pusan.ac.kr (Y.H. Jung).

for simultaneous motion of 5-axis machine. Kruth and Kelwais [4] developed a program of interference free with the modication of the CL by simulating NC data that are post-processed. The 5-axis machines have operation limits in more than one rotating axis. Any post-processor that is able to handle the operation limit is not available in the above works. Meanwhile, most commercial CAD/CAM software vendors who are capable of generating tool path data for 5-axis machining provide these post-processors for several types of 5-axis machines. However, they may cause some erroneous operation during phase reverse process that is due to unsymmetrical operation limits about rotating axes. This work aims to develop efcient algorithms for NC post-processor for typical 5-axis milling machine of table-rotating/tilting (TRT) type that is widely adopted for machining small and medium size parts.

2. NC post-processing for 5-axis milling 2.1. Types of 5-axis milling machines The conguration of 5-axis milling machines may be classied into three basic types [1] as in Fig. 1, even though

0924-0136/02/$ see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 2 4 - 0 1 3 6 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 7 2 5 - 2

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Fig. 1. Types of 5-axis milling machines: (a) table-rotating/tilting type; (b) spindle-rotating/tilting type; (c) table/spindle-tilting type.

there may be many types according to the cutter motion with ve degrees of freedom (DOF). Type (a) machines in Fig. 1 have moving spindle with three DOF in X, Y, and Z-direction and rotating table with two DOF with respect to A- and Caxis. This type is known as the most economic since it can realize ve DOF just by adding rotating/tilting mechanism on the table of 3-axis milling machine. The major advantages of this type are as followings. The load imposed on the spindle is less than other type since the spindle does not tilt. In addition, this type can machine well the circular and contour shapes with the rotating table about the C-axis. However, heavy workpieces are not adequate for this type due to large torque needed for rotating and tilting table. Type (b) machines have the cutter spindle with ve DOF of three translations and two rotations. The major advantage of this type is that heavy parts are available, since they do not need rotating and tilting the heavy workpiece on the table. Type (c) machines have the cutter spindle with three translations and one rotation, and a rotating table. The target of this work is type (a) machines that are the most widely used for medium and small part in die/mold industry. 2.2. Kinematics modeling of TRT machines The CL data for 5-axis machining from CAD/CAM system are cutter position and orientation data, as in Fig. 2, dened in workpiece coordinate system as following: P x N i y z j k (1) (2)

where P is the position of center point in hemispherical part of ball-end mill, and N the vector for the cutter orientation. For 5-axis milling, the coordinate data dened in machine coordinate system, instead of CL data in workpiece coordinate system, have to be input to the control system of the machine. Fig. 3 shows the kinematics conguration of typical TRT type machine that is the target of this study. In general, X-, Y-, and Z-axis of milling machine are parallel with the moving axes of spindle. The positive direction of Aand C-axis for rotation motion are along with the negative of X- and Z-axis, in each. The origin of the machine coordinate system is offset by the distance DY and DZ from the origin of workpiece coordinate system that is located at the center of table.

Fig. 2. CL data of ball-end mill in 5-axis machining.

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Fig. 3. Kinematics of TRT type 5-axis milling machine.

In order to calculate machine control commands of TX TY TZ yX yY yZ with the CL data of x y z i j k dened in workpiece coordinate system, we have dened additional coordinate systems at some joints as in Fig. 4. In the gure, XwYwZw is the coordinate system for dening the workpiece, which is regarded as xed to the global coordinate system. XAYAZA is the coordinate system of joint a that rotates by yC about Zw-axis of workpiece coordinate system. XBYBZB is the coordinate system which is translated by DY in YA-axis and DZ in ZAaxis of joint a coordinate system. XCYCZC is the coordinate system of joint g, which rotates by yA about XBaxis of the machine coordinate system. XTYTZT is the coordinate system of a cutter which is translated by TX in XCaxis, TY DY in YC-axis, and TZDZ in ZC-axis of joint g coordinate system. TX, TY, and TZ are the coordinates of the cutter position from the origin of workpiece coordinate system.

Fig. 4. Coordinate systems for transformation matrix.

with respect to the workpiece coordinate system, and should be equal to the known CL data of tool position and orientation. Eq. (3) represents the multiplication of transformation matrices with homogeneous coordinate system [5]. Eq. (4) represents the orientation components of Eq. (3) with the known position data of CL data, i j k , and Eq. (5) represents the orientation components of Eq. (3) with the known orientation components of CL data, x y z :
W A B C TW T TA TB TC TT RotZ ; yC Trans0; DY ; DZ RotX ; yA TransTX ; TY DY ; TZ DZ (3) 3 2 3 2 i sin yA sin yC 7 6 7 6 (4) 4 j 5 4 sin yA cos yC 5 cos yA k

2 3 2 3 x TX cos yC TY DY cos yA sin yC TZ DZ sin yA sin yC DY sin yC 4 y 5 4 TY sin yC TY DY cos yA cos yC TZ DZ sin yA cos yC DY cos yC 5 z TY DY sin yA TZ DZ cos yA DZ

(5)

2.3. Calculation of machine coordinates The CL data from CAD/CAM system are the cutter position and orientation dened in workpiece coordinate system. However, the cutting tool of 5-axis milling machine of TRT type is parallel with Z-axis of the machine coordinate system. Therefore, ve input dada of three linear motions (i.e. TX, TY, and TZ) of spindle and two rotational motions (i.e. yA and yC) of table are to be calculated. These data have to make the same cutter position and orientation with respect to the workpiece as CL data. Therefore, the input data are determined by representing the position and orientation of tool coordinate system

where T is the transformation matrix from the coordinate system of upper letter to that of lower letter, W the workpiece coordinate system, T the tool coordinate system, and A, B, and C the coordinate system at each joint element. With Eqs. (4) and (5), yA, yC, TX, TY, TZ are determined as following: A yA cos1 k p < A p; A 6 0   i j ; C yC a tan 2 p < C sin yA sin yA X TX x cos yC y sin yC (6) p (7) (8)

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Y TY y

cos yA sin yC TX cos yA cos yC cos yC z DZ sin yA DY 1 cos yA z TY sin yA DY sin yA DZ DZ cos yA

(9) (10)

Z TZ

From Eq. (6), there may be conjugate values of A with a CL. This means that TRT type machine can make two postures of table corresponding to single tool orientation of CL information, if the conjugates are within the operation limit of the machine.

3. Algorithms for efficient post-processing Though the previous post-processing equations can calculate machine control codes of NC data, there may be unexpected troubles during operation of 5-axis machines. In this work, we have proposed some efcient algorithms for the post-processing with considering the characteristics of TRT type machines. 3.1. Interference free algorithm in phase reverse Most 5-axis machines of TRT type have unsymmetrical rotation limit about A-axis. Therefore, when a calculated orientation of table violates the operation limit of the machine, the post-processor has to choose another conjugate posture corresponding to the conjugate of A from Eq. (6).
Fig. 5. Tool interference during the phase reverse process: (a) before phase reverse; (b) after phase reverse.

This causes discontinuous machine operation, which is called as phase reverse process. While a post-processor calculates a series of machine postures, we call it machine path, from Eqs. (6)(10), it may cause unexpected troubles with unwanted machining during phase reverse process. For example, when the table of 5-axis machine reaches rotation limit as in Fig. 5(a) during machining, a post-processor calculates the phase-reversed posture as in Fig. 5(b). During this process, while the table rotates and tilts to the new orientation, the cutting tool moves linearly to the new position, which may cause interference

Fig. 6. Phase reverse algorithm for avoiding tool interference: (a) initial state; (b) step 1; (c) step 2; (d) step 3; (e) step 4; (f) final state.

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between the workpiece on table and cutting tool as in Fig. 5(b). In order to prevent the problem, we propose a robust algorithm for interference free during the phase reverse process. At the stage of starting phase reverse operation as in Fig. 6(a), the cutting tool moves to a distance in positive Z-direction as fast as possible as in Fig. 6(b). Then, the table rotates and tilts in order to have the conjugate orientation of phase reverse as in Fig. 6(c). At the same time, the cutting tool moves quickly to a position of which X and Y values are the conjugate position of phase reverse as in Fig. 6(d), while Z value is xed. Finally, after moving quickly down to the position of a distance Dd from the conjugate point of phase reverse as in Fig. 6(e), the cutter moves to the workpiece with cutting feed rate as in Fig. 6(f). The advantages of the proposed algorithm are as follows. First, it is interference free during the phase reverse process, since the cutter moves beyond the range of workpiece motion. Secondly, it is faster than the other phase reverse algorithms, which operates with cutting, feed rate, since most steps of the algorithm operate with fast feedrate. 3.2. An algorithm for fewer phase reverse processes As mentioned previously, TRT type machine can make two postures corresponding to single tool orientation of CL data. Therefore, many machine paths with or without the phase reverse are possible by connecting each posture of tool orientation from CL le. Since the phase reverse results in time consuming and discontinuous operation that causes bad surface quality of the machined part, most post-processors make a machine path by choosing nearer one from the previous posture of a machine. However, there may remains two types of machine paths if both postures corresponding to starting point of CL data are within the operation limit of the machine. For example, there can be two machine paths, path (a) and (b), starting at orientation A and B in each, since both starting postures are within the operation limit of A-axis of the machine as in Fig. 7. In this case, path (b) seems to be

Fig. 8. Algorithm for the path with fewer phase reverses.

more efcient than (a), since path (b) have fewer phase reverse processes to be done. Fig. 8 shows the schematic diagram of two paths with a CL le. In Fig. 8, machining path A needs two phase reverses. On the contrary, machining path B needs just a phase reverse process, which is better than the former. In order to choose the better with fewer phase reverse processes, both paths need checking for the number of phase reverses to the end of each path. However, in the proposed algorithm of this work we use the idea that the path with the rst phase reverse process has more phase reverses than the other. In other words, we can decide the better one at the stage of the rst phase reverse without checking to the end of both paths, since the path with the rst phase reverse has more phase reverse processes.

4. Results In this work, we have developed and tested a postprocessor for typical 5-axis machine of TRT type. The developed program generates NC data for machines with Heidenhain controller [6] that is one of the most widely used controllers on 5-axis machines. In order to verify the interference free during the phase reverse, we have also tested our program by machining a tire mold that is typical shape of 5-axis machining. Fig. 9(a) shows the machined results with a commercial post-processor, which reveals the machining error, indicated by a circle,

Fig. 7. Two machine paths with CL data.

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Fig. 9. Comparison of machining simulations of a conventional and the developed post-processor: (a) machining stimulation of a fire mold by a conventional post-processor; (b) machining stimulation by the proposed post-processor.

due to the tool interference during the phase reverse process. Fig. 9(b) shows the machined results with the developed program, which has no interference during the whole machining process.

with fewer phase reverse processes. It does not need to calculate the number of phase reverses for both of possible machine paths.

Acknowledgements 5. Concluding remarks Five-axis machining is the more widely used for machining complex 3D shapes such as die and mold parts. In order to machine this type of complex parts, CAD/CAM systems, instead of manual or automatic part programming (APT), are adopted for generating CL data, which needs translation into machine control data by a post-processor. Though some CAD/CAM vendors make to sell some post-processors, they do not open some tips and algorithms of their programs, which causes industry people to trouble with problems due to post-processing. In this work, we have proposed efcient algorithms as follows, for a post-processor of TRT type 5-axis milling machines that are widely used for parts of small and medium size. The rst algorithm is for preventing the interference between tool and workpiece during the phase reverse process. We have also veried the developed program for machining typical part of a tire mold, comparing with a valuable commercial program that makes machining error during the process. Besides the interference free, it has the advantage of reducing the time for phase reverse process. The second algorithm is for nding a better machine path The Korea Science and Engineering Foundation partially supported this research through the Engineering Research Center at Pusan National University. The authors thank for their support for this research.

References
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