Multi Objective Optimization in Machining

Operations

Orlando Durán1, Roberto Barrientos1, and Luiz Airton Consalter2

1
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av.Los Carrera, 01567,
Quilpué, Chile
orlando.duran@ucv.cl
2
FEAR, Universidade de Passo Fundo, CP, Passo Fundo (RS), Brasil
lac@upf.br

Abstract. Process Planning activities are significantly based on experience and technical skill.
In spite of the great efforts made for planning automation, this activity continues being made in
manual form. Process Planning activities are significantly based on experience and technical
skills. The advent of the CAM systems (Computer Aided Manufacturing) has partially close the
gap left between the Automated Design and Manufacture. Meanwhile, a great dose of manual
work still exists and investigation in this area is still necessary. This paper presents the applica-
tion of a multi objective genetic algorithm for the definition of the optimal cutting parameters.
The objective functions consider the production rate and production cost in turning operations.
The obtained Pareto front is compared to high efficiency cutting range. This paper also
describes one application of the developed mechanism using an example.

1 Introduction
Process Planning is a function that establishes a set of manufacturing operations and
their sequence, and specifies the appropriate tools and process parameters in order to
convert a part from its initial state to a final form. Computer Aided Process Planning
(CAPP) can be considered as the solution that provides a great assistance in this as-
pect and could even replace the human planners in the planning procedure.
In addition, CAPP technology can assure the integration between CAD and CAM
systems and a total consistency and correctness of the developed process plans.
Traditional CAPP systems can be roughly categorized as variant and generative
systems. Variant CAPP is based on a Group Technology (GT) coding and classifica-
tion approach to identify a number of part attributes. These attributes allow the system
to select a standard process plan for the part family and accomplish an important part
of the planning work. The planner needs to add the remaining of the effort of modify-
ing or fine-tuning the process plan. The standard process plans stored in the computer
are manually entered using a super planner concept, that is, developing standardized
plans based on the accumulated experience and knowledge of multiple planners and
manufacturing engineers. One drawback of the variant CAPP is that the generic family
process may not be suitable for a particular new part. The generative CAPP system
does not have this drawback because it generates process plans according to the ex-
periences and knowledge of the planners. Instead of retrieving a generic family process
and editing it, a process plan is created from scratch by using a set of intelligent tools.

P. Melin et al. (Eds.): Anal. and Des. of Intel. Sys. using SC Tech., ASC 41, pp. 455–462, 2007.
springerlink.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007
456 O. Durán, R. Barrientos, and L.A. Consalter

An standard CAPP system usually selects machine tools and operations, generates
the various parameters required in each operation, routes the selected operations, and
so on. While there has been some success in some problematic areas such as in the
systematization of feature recognition and operation sequencing, the process of select-
ing cutting tool and conditions has not been as successful because it depends largely
on human experience. As aforementioned, the selection of cutting conditions is an
important step in process planning of machining operations. In past years, to
determine the optimal cutting parameters, complex mathematical models have been
formulated to associate the cutting parameters with the cutting performance. The
complexity is augmented if one considers that the cutting parameters are subjected to
several constraints such as permissible limit of power, cutting force or surface rough-
ness among others. Main difficulties arise because of the coexistence of parameters
that interact in non linear modes. Also, objective functions that are discontinuous pose
high difficulty for traditional mathematical techniques. This is the field where heuris-
tics methods like the genetic algorithms offer powerful opportunities. This paper deals
with the use of a multi-objective genetic algorithm to effectively perform cutting con-
ditions optimization for turning operations. Additionally, this work attempts to dem-
onstrate that the Pareto front obtained by means of a multi objective optimization
process constitutes a good approximation to the high efficiency cutting range.

2 Literature Review
Traditional optimization in machining operations involves the selection of feed and
cutting speed according to a variety of economic criteria such as the minimum cost
per component, maximum production rate or maximum profit rate [1,2,3]. In those
optimization models constraints are considered, such as the machine tool feed and
speed boundaries, machine tool maximum feed force, spindle torque and available
power. Taylor [4] conducted the earliest research on cutting tool life; the main
achievement of that research was the development of the well-known tool life equa-
tion. [5] proposed a mathematical model to find the optimal speed and feed rate that
provides the highest production rate. In the other hand, cutting conditions are usually
selected to minimize operation costs as a form to increase the long-term profits [6,5].
That two cutting conditions, maximum production rate speed and the minima cost cut-
ting speed, together constitute the so-called high efficiency cutting range.
Several types of methods have been used for the optimization of cutting parame-
ters. Direct search method emerges as one of the most popular mathematical optimi-
zation methods. Direct search methods compute the first derivative of one objective
function and set it to zero. However, for applying these methods the objective func-
tion must be continuous and twice differentiable, requirement that it is not easily met
in real world problems [7]. [8] pointed out that those single objective approaches have
a limited value to fix the optimal cutting conditions, due to the complex nature of the
machining processes, where several different and contradictory objectives must be
simultaneously optimized. Multi-objective formulations are realistic models for many
complex engineering optimization problems. In many real-life problems, objectives
under consideration conflict with each other, and optimizing a particular solution with