Development of an automated surface finishing system (ASFS) with in-process surface topography inspection

Abstract This paper describes an automated surface finishing system (ASFS) with in-process surface topography inspection. The acquired surface topography feedback is used to calculate the surface error and to generate the finishing paths for each level of surface finishing of molds and dies. A prototype ASFS was constructed with a CNC machining center, and a laser scanning probe was used in the ASFS to acquire the surface topography data. Surface finishing of a cylindrical-shaped mold cavity was used to verify the effectiveness of the prototype ASFS. Results showed that the surface error was improved toward the specified dimensional tolerance and surface finish.