Numerical Verification of CNC Machine Simulations

AbstractA CNC machine simulator is a complex piece of software. A machine model, a stock model, and a tool model must be designed, and algorithms for intersecting the partially machined stock with the surface swept by the tool must be implemented. Verification that the software is working correctly is critical if the simulator is used for industrial purposes. In this paper, we describe a method to test that the intersection of the tool and the surface swept by a 5-axis machine is correctly generated by a simulator, where the stock is represented as a height field. Further, these tests assist in determining the appropriate values for many of the internal parameters of the simulator.