1 Tool Path Generation for 3 + 2-axis Machining

3+2-axis machining combines the flexibility of orientation offered by indexable five-axis machines while maintains the low cost and ease of programming offered by three-axis machines. The efficiency of 3+2-axis machining can approach and may even surpass that of 5-axis machining but it requires special considerations to be carried out successfully. 3+2-axis machining offers the capability to orient the tool, but it is not affected by the variations of speed during machining encountered in simultaneous 5-axis machining. The tool orientation is locked during cutting, which results in a constant feed rate and a consistent surface finish. Since the motion is only in the three linear axes, programming and verification is much simpler than 5-axis machining. 3+2-axis machining requires identifying regions where the surface properties do not vary significantly. These regions or patches can be machined separately using a different tool orientation and feed direction. This paper presents the methodology developed for machining complex surfaces on a 3+2-axis machine. A test surface is utilized in this study along with actual machining experiments. The results are compared to traditional three-axis machining and simultaneous five-axis machining.