Five-axis milling machine tool kinematic chain design and analysis

Five-axis CNC machining centers have become quite common today. The kinematics of most of the machines are based on a rectangular Cartesian coordinate system. This paper classifies the possible conceptual designs and actual existing implementations based on the theoretically possible combinations of the degrees of freedom. Some useful quantitative parameters, such as the workspace utilization factor, machine tool space efficiency, orientation space index and orientation angle index are defined. The advantages and disadvantages of each concept are analyzed. Criteria for selection and design of a machine configuration are given. New concepts based on the Stewart platform have been introduced recently in industry and are also briefly discussed.

[1]  Ralph P. Grimaldi,et al.  Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics: An Applied Introduction , 1998 .

[2]  Karl-Heinz Wurst,et al.  Systematic Design of Hexapods and other Parallel Link Systems , 1997 .

[3]  Shuo-Yan Chou,et al.  Separating and intersecting spherical polygons: computing machinability on three-, four-, and five-axis numerically controlled machines , 1993, TOGS.

[4]  Martin Held,et al.  On the Computational Geometry of Pocket Machining , 1991, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[5]  Erik L.J. Bohez.  Computer aided dynamic design of rotating shafts , 1989 .

[6]  Erik L.J. Bohez,et al.  Expert system for diagnosing computer numerically controlled machines: a case-study , 1997 .

[7]  Robert B. Jerard,et al.  C-space approach to tool-path generation for die and mould machining , 1997, Comput. Aided Des..

[8]  William W. Luggen.  Flexible manufacturing cells and systems , 1991 .

[9]  D. Stewart,et al.  A Platform with Six Degrees of Freedom , 1965 .

[10]  Jinsong Wang,et al.  Closed Form Solution to Workspace of Hexapod-Based Virtual Axis Machine Tools , 1999 .

[11]  P. Bézier.  Numerical control : mathematics and applications , 1972 .

[12]  Maurice G. Kendall,et al.  A Course in the Geometry of n Dimensions , 1962 .

[13]  Joost Duflou,et al.  A geometric modeling and five-axis machining algorithm for centrifugal impellers , 1997 .

[14]  Karim Abdel-Malek,et al.  Multiple sweeping using the Denavit-Hartenberg representation method , 1999, Comput. Aided Des..