Collision-free tool orientation optimization in five-axis machining of bladed disk

• Published in: Journal of computational design and engineering Vol. 2; no. 4; pp. 197 - 205
• Main Authors: Chen, Li, Xu, Ke, Tang, Kai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Tool orientation; Bladed disk; Five-axis machining; Optimization
• ISSN: 2288-5048; 2288-4300; 2288-5048
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcde.2015.06.001

Bladed disk (BLISK) is a vital part in jet engines with a complicated shape which is exclusively machined on a five-axis machine and requires high accuracy of machining. Poor quality of tool orientation (e.g., false tool positioning and unsmooth tool orientation transition) during the five-axis machining may cause collision and machine vibration, which will debase the machining quality and in the worst case sabotage the BLISK. This paper presents a reference plane based algorithm to generate a set of smoothly aligned tool orientations along a tool path. The proposed method guarantees that no collision would occur anywhere along the tool path, and the overall smoothness is globally optimized. A preliminary simulation verification of the proposed algorithm is conducted on a BLISK model and the tool orientation generated is found to be stable, smooth, and well-formed.