Enveloping theory based method for the determination of path interval and tool path optimization for surface machining

摘要

An enveloping theory based method for the determination of path interval in three-axis NC machining of free form surface is presented, and a practical algorithm and the measures for improving the calculating efficiency of the algorithm are given. Not only the given algorithm can be used for ball end cutter, flat end cutter, torus cutter drum cutter, but also the proposed method can be extended to arbitrary milling cutters.