Tool path length optimisation of contour parallel milling based on modified ant colony optimisation

摘要

Reducing machining time in a milling process is one of the important criteria to improve the overall efficiency of the machining process. This paper presents a study on the reduction of machining time, focusing on contour parallel machining to increase the efficiency and performance during the machining process. One method to enhance the performance of contour parallel machining is by defining a tool path interval that is larger than the radius of the cutting tool in a roughing operation because of its capability of reducing the tool path length and machining time. However, this causes the occurrence of an uncut region at the corner and at the centre of a contour parallel. This uncut region can be removed through an additional tool path known as the clear tool path. Therefore, in this paper, a new method based on an optimisation technique is introduced to generate a clear tool path that removes the entire uncut region in contour parallel machining at minimum cutting time. Ant colony algorithm (ACO) is used to optimise the clear tool path length in contour parallel machining time by minimising the movement of cutting tool in removing the entire uncut regions. A new transition rule has been established from the conventional ACO, which adapted the uncut region occurring at the corner of the contour parallel. Then, to validate the optimisation result, a cutting experiment was carried out using computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine. It can be ascertained from this study that the optimisation of the clear tool path gives optimal tool path length whilst reducing the cutting time in the roughing process.