3,207 research outputs found
Topological model for machining of parts with complex shapes
Complex shapes are widely used to design products in several industries such
as aeronautics, automotive and domestic appliances. Several variations of their
curvatures and orientations generate difficulties during their manufacturing or
the machining of dies used in moulding, injection and forging. Analysis of
several parts highlights two levels of difficulties between three types of
shapes: prismatic parts with simple geometrical shapes, aeronautic structure
parts composed of several shallow pockets and forging dies composed of several
deep cavities which often contain protrusions. This paper mainly concerns High
Speed Machining (HSM) of these dies which represent the highest complexity
level because of the shapes' geometry and their topology. Five axes HSM is
generally required for such complex shaped parts but 3 axes machining can be
sufficient for dies. Evolutions in HSM CAM software and machine tools lead to
an important increase in time for machining preparation. Analysis stages of the
CAD model particularly induce this time increase which is required for a wise
choice of cutting tools and machining strategies. Assistance modules for
prismatic parts machining features identification in CAD models are widely
implemented in CAM software. In spite of the last CAM evolutions, these kinds
of CAM modules are undeveloped for aeronautical structure parts and forging
dies. Development of new CAM modules for the extraction of relevant machining
areas as well as the definition of the topological relations between these
areas must make it possible for the machining assistant to reduce the machining
preparation time. In this paper, a model developed for the description of
complex shape parts topology is presented. It is based on machining areas
extracted for the construction of geometrical features starting from CAD models
of the parts. As topology is described in order to assist machining assistant
during machining process generation, the difficulties associated with tasks he
carried out are analyzed at first. The topological model presented after is
based on the basic geometrical features extracted. Topological relations which
represent the framework of the model are defined between the basic geometrical
features which are gathered afterwards in macro-features. Approach used for the
identification of these macro-features is also presented in this paper.
Detailed application on the construction of the topological model of forging
dies is presented in the last part of the paper
Machining of complex-shaped parts with guidance curves
Nowadays, high-speed machining is usually used for production of hardened
material parts with complex shapes such as dies and molds. In such parts, tool
paths generated for bottom machining feature with the conventional parallel
plane strategy induced many feed rate reductions, especially when boundaries of
the feature have a lot of curvatures and are not parallel. Several machining
experiments on hardened material lead to the conclusion that a tool path
implying stable cutting conditions might guarantee a better part surface
integrity. To ensure this stability, the shape machined must be decomposed when
conventional strategies are not suitable. In this paper, an experimental
approach based on high-speed performance simulation is conducted on a master
bottom machining feature in order to highlight the influence of the curvatures
towards a suitable decomposition of machining area. The decomposition is
achieved through the construction of intermediate curves between the closed
boundaries of the feature. These intermediate curves are used as guidance curve
for the tool paths generation with an alternative machining strategy called
"guidance curve strategy". For the construction of intermediate curves, key
parameters reflecting the influence of their proximity with each closed
boundary and the influence of the curvatures of this latter are introduced.
Based on the results, a method for defining guidance curves in four steps is
proposed
Feature recognition & tool path generation for 5 axis STEP-NC machining of free form / irregular contoured surfaces
This research paper presents a five step algorithm to generate tool paths for machining Free form / Irregular Contoured Surface(s) (FICS) by adopting STEP-NC (AP-238) format. In the first step, a parametrized CAD model with FICS is created or imported in UG-NX6.0 CAD package. The second step recognizes the features and calculates a Closeness Index (CI) by comparing them with the B-Splines / Bezier surfaces. The third step utilizes the CI and extracts the necessary data to formulate the blending functions for identified features. In the fourth step Z-level 5 axis tool paths are generated by adopting flat and ball end mill cutters. Finally, in the fifth step, tool paths are integrated with STEP-NC format and validated. All these steps are discussed and explained through a validated industrial component
Reconstruction of freeform surfaces for metrology
The application of freeform surfaces has increased since their complex shapes closely express a product's functional specifications and their machining is obtained with higher accuracy. In particular, optical surfaces exhibit enhanced performance especially when they take aspheric forms or more complex forms with multi-undulations. This study is mainly focused on the reconstruction of complex shapes such as freeform optical surfaces, and on the characterization of their form. The computer graphics community has proposed various algorithms for constructing a mesh based on the cloud of sample points. The mesh is a piecewise linear approximation of the surface and an interpolation of the point set. The mesh can further be processed for fitting parametric surfaces (Polyworks® or Geomagic®). The metrology community investigates direct fitting approaches. If the surface mathematical model is given, fitting is a straight forward task. Nonetheless, if the surface model is unknown, fitting is only possible through the association of polynomial Spline parametric surfaces. In this paper, a comparative study carried out on methods proposed by the computer graphics community will be presented to elucidate the advantages of these approaches. We stress the importance of the pre-processing phase as well as the significance of initial conditions. We further emphasize the importance of the meshing phase by stating that a proper mesh has two major advantages. First, it organizes the initially unstructured point set and it provides an insight of orientation, neighbourhood and curvature, and infers information on both its geometry and topology. Second, it conveys a better segmentation of the space, leading to a correct patching and association of parametric surfaces.EMR
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Approach Tolerance in the Assemblies of Evolutionary Hybrid Prototypes
A new answer is proposed to replace the traditional “one shot” prototype (manufactured in
one piece with one process): the hybrid rapid prototype. It is used to highly reduce time,
cost and increase reactivity during the development times of new products.
The part is decomposed in several components which can quickly be changed and can be
manufactured with a process the most adapted.
The main objective of the presented method is to propose an available technological
assembly between the different components of the part in the respect of technological and
topological function, and initial tolerance.
Using a graph of representation, fuzzy logic and a tolerance point of view, some entities are
associated with a CIA (Assembly Identity Card) in accordance with evolutionary and
manufacturing analysis. This work will be illustrated by an industrial tooling for plastic
injection.Mechanical Engineerin
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Design for Wire + Arc Additive Manufacture: design rules and build orientation selection
Wire + Arc Additive Manufacture (WAAM) is an additive manufacturing technology that can produce near net-shape parts layer by layer in an automated manner using welding technology controlled by a robot or CNC machine. WAAM has been shown to produce parts with good structural integrity in a range of materials including titanium, steel and aluminium and has the potential to produce high value structural parts at lower cost with much less waste material and shorter lead times that conventional manufacturing processes.
This paper provides an initial set of design rules for WAAM and presents a methodology for build orientation selection for WAAM parts. The paper begins with a comparison between the design requirements and capabilities of WAAM and other additive manufacturing technologies, design guidelines for WAAM are then presented based on experimental work. A methodology to select the most appropriate build orientation for WAAM parts is then presented using a multi attribute decision matrix approach to compare different design alternatives. Two aerospace case study parts are provided to illustrate the methodology
Features and design intent in engineering sketches
We investigate the problem of determining design intent from engineering sketches: what did the designer have in mind when sketching a component? Specifically, we consider the unidirectional reverse mapping from form features, as determined from an input sketch, to design features, representing the design intent present in the designer’s mind. We introduce a list of com- mon engineering form features. For each, we list which geometrical cues may be helpful in identifying these features in design sketches, and we list the design features which such form features commonly imply. We show that a reductionist approach which decomposes a diagram into form features can be used to deduce the design intent of the object portrayed in a drawing. We supply experimental results in support of this idea
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