A study of manufacturing models for ball-end type rotating cutters with constant pitch helical grooves

Most of the published work on developing design and manufacturing models of rotating cutters lacks generality and integrity. In this paper, a systematic method that integrates design, manufacture, simulation, and remedy, has been developed for a ball-end type rotating cutter. The principles of differential geometry and kinematics facilitate the development of correlative models of the cutting-edge and helical groove. Based on the envelope condition, approaches for solving the direct and inverse problems related to the manufacturing models are also presented. The influences of relative feed speeds of the grinding wheel in machining the groove are discussed, and following this the proposed feed speeds are designed. The effects of design and virtual manufacture of the cutter are analysed according to the computer simulation results of the groove surfaces enveloped by the grinding wheel. In addition, the post-process methods are introduced to finish the residual material and the land of the cutter.