A cortical bone milling force model based on orthogonal cutting distribution method

In orthopedic surgery, the bone milling force has attracted attention owing to its significant influence on bone cracks and the breaking of tools. It is necessary to build a milling force model to improve the process of bone milling. This paper proposes a cortical bone milling force model based on the orthogonal cutting distribution method (OCDM), explaining the effect of anisotropic bone materials on milling force. According to the model, the bone milling force could be represented by the equivalent effect of a transient cutting force in a rotating period, and the transient milling force could be calculated by the transient milling force coefficients, cutting thickness, and cutting width. Based on the OCDM, the change in transient cutting force coefficients during slotting can be described by using a quadratic polynomial. Subsequently, the force model is updated for robotic bone milling, considering the low stiffness of the robot arm. Next, an experimental platform for robotic bone milling is built to simulate the milling process in clinical operation, and the machining signal is employed to calculate the milling force. Finally, according to the experimental result, the rationality of the force model is verified by the contrast between the measured and predicted forces. The milling force model can satisfy the accuracy requirement for predicting the milling force in the different processing directions, and it could promote the development of force control in orthopedic surgery.