Feed speed scheduling method for parts with rapidly varied geometric feature based on drive constraint of NC machine tool

As the existence of rapidly varied geometric feature and during the NC manufacturing process of this kind of parts, the actual moving speed of the workbench of the NC machine tool cannot reach the feed speed set in the NC program timely due to the drive constraint of NC machine tool. Furthermore, the machine tool would vibrate violently with the drive constraint when employing the constant machining parameter to process the parts with rapidly varied geometric feature, which seriously restricts the improvement of processing this kind of parts with high quality and high efficiency. In order to manufacture such parts with high quality and high efficiency, a sub-regional processing method with variable machining parameters is proposed. Firstly, the generation mechanism of the machining error is studied, and its mathematical model is built. Then the change rule of the machining error influenced by the curvature and the NC programmed feed speed is found out. Finally, taking the drive constraint and the machining error requirement into account, the relationship between the programmed feed speed and the curvature is established, and the corresponding programmed feed speeds to different curvatures are obtained. Taking the NC machining of the edge line of spiral microstrip antenna, which is an equiangular spiral, for example, the experiment results show that compared with the machining result with constant machining parameter, the maximum machining error of the sub-regional processing method with variable machining parameters decreases by 35.51% and the average value of the machining error decreases by 46.65%. For another example, the clover rose line is machined and the processing quality is also improved. This study proves that the method distributing the programmed feed speeds based on the curvature variation can improve the machining precision and ensure processing efficiency, and provides an effective method to manufacture parts with rapidly varied geometric feature. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.