Abstract
This paper presents a postprocessor capable of converting cutter location (CL) data to machine control data for three typical five-axis machine tools to establish an interface between computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems and numerically controlled (NC) machines. The analytical equations for NC data are obtained using the homogeneous coordinate transformation matrix and inverse kinematics. In addition, the developed postprocessor method is implemented through a trial-cut on a five-axis machine and verified on the coordinate measurement machine. Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed postprocessor method which can be used to integrate the various five-axis machine tools employed in manufacturing systems.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
S. Bedi and G. W. Vickers, “Postprocessor for numerically controlled machine tools”,Computers in Industry,9(1), pp. 3–18, 1987.
B. K. Balaji, “Development and interface of a postprocessor for a CNC mill”, Master Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, USA, December 1993.
P. D. Lin and M. B. Chu, “Machine tool settings for manufacture of cams with flat-face followers”,International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture,34(8), pp. 1119–1131, 1994.
S. J. Suh and K. S. Lee, “A prototype CAM system for four-axis NC machining of rotational-free-surfaces”,Journal of Manufacturing Systems,10(4), pp. 322–331, 1991.
G. W. Vickers, S. Bedi and R. Haw, “The definition and manufacture of compound curvature surfaces using G-surf”,Computers in Industry,6(3), pp. 173–183, 1985.
Y. Takeuchi and T. Watanabe, “Generation of 5-axis control collision-free tool path and postprocessing for NC data”,Annals of the CIRP,41(1), pp. 539–542, 1992.
S. Sakamoto and I. Inasaki, “Analysis of generating motion for five-axis machining centers”,Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Series C,59(561), pp. 1553–1559, 1993 (in Japanese).
P. D. Lin and I. J. Tsai, “The machining and on-line measurement of spatial cams on four-axis machine tools”,International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture,36(1), pp. 89–101, 1996.
A. Warkentin, S. Bedi and F. Ismail, “Five-axis milling of spherical surfaces”,International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture,36(2), pp. 229–243, 1996.
N. Rao, S. Bedi and R. Buchal, “Implementation of the principal-axis method for machining of complex surfaces”,International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology,11(4), pp. 249–257, 1996.
J. Denavit and R. S. Hartenberg, “A kinematic notation for lowerpair mechanisms based on matrices”,ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics,22(2), pp. 215–221, June 1955.
R. P. Paul,Robot Manipulators: Mathematics, Programming and Control, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1981.
G. Yu, “General tool correction for five-axis milling”,International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology,10(6), pp. 374–378, 1995.
D. N. Reshetov and V. T. Portman,Accuracy of Machine Tools, ASME, New York, 1988.
I. D. Faux and M. J. Pratt,Computational Geometry for Design and Manufacture, Ellis Horwood Ltd, Chichester, UK, 1979.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, R.S., She, C.H. Developing a postprocessor for three types of five-axis machine tools. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 13, 658–665 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350824
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350824