Views: 288 Author: ANEBON Publish Time: 2024-12-21 Origin: Site
Content Menu
>> Process 1
>> Process 2
● How does superstring finishing technology enhance finishing efficiency?
>> How to reduce the residual ridge height?
>> Large arc tool and superstring finishing technology
>> Comparison of processing using ball cutters and large arc cutters
>> Case 2:
>> 3+2 fixed surface machining
>> Five-axis linkage machining
>> Summary
In the time-consuming CNC finishing process, enhancing processing efficiency is a particularly important topic. If I told you that there is a method that can reduce the finishing time of parts from 60 minutes to just 4 minutes, you might think I am joking. Today, I want to introduce you to superstring finishing technology, which utilizes innovative tools and processing strategies to significantly improve finishing efficiency and unlock the tremendous potential of CNC processing.
If a ball cutter is used, the finishing time is 30 minutes
If superstring finishing technology is used, the finishing time is 3 minutes
If a ball cutter is used, the finishing time is 60 minutes
If superstring finishing technology is used, the finishing time is 4 minutes
The primary goal of CNC finishing is to achieve precise dimensional accuracy and an excellent surface quality of the workpiece. The surface quality during finishing is largely influenced by the height of the residual ridges left after processing.
Residual ridge height is defined as the maximum height of the protruding portion of material that remains after the cutting tool moves through two adjacent tool paths during processing, as illustrated in the figure below.
One effective method to improve surface quality is to reduce both the step distance and the distance between adjacent tool paths. However, this approach increases the number of tool paths required per unit area, which can lead to longer finishing times.
Another viable method is to use a larger tool. A larger tool radius results in a wider arc at the contact point with the material. When maintaining the same tool path density, the height of the residual ridges is generally smaller. Using a larger radius tool can thus reduce the height of these ridges and enhance the overall surface quality. However, many industrial CNC machining workpieces have narrow gaps that cannot accommodate a larger radius tool, making this method less applicable in those cases.
A large arc tool is a new type of milling tool that enables machining with a larger step size while maintaining the same surface quality. Effective tool path programming is crucial for utilizing large arc tools. By accurately guiding the tool to match the contour of the workpiece at the right angle along the tool path, you can significantly reduce machining cycle time while ensuring high surface quality.
The advantage of ball cutters is that the angle between the tool tip and the workpiece surface does not need to be taken into account during use. Regardless of the angle, the contact point's shape is always circular. However, ball cutters require smaller step increments to ensure a high-quality finished surface, which can lead to significantly longer processing times for larger surfaces.
In contrast, by using a tool with a larger arc, such as a taper or elliptical tool, it is possible to reduce the residual ridge height without increasing the density of the tool path. This approach allows for higher quality finishing to be achieved in less time.
In standard 3-axis machining, the movement of the machine tool axes is relatively straightforward, allowing for enhanced finishing techniques to be applied to side walls, steep areas, and flat top surfaces. It is advisable to use barrel-shaped and taper-shaped arc tools, along with the equal height strategy and parallel strategy in Mastercam 3D finishing for improved results.
Select the barrel-shaped tool in the tool manager; on the tool definition page, set the various shape parameters of the barrel tool.
The parameters of the tool shape settings defined here will directly affect the tool path calculation results. The safest way is to import the tool model provided by the tool manufacturer directly. Then, use the equal height strategy to generate the tool path:
Using cutting verification, we can see that the supercharged finishing toolpath generated by Mastercam efficiently utilizes the tool's large arc, allowing for a larger step distance compared to a ball cutter.
Case 2:
In this case, a barrel-shaped arc tool was chosen for CNC machining process using the equal-height strategy. A closer examination of the generated supercharged finishing toolpath reveals that the large arc of the barrel tool was fully utilized for the finishing process.
In a 3+2 fixed surface environment, it is recommended to use equal height and parallel strategies for supercharged finishing. Unlike simple 3-axis machining, 3+2 fixed surface machining requires selecting an appropriate tool plane. This ensures that the tool's arc contacts the material at a stable tangent point during the tool path.
Five-axis linkage machining offers flexible movement angles for machine tools and is the primary area of application for super string finishing. In 5 axis CNC machining, both parallel and gradient machining strategies are recommended.
The key point of supercharged finishing in the five-axis linkage mode is to control the tool axis so that the tool contacts the material at a stable and appropriate arc tangent point.
Superchord finishing is suitable for various types of machining, including 3-axis machining, 3+2-axis fixed surface machining, and five-axis linkage machining.
For 3-axis machining, it is recommended to use equal height strategy and parallel strategy.
In 3+2-axis machining, the key is to select an appropriate tool plane to ensure that the arc of the tool contacts the material at a stable tangent point along the tool path.
For five-axis linkage machining, it is essential to control the tool axis so that the tool makes contact with the material at a stable and suitable arc tangent point. Both parallel and gradient machining strategies are recommended for this type of machining.
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